Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy to ensure a secure transition of the Port of Churchill rail line from Canadian National to OmniTRAX. Other Gerrard voted in favour of the Chrétien government's national gun registry program in late 1994, despite some personal reservations. The registry was unpopular with many rural Manitobans, and Gerrard remarked to John Manley soon after the vote that it would likely cost him his seat in the next election. 1997 election The Portage—Interlake riding disappeared with redistribution before the 1997 election. Gerrard ran in the new riding of Selkirk—Interlake, and lost to Reform Party candidate Howard Hilstrom by 66 votes in a very close three-way contest. Gerrard returned to his work at the Winnipeg Children's Hospital after his defeat. He also became a Medical Research Council of Canada scholar in residence at the University of Manitoba's medical school and applied to become Dean of Medicine, as well as returning to his research work on bald eagles. Leadership of the Manitoba Liberal Party Gerrard returned to active political life in 1998, as leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party. After winning only three seats in the 1995 provincial election and losing its official status in the legislature, the provincial Liberal Party had nearly disintegrated in 1997 under the leadership of Ginny Hasselfield. She resigned in February 1998, and Gerrard declared his candidacy to succeed her. Supported by former leader Sharon Carstairs, he defeated the only other candidate, former Sagkeeng First Nation chief Jerry Fontaine. Elections 1999 Gerrard set modest goals for his party in the 1999 provincial election, saying that the Liberals could win between ten and fifteen seats to hold the balance of power in a minority government. He focused his attention on health care, and pledged that he would serve as his own Minister of Health if elected as Premier. He also promised to appoint a health ombudsman, commit $25 million toward repairing provincial infrastructure, provide $20 million for post-secondary education, end provincial clawbacks of federal tax credits for welfare recipients, and create a new Ministry of Digital Economy and the Information Highway. The Liberal Party was unable to run a full electoral slate, fielding candidates in only 50 of 57 divisions. Gerrard tried to deflect criticism by joking that he would "put his 50 Liberal candidates up against 57 Tory and NDP candidates any day", but the failure to run a full slate unquestionably damaged his party's