took place two days before the 1995 municipal election, in which Thompson was facing a difficult challenge from two rival candidates. Vodrey denied there was any attempt to influence the outcome of the vote. Vodrey commissioned a civil justice review task force in early 1996, to review the province's handling of divorce and child-custody cases and to prevent damage being done to spouses, children and families. Headingley Jail Riot A serious riot broke out at Manitoba's Headingley Correctional Institution on April 25, 1996. Eight guards and about forty prisoners were injured, some seriously, as a group of inmates ransacked parts of the jail for the better part of a day. By the end of the riot, the prison had no heat or electricity and the actual building was largely destroyed. Several guards later complained that staff cutbacks and unsafe working conditions were ongoing concerns in the period leading up to the violence. Vodrey announced an independent review into the riot, but rejected requests for a full-scale public inquiry. Prison guards across the province subsequently went on a three-day strike, seeking both an inquiry and the resignation of several officials responsible for overseeing the prison, including Vodrey. The opposition New Democratic Party also criticized Vodrey's response to the crisis, arguing that she was not forthcoming about the number of prisoners released from other prisons to alleviate overcrowding when inmates were transferred from Headingley. These criticisms were reduced somewhat after Vodrey appointed respected former judge Ted Hughes to conduct the inquiry. Hughes submitted a report in December 1996 that described Headingley as having been a social powder keg before the riot, with serious problems in both safety and labour relations. He also described Vodrey as "surprisingly" ignorant of these problems in her capacity as minister. Vodrey accepted responsibility, and expressed regret that she did not know of the prevailing circumstances at the prison. Assessments Vodrey became known for making high-profile policy announcements during her time in the Justice portfolio, and there was some speculation she would eventually be a candidate to succeed Gary Filmon as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party. This speculation ended after the Headingly riot, which did serious damage to her political standing. Some Winnipeg Free Press journalists noted that street gangs and juvenile crime actually increased during the period of Filmon and Vodrey's hardline approach. Minister of Culture, Heritage and Citizenship Vodrey was reassigned as Minister of Culture,