▁the ▁Red ▁River ▁Community ▁College , ▁receiving ▁a ▁certificate ▁in ▁motor ▁vehicle ▁work . ▁ ▁He ▁worked ▁in ▁vehicle ▁body ▁repair ▁before ▁entering ▁politics . ▁ ▁M andra ke ▁also ▁served ▁with ▁the ▁Canadian ▁Army ▁which ▁he ▁joined ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁holding ▁administrative ▁posts ▁in ▁Canada ▁and ▁Europe . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁hon ou rab ly ▁released ▁with ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁W arr ant ▁Officer ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁he ▁married ▁Marie ▁W iw char . ▁ ▁M andra ke ▁first ▁ran ▁for ▁office ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁provincial ▁election , ▁and ▁defeated ▁inc umb ent ▁Progress ive ▁Conserv ative ▁Ric ▁Nord man ▁by ▁ 1 8 7 ▁votes ▁in ▁Ass in ib o ia . ▁ ▁The ▁Liber als ▁increased ▁their ▁parliament ary ▁representation ▁from ▁one ▁seat ▁to ▁twenty ▁in ▁this ▁election , ▁and ▁M andra ke ▁sat ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁official ▁opposition . ▁ ▁Liberal ▁support ▁tra iled ▁off ▁in ▁the ▁provincial ▁election ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁defeated ▁by ▁PC ▁candidate ▁L inda ▁Mc Int osh . ▁ ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁seek ▁a ▁return ▁to ▁political ▁office . ▁ ▁M andra ke ▁later ▁joined ▁the ▁Progress ive ▁Conserv ative ▁Party ▁of ▁Canada . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁he ▁signed ▁a ▁pet ition ▁oppos ing ▁the ▁party ' s ▁mer ger ▁with ▁the ▁Canadian ▁Alliance . ▁ ▁He ▁died ▁at ▁the ▁Victoria ▁General