▁the ▁Harvard ▁Policy ▁Group , ▁which ▁studies ▁the ▁effects ▁of ▁Information ▁Technology ▁on ▁the ▁public ▁sector . ▁He ▁began ▁his ▁political ▁career ▁at ▁the ▁provincial ▁level , ▁working ▁as ▁an ▁organ izer ▁for ▁the ▁Man it oba ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁ ▁Al cock ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Legisl ative ▁Assembly ▁of ▁Man it oba ▁for ▁the ▁W inn ip eg ▁division ▁of ▁Os bor ne ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁provincial ▁election , ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁Man it oba ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁rose ▁from ▁one ▁seat ▁to ▁twenty ▁under ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁Sh aron ▁Car st airs . ▁He ▁later ▁worked ▁as ▁campaign ▁manager ▁for ▁high - profile ▁Liberal ▁inc umb ent ▁Lloyd ▁Ax worth y ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁federal ▁election . ▁Al cock ▁served ▁as ▁official ▁opposition ▁house ▁leader ▁and ▁fin ance ▁critic ▁and ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁provincial ▁election ▁despite ▁a ▁shift ▁against ▁his ▁party . ▁He ▁end ors ed ▁Jean ▁Chr ét ien ' s ▁bid ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁federal ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁and ▁declared ▁his ▁own ▁intention ▁to ▁enter ▁federal ▁politics ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁ ▁Al cock ▁won ▁the ▁Liberal ▁nom ination ▁for ▁W inn ip eg ▁South ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁defe ating ▁rival ▁candidate ▁L inda ▁As per ▁by ▁only ▁five ▁votes ▁on ▁the ▁third ▁ball ot ▁of ▁what ▁proved ▁to