▁Progress ive ▁Conserv ative , ▁defe ating ▁his ▁closest ▁oppon ent ▁by ▁almost ▁ 4 , 0 0 0 ▁votes . ▁The ▁seat ▁had ▁been ▁vac ated ▁by ▁former ▁premier ▁Ster ling ▁Lyon ' s ▁ret irement ▁from ▁elect oral ▁politics . ▁The ▁gover ning ▁New ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁( ND P ) ▁was ▁narrow ly ▁re - elect ed , ▁and ▁Ernst ▁joined ▁ 2 5 ▁other ▁Conserv atives ▁in ▁opposition . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁dis gr unt led ▁N DP ▁back ben cher ▁Jim ▁Wald ing ▁brought ▁down ▁the ▁government . ▁The ▁resulting ▁election ▁took ▁place ▁at ▁a ▁time ▁when ▁the ▁Man it oba ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁was ▁making ▁in ro ads ▁into ▁both ▁PC ▁and ▁N DP ▁areas ▁of ▁support ; ▁Ernst ▁was ▁only ▁narrow ly ▁re - elect ed , ▁defe ating ▁Liberal ▁candidate ▁Sh ari ▁Nelson ▁by ▁fewer ▁than ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁votes . ▁ ▁The ▁Conserv atives , ▁led ▁by ▁Gary ▁Fil mon , ▁formed ▁a ▁minor ity ▁government ▁following ▁this ▁election . ▁On ▁May ▁ 9 , ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁Ernst ▁was ▁appointed ▁Minister ▁of ▁Indust ry , ▁Trade ▁and ▁Tour ism , ▁with ▁responsibility ▁for ▁Development ▁Corporation , ▁Sport , ▁the ▁F it ness ▁and ▁Am ateur ▁Sport ▁Act ▁and ▁the ▁Box ing ▁and ▁Wrestling ▁Commission ▁Act ▁and ▁Man it oba ▁Forest ry . ▁ ▁The ▁provincial ▁Liber als ▁had ▁sli pped ▁in ▁popular ity ▁by ▁the ▁provincial ▁election ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 0