Harry Enns (November 30, 1931 – June 24, 2010) was a Manitoba politician. He served as a Cabinet Minister in the governments of Dufferin Roblin, Walter Weir, Sterling Lyon and Gary Filmon,
The son of Reverend John Herman Enns, a minister for the First Mennonite Church, and Agathe Unruh, Enns was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In 1953 he married Helene Klassen, the daughter of John and Lola Klassen. In 1962 the family relocated to the community of Woodlands in the Interlake region where he built a cattle ranch, a profession that he remained active in for the remainder of his life. He was divorced from Helene in 1976. He was remarried to Eleanor Jones in 1984. His brother Siegfried John Enns served in the Canadian House of Commons. The Manitoba Indian Brotherhood came out in opposition to the scheme, as did the Liberals and New Democrats, and the planned flooding became a significant issue in the 1969 provincial election.
In the government of Sterling Lyon, Enns served as Minister of Public Works and Minister of Highways from October 24, 1977 to October 20, 1978; Minister of Highways and Transport (a renamed position) from October 20, 1978 to November 15, 1979; Minister of Government Services from April 12, 1979 to January 16, 1981; and Minister of Natural Resources from January 16, 1981 to November 30, 1981.
In 2000, he supported Stockwell Day for the leadership of the Canadian Alliance party.
Politics and controversies
In 1976, Enns nearly derailed plans by the Schreyer government to bring a series of Russian artworks from Leningrad's Hermitage and the State Russian Museum to Manitoba, during a North American tour. His position was grounded in an opposition to Communism and the Soviet Union, though he eventually withdrew his objections.
During the mid-1980s, Enns was a vocal opponent of officially re-entrenching French-language services in Manitoba (a policy being pursued by the New Democratic government of Howard Pawley). Ironically, his seat was targeted by the anti-bilingualism Confederation of Regions Party in 1986, although this challenge ultimately came to very little.
A philosophical conservative, Enns was also responsible for weakening market board control over Manitoba's hog farms, and appears to have had similar intentions regarding its fishing industry. In 1995-96, he was accused of approving illegal fishing activities by the Spirit River Fish Company, though he denied this charge.
Perhaps his greatest contribution to Canada, was the role he played in the legalizing of industrial hemp. At a time when the public mood was anti cannabis, Harry was the first politician of power, to stand and risk his reputation, in order to help Manitoba farmers.
The three experimental hemp plot trials he sanctioned in 1995, 1996, and 1997 yielded key information that convinced Health Canada to allow hemp crops to go to seed, which birthed the hemp food industry.
Later life
Enns died following heart surgery at the age of 78.