Helmut Pankratz

Helmut Pankratz (born October 10, 1937 to a Mennonite family in Winnipeg, Manitoba) is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1986 to 1990, representing the riding of La Verendrye for the Progressive Conservative Party.

Pankratz did not attend university, and worked as a farmer before entering political life. He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the provincial election of 1986, defeating Walter McDowell of the NDP by almost 2,000 votes. In the 1988 election, he defeated Liberal C.E. Goertzen by over 1,400 votes as the Progressive Conservatives formed a minority government under Gary Filmon.

Pankratz was not appointed to cabinet, but served as Chair of the Standing Committee on Economic Development. He retired from the legislature in 1990, and has not returned to political life since this time. He now owns a recreational vehicle dealership in the Steinbach area.