Education
Minaker was educated at the University of Manitoba, and worked as a professional engineer after graduation.
Minaker was educated at the University of Manitoba, and worked as a professional engineer after graduation.
He was elected as an alderman in Saint James in 1966, and was re-elected two years later for the new city of Saint James–Assiniboia. In 1969, he was chosen as chair of the city"s property committee. He was elected as a councillor in the City of Winnipeg in 1971, following the decision of Edward Schreyer"s NDP government to amalgamate the city.
Minaker entered cabinet on November 15, 1979 as Minister of Community Services and Corrections.
The Tories were defeated in the 1981 provincial election, and Minaker lost his own riding to First Rate (at Lloyd's) Mackling by 779 votes. He defeated New Democratic Party candidate Lissa Donner by 2680 votes.
He was not appointed to the cabinet of Brian Mulroney, and lost to Liberal John Harvard in the federal election of 1988. He did not returned to politics after this time.
After leaving politics, Minaker worked for the National Transportation Agency in Ottawa.
He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1973 to 1981, and served in the cabinet of Sterling Lyon. Subsequently, he was a Progressive Conservative member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1984 to 1988.