Franco Magnifico

Franco Gaetano Luigi Magnifico is a businessperson and politician from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He represented the St. Boniface ward on Winnipeg City Council from 2004 to 2006.

Early life and career

Magnifico was born and raised in Winnipeg, and worked for Canadian National before buying the St. Boniface Hotel and Club St. Boniface bar.Aldo Santin, "Local hotels fight city hall -- and win", Winnipeg Free Press, 29 December 2001, A12; Jason Bell, "Businessman joins St. B council race", Winnipeg Free Press, 21 May 2004, B9. He worked on several campaigns for the Liberal Party before running for office himself, and was a supporter of Member of Parliament Ron Duhamel.Mary Agnes Welch, "St. Boniface race close, oddly quiet", Winnipeg Free Press, 21 October 2006, B2.

He criticized a Manitoba Liquor Control Commission decision that prevented him from selling alcohol during World Cup of Soccer matches 2002. The games took place in Japan and South Korea, and were broadcast during early morning hours in local time."A Winnipeg hotel owner believes not being allowed to sell liquor during live World Cup of Soccer ", Broadcast News, 30 May 2002, 12:12.

Magnifico was an opponent of Winnipeg's anti-smoking bylaw, and sought to provide his bar patrons with a loophole to the law in 2003. Although he enforced the ban in the bar itself, he also purchased an old yellow school bus...
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