Franco Magnifico

Franco Magnifico
Downtown Development Committee Chair (Winnipeg)
In office 2005–2006
Preceded by	Peter De Smedt
Succeeded by	Russ Wyatt
Winnipeg City Councillor for St. Boniface
In office 2004–2006
Preceded by	Dan Vandal
Succeeded by	Dan Vandal

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.

Magnifico was born and raised in Winnipeg, and worked for Canadian National before buying the St. Boniface Hotel and Club St. Boniface bar. He worked on several campaigns for the Liberal Party before running for office himself, and was a supporter of Member of Parliament Ron Duhamel.

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.

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 that he parked outside his hotel as a "smoking section". Provincial inspectors later argued that the bus constituted a public indoor space and was therefore in violation of the bylaw, and issued a $1,500 fine. Magnifico initially contested the charge in court, but ultimately decided to pay the fine. He sold the bar and hotel in 2004, and has said that he considered moving to the United States to open a Tim Hortons franchise.

Magnifico ran for Winnipeg City Council in a 2004 by-election, called after sitting St. Boniface councillor Dan Vandal stepped down to run for mayor. He won an upset victory, defeating two better-known francophone candidates.

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