He ran for mayor in that year's municipal election, and won an upset victory over four-term incumbent Ken Burgess.
[4] A colourful and bombastic figure, Borotsik was elected on a platform of aggressive municipal development and became known for his efforts to promote the city.
He brought the Canada Games and the World Curling Championships to Brandon, and presided over a period of significant agribusiness expansion.
[6] He supported the introduction of Video Lottery Terminals into Brandon, and pressured the provincial government to turn over VLT revenues to the municipalities.
The Liberals, led by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, were re-elected to a second consecutive majority government in the 1997 election, while the Progressive Conservatives won twenty seats for a fifth-place finish.
[11] Borotsik was subsequently chosen as national caucus chairman,[12] and endorsed former prime minister Joe Clark's successful bid to succeed Charest as leader.
[13] Borotsik was also an opponent of the United Alternative, a Reform-sponsored drive for a new political party that resulted in the creation of the Canadian Alliance.
[18] Borotsik was narrowly re-elected in the 2000 federal election over a candidate of the Canadian Alliance, as the Liberals won a third consecutive majority government nationally.
Borotsik was subsequently named as party whip and Critic for Agriculture, Indian Affairs and the Canadian Wheat Board.
[21] No agreements were reached, and Borotsik later called for disgruntled Canadian Alliance members to rejoin the Progressive Conservative Party.
There were rumours that Borotsik would run to succeed him, but he declined and endorsed Jim Prentice, a lawyer from Calgary who had not held elected office to that point.
[33] The New Democratic Party was re-elected to a third consecutive majority government in the 2007 election, and Borotsik entered the legislature as a member of the Official Opposition.