In 1987 Hansen ran as the New Democratic Party candidate in the riding of Lincoln and finished third against Liberal Harry Pelissero in the provincial election of 1987.
[1] The NDP won a majority government in the 1990 provincial election, and Hansen defeated Pelissero by 1,012 votes in a rematch from 1987.
[2] He served as a backbench supporter of the government of Bob Rae for the next five years.
He was not awarded any posts such as parliamentary assistant or chair of a legislative committee because he refused to 'toe the party line' on government bills.
[4] The NDP were defeated in the 1995 provincial election, and Hansen finished third in his bid for re-election, behind Pelissero and the winner, Progressive Conservative Frank Sheehan.