Vodrey ran for the legislature a second time in the 1990 provincial election and defeated incumbent Liberal Laurie Evans in the Fort Garry division in south-central Winnipeg.
She faced a credible challenge from Liberal Jim Woodman in the 1995 provincial election but was re-elected as the Filmon government won a second majority across the province.
In August 1992, a provincial judge determined that a section of the Manitoba Public Schools Act requiring mandatory Christian prayer in the classroom was unconstitutional.
In March 1993, the Supreme Court of Canada issued a unanimous decision requiring Manitoba to give exclusive control over French-language education to the province's francophone community.
[13] Vodrey later rejected a request from the Manitoba Association of School Trustees (MAST) to introduce wage freezes that would absorb some of the resulting financial burden, though she did agree to a separate proposal that allowed boards not to pay their staff for as many as eight professional development days.
John Plohman, education critic for the opposition New Democratic Party, welcomed the report but expressed concern that many of its recommendations would never be implemented by the Filmon government.
[23] Vodrey was promoted to Minister of Justice and Attorney General on September 10, 1993, with additional ministerial responsibility for Constitutional Affairs and the Status of Women.
Vodrey's first major decision as Justice Minister was to call an emergency summit of police, educators and community groups, following the fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old boy in Winnipeg.
New Democratic Party Justice critic Gord Mackintosh described it as "a simplistic, sensational way of pandering to vengeance", while some social workers argued the camps would actually reinforce criminal behaviour.
[27] Aboriginal leaders also expressed concern that these camps could have the same negative effect on native children as did the residential school system and criticized Vodrey for not seeking input from indigenous groups.
[30] Vodrey formally opened two camps in September 1994, though opposition critics suggested that her department had simply made minor adjustments to existing youth correction services.
[33] She later brought forward legislation compelling parents who refuse to pay child support to lose their licenses, joint holdings, and pension credits.
[37] In February 1995, Vodrey introduced a policy that allowed law enforcement agencies to publicize the names of high-risk sex offenders being released from prisons into Manitoba communities.
[39] Vodrey also announced changes to the province's prisons in early 1995, including a ban on television during the day, fewer telephone calls, reduced visit time, and a stricter work regimen.
Critics noted that the Manitoba Bar Association had already set up a similar task force, which included a member appointed by Vodrey's department.
[43] In early 1995, federal Justice Minister Allan Rock announced that he would accept Vodrey's proposal to name offenders, but would not lower the age of criminal responsibility or make parents liable.
[48] In December 1993, opposition parties and aboriginal groups called for an independent inquiry into complaints about controversial provincial judge Bruce McDonald.
McDonald had been suspended from the bench in May 1993 after the Winnipeg Free Press ran a series of investigative articles into his handling of family law cases, drawing particular attention to prejudiced statements he had made about women and indigenous Canadians.
Vodrey argued that McDonald's resignation obviated the need for a public review, and said that further concerns could be raised during a planned overhaul of the judicial council the following year.
[52] In February 1994, the federal and provincial governments joined with indigenous groups to establish a new funding formula for police services in aboriginal communities.
Critics noted that it did not provide for the immediate restoration of native-run police agencies, most notably the Dakota Ojibway Tribal Council (DOTC) force that had been dismantled the previous year.
[66] Vodrey became known for making high-profile policy announcements during her time in the Justice portfolio, and there was some speculation she would eventually be a candidate to succeed Gary Filmon as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party.
Some Winnipeg Free Press journalists noted that street gangs and juvenile crime actually increased during the period of Filmon and Vodrey's hardline approach.
In June 1997, Vodrey introduced legislation to change Manitoba's access to information rules for the provincial and municipal governments and crown corporations.
[79] She announced an anti-stalking initiative in 1996, allowing Manitobans to remove their names from provincial land title documents as a means of keeping their addresses confidential.
However, she commended Vodrey for releasing a 50-page guide entitled "Stop The Violence" that was used by women's shelters, crisis workers, doctor's offices and counsellors.
[83] Vodrey was co-chair of Kim Campbell's Manitoba campaign in 1993, during her ultimately successful bid to succeed Brian Mulroney as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada.