James Arthur "Jim" Ernst (born November 19, 1942) is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a municipal councillor in Winnipeg from 1973 to 1986 and a member of the Manitoba legislature from 1986 to 1997. From 1988 to 1997, Ernst was a cabinet minister in the government of Premier Gary Filmon.The son of Frank Luther Ernst and Stella Sarah Bryson, he was born in Winnipeg, and was educated at St. Paul's College (affiliated with the University of Manitoba).