Latest news with #SpruceWoods
Winnipeg Free Press
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
It doesn't have to be politics as usual
Opinion It usually takes a while for a new administration to slide into political gamesmanship. At first, it's all hearts and flowers and fair play — such as Prime Minister Mark Carney's pledge to call a byelection as quickly as possible to let Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre try to win his way back into Parliament. The byelection in question hasn't been called yet, primarily because there are rules and timelines that have to be followed for a newly elected Conservative to resign to create a space for a byelection. Battle River-Crowfoot MP Damien Kurek officially resigned on Tuesday. Kurek had to wait 30 days after his election was posted in the Canada Gazette before he could resign, the Speaker of the House of Commons has to inform Elections Canada of the vacancy and the earliest a byelection call could come is 11 days after that. JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESs fileS Premier Wab Kinew The Governor General sets the byelection day chosen by Carney, who can pick a date as far as 180 days after Kurek's resignation. If Carney lives up to his word, Poilievre can quickly either be back in Parliament after a win, or leave the Opposition leader's official Ottawa residence and no longer be the Stornoway stowaway. But byelections don't always move that quickly — and a case in point is happening here in Manitoba. Back in late March, Progressive Conservative MLA Grant Jackson resigned his Spruce Woods seat to run in the federal election under the Conservative banner. Ever since then, his seat has sat vacant — meaning that, for 88 days now, his former constituents haven't had a representative in the Legislature. That's a point that's been made directly to Premier Wab Kinew in a letter from PC Leader Obby Khan: 'Summer is an important time in rural constituencies full of fairs, festivals and events and whomever should be elected to represent Spruce Woods deserves this opportunity to engage with their constituents,' Khan wrote. Likewise, constituents deserve the opportunity to make their concerns known to their elected representative. There's not much drama involved with a byelection in Spruce Woods. It's a reliably PC seat — since its creation in 2011, it has always elected Progressive Conservatives — and the governing NDP is comfortably in a majority position and doesn't have to pull out all the stops to try to win there. Kinew has moved more quickly on two other byelections — to fill the seats left vacant by the resignation of former PC premier Heather Stefanson and the death of NDP cabinet member Nello Altomare. Both of those seats — Tuxedo and Transcona and were seen as likely to elect NDP candidates and both did. And that brings the political gamesmanship back into play. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. Kinew could choose to delay the Spruce Woods byelection until as late as Sept. 24 — and it's entirely within his purview to do exactly that. But just because you can do something, doesn't always mean that you should. The only real questions are who benefits by delaying the byelection, and who loses out? If, in any way, it's voters who are losing out, the answer is a simple one. Set a byelection date as quickly as possible and leave the political strategy by the wayside. A significant portion of the public already believes that politicians don't have their best interests at heart and petty politics just strengthens the impression that politicians put their parties and their own futures ahead of the public good. Why fuel voter apathy and mistrust — especially in the case of Spruce Woods, where the prospective gains seem so small — when there's a chance to take the high road instead?
CBC
2 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
PC leader accuses Manitoba premier of dragging feet on Spruce Woods byelection
Manitoba Progressive Conservative Leader Obby Khan says Premier Wab Kinew is dragging his feet on calling a byelection in Spruce Woods, which has been without an MLA since March. The southwestern Manitoba constituency has had no representation since former PC MLA Grant Jackson resigned on March 24 to run in April's federal election. Jackson is now the Conservative MP for Brandon-Souris, and the PCs have nominated party volunteer Colleen Robbins to run in a Spruce Woods byelection that must be held by Sept. 24. In a letter to Kinew on Tuesday, Khan requested the premier call this byelection as soon as possible. "Summer is an important time in rural constituencies full of fairs, festivals and events, and whomever should be elected to represent Spruce Woods deserves this opportunity to engage with their constituents," Khan wrote. Khan said Kinew made relatively quick byelection calls following the resignation of PC MLA Heather Stefanson in Tuxedo and the death of NDP MLA Nello Altomare in Transcona. The Tuxedo byelection, which was won by the NDP's Carla Compton, was held 43 days after Stefanson resigned, while the Transcona byelection, which Shannon Corbett won for the NDP, was held within 63 days of Altomare's death, Khan noted. "It's clear … [Kinew] thought he had a chance to win Tuxedo, so he called it early. He thought he had a chance of winning Transcona, so he called it early. Now, this is going to be more than 120 days," Khan said in an interview. The Opposition leader accused the premier of holding off on making the call because Spruce Woods is a conservative constituency, where the NDP is unlikely to be competitive. No party other than the PCs has won the southwestern Manitoba constituency since it was created in 2011. Former MLAs Jackson and Cliff Cullen won more than 60 per cent of the vote in the constituency in each of the four provincial elections held over the past 14 years. "It's clear that Kinew is avoiding it. He doesn't want to call it," Khan said. "He wants to drag it on as long as possible, which is not fair to the Manitobans in any constituency." Ryan Stelter, a spokesperson for Kinew, said in a statement the Spruce Woods byelection "will be called in due course according to the normal timeline." That means ensuring a vote takes place before the six-month deadline for a Spruce Woods byelection, he said, which makes Sept. 24 the latest possible date for the byelection. The NDP has not declared a nominee for Spruce Woods. The Liberal Party has nominated educator Stephen Reid as its candidate. PC nominee Robbins has been endorsed by former MLA Jackson.
CBC
04-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
Manitoba PCs nominate former party volunteer to run in Spruce Woods byelection
Manitoba's Progressive Conservatives have nominated a party volunteer as their candidate in the upcoming Spruce Woods byelection. Souris resident Colleen Robbins, the former PC regional director in southwestern Manitoba, was the only candidate who completed the process to apply for the party's nomination in Spruce Woods, the Tories informed party members via email on Tuesday. Party spokesperson Michele Halverson confirmed the nomination. Robbins will attempt to succeed former PC Spruce Woods MLA Grant Jackson, who resigned in March to run as the federal Conservative candidate in Brandon-Souris. Jackson is now a Conservative MP. The PC candidate in Spruce Woods is the presumptive MLA by virtue of the fact no other party has won the southwestern Manitoba constituency since it was created in 2011. In four provincial elections over the past 14 years, former MLAs Jackson and Cliff Cullen won more than 60 per cent of the vote in the constituency. Former PC leadership candidate Wally Daudrich, who lost the Official Opposition party's leadership race to Obby Khan in April, initially expressed interest in running for the party in Spruce Woods but did not apply for the nomination. Daudrich said Tuesday he asked Khan to appoint him as a candidate in a goodwill gesture, considering Khan narrowly won the leadership on a weighted vote. Khan declined and insisted on a contested nomination in Spruce Woods, Daudrich said. Jon Lovlin, a spokesperson for Khan, said the party must respect grassroots decisions. Daudrich said he has no interest in running for any other party. He said the creation of any new right-of-centre party in Manitoba would be counterproductive for the conservative movement. A byelection in Spruce Woods must be called by Sept. 24. Premier Wab Kinew has yet to indicate when the byelection will take place.
Winnipeg Free Press
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Former premier Stefanson, cabinet ministers broke ethics law: investigation
An ethics investigation into allegations the former Tory government tried to get a controversial mining project approved after losing the 2023 election has concluded former premier Heather Stefanson and two of cabinet ministers violated the conflict law and should be fined thousands of dollars. Ethics commissioner Jeffrey Schnoor's 100-page report says Stefanson did not stand to benefit financially from approval of the Sio Silica project, but her efforts to push for a licence to get it approved 'lacked ethical and constitutional legitimacy.' He has recommended she be fined $18,000. Former Spruce Woods MLA Cliff Cullen should be fined $12,000 and current Red River North MLA Jeff Wharton should be fined $10,000, Schnoor wrote. Another sitting MLA, Derek Johnson (Interlake-Gimli), was not in breach of the act, Schnoor's report said. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS A new report from Manitoba's ethics commissioner recommends fines for former premier Heather Stefanson, former Spruce Woods MLA Cliff Cullen and current Red River North MLA Jeff Wharton. The conflict of interest complaint was made by the governing NDP over a sand mine proposed by Sio Silica southeast of Winnipeg. On Jan. 12, 2024, the NDP accused then-Tory leader Stefanson, Cullen, Wharton and Johnson of breaking conflict laws in an attempt to approve the proposed sand mine after the party had lost the Oct. 3, 2023 election and during the brief 'caretaker period' before the NDP government was sworn in. While the proposed mine was never approved, questions were raised about whether there was an attempt to violate ethics rules and how new legislation that took effect after that election would be upheld. The report concluded Stefanson and Cullen were aware that the incoming NDP government would've wanted to decide on whether or not to licence the project. She and Cullen agreed to look for options to have the licence approved anyway, and involved Jeff Wharton. 'Their intention was clearly that he act on the option,' Schnoor's report said. 'Ms. Stefanson was aware of the caretaker convention and knew, or should have known, that the attempts to… approve the project licence were contrary to that convention (and) could have resulted in a decision with permanent and significant consequences,' the report said. 'More importantly, those efforts lacked ethical and constitutional legitimacy. I found her repeated dismissal of the caretaker convention in her written representations to me — a convention that is central to respect for the wishes of voters — to be disheartening.' Hundreds of pages of documents, emails and text messages were reviewed and roughly 20 people were interviewed — in some cases twice, Schnoor said earlier. The complaints were based on public statements made by former environment minister Kevin Klein and acting environment minister Rochelle Squires (who both lost their seats on Oct. 3). They claimed they had received separate calls from Wharton on Oct. 12, asking them to approve an environmental licence for the sand-extraction project. Squires said the mining project was described by Wharton as being of significant importance to Stefanson, but because of a conflict, the former premier couldn't direct the approval herself. Wharton, who was re-elected, has denied asking them to issue a licence to Sio Silica or telling anyone that Stefanson had a conflict of interest with the company. Stefanson, through the PC caucus, has denied any conflict. In April 2024, she resigned her Tuxedo seat. After she left office, the NDP caucus asked Schnoor to continue his ethics investigation. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Sio Silica CEO Feisal Somji has said the company did not ask the then-Tory government to approve the project after the election and before the NDP was sworn in. New conflict of interest legislation — passed by the PCs in 2021 but not in force until Oct. 4, 2023 — gives the ethics commissioner extensive power to receive and investigate complaints from MLAs. Under the old legislation, the only way to hold an MLA to account was for a citizen to go to court. Now, the ethics commissioner can recommend that the legislative assembly impose sanctions if an MLA has contravened the law, including: a reprimand; a fine of up to $50,000; suspension of a member's right to sit and vote in the assembly for a specified period or until a condition imposed by the commissioner is fulfilled; and declaring the member's seat vacant. The new rules broaden the definition of a conflict, so 'a member is in a conflict of interest when the member exercises an official power, duty or function that provides an opportunity to further their private interests or those of their family or to improperly further another person's private interests.' Carol SandersLegislature reporter Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol. Every piece of reporting Carol produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
MP-elect Jackson gets ovation for defying Tory advice
BRANDON — Grant Jackson defied advice from his party and it earned him a big round of applause during a debate at Brandon University prior to Monday's federal election. The cheers came after a panellist told the room that despite pressure from the Conservative Party of Canada not to participate in local debates, Jackson showed up to discuss issues in the Brandon-Souris riding. 'When it was made clear that he did, in fact, make the decision, probably at some potential personal and professional cost … voters really responded to that in a very positive way,' said Brandon University political science Prof. Kelly Saunders, who was a panellist at last week's debate. Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun Files Conservative Party of Canada candidate Grant Jackson, who resigned as MLA for Spruce Woods in March to run federally, was one of the few Conservative candidates in the country to participate in a constituency debate when he took part in one at Brandon University prior to Monday's federal election. 'I think good on him for making the decision to do that. It was the right decision.' The applause was local to Brandon-Souris, but the sentiment behind it carries nationwide, Saunders said. A primary frustration for voters today, she said, is that candidates are placed under too much party discipline, and voters increasingly feel their representatives have to toe the party line. Jackson, who resigned as MLA for Spruce Woods in March to run federally, was one of the few Conservative candidates in the country to participate in a constituency debate, panellist Deveryn Ross told the audience. His appeal and reputation increased across party lines as he struck that chord with audience members, Saunders told the Brandon Sun. 'That's exactly what we saw play out,' Saunders said. 'I was talking afterwards to people that weren't necessarily supporters of the Conservative party and they were impressed with what Grant did. I think that just goes to show how desperate we are for that kind of realism in our politicians.' Jackson said his decision wasn't difficult. He said he was aligned with the Conservative platform and felt confident defending it — but he also sees local debates as crucial to elections. 'I think it is an important opportunity to be able to understand who the candidates are that are running,' Jackson said. 'If you're a voter, it's an opportunity to see how candidates react when they're questioned and sometimes receive some pushback on an answer, or how they articulate their views on a certain issue.' On election night, Jackson won the riding with 62.5 per cent of the vote, finishing nearly 17,500 votes ahead of Liberal candidate Ghazanfar Ali Tarar. NDP candidate Quentin Robinson finished third with 14.4 per cent. Some candidates have taken flak for skipping debates. During Elections Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election. Sarnia News Today reported last month that Conservative incumbent Marilyn Gladu was the only candidate who was absent at the community's local debate. Gladu instead submitted a prepared statement, which 'was met with a smattering of boos' when it was read at the event. All six other candidates in the riding attended the debate, the newspaper reported. Despite her absence, Gladu was re-elected in her riding Monday night. The strategy can reflect poorly on a party, but it also has its upsides, Saunders said. With fewer candidates speaking off script at debates, a party has an easier time presenting a united, stable message to voters. During last week's debate, Jackson was questioned for two hours about topics such as taxes, policing and his personal strengths, alongside NDP candidate Robinson. Between them was an empty chair, laid out for Liberal candidate Ali Tarar, who did not attend, citing a family medical emergency. — Brandon Sun
