‘Proud that our province chose to rise above … division’

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This article was published 04/10/2023 (1121 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba premier-designate Wab Kinew set a course Wednesday to temporarily suspend the provincial gas tax within 100 days and to move ahead on a controversial landfill search, as the transition of power was set in motion at the Manitoba legislature.

“Over the course of this campaign, we saw many messages focused on division,” Kinew told reporters the morning after the New Democratic Party’s decisive election victory.

“I am extraordinarily proud that our province chose to rise above that sort of division, and that you, the people of Manitoba, good people that you are, chose to embrace a positive message for the future of our province.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, Elections Manitoba reported the Manitoba NDP as leading, or elected, in 34 electoral divisions. The Progressive Conservatives were leading or elected in 22 seats. However, several advance polls had not yet been counted, with some constituencies too close to call.

Canada’s first First Nations provincial premier-designate said his immediate priority is to begin the peaceful transfer of power from soon-to-be former Premier Heather Stefanson and the Progressive Conservatives.

In April 2016, after the Tories soared to a record majority and relegated the NDP to the opposition benches following 17 years in government, former premiers Greg Selinger and Brian Pallister held a photo-op and meeting the day after the election to start the transition, after which the outgoing premier gave a letter of his government’s resignation to then-lieutenant-governor Janice Filmon.

It’s a long-standing tradition for the outgoing premier to welcome and offer support to their successor during the transition of power, which can take up to two weeks.

And while there was no meeting between Stefanson and Kinew Wednesday, the premier-designate thanked Stefanson for her service to the province.

Kinew also thanked former Manitoba Liberal leader Dougald Lamont, who failed to retain his seat in St. Boniface Tuesday.

Both Stefanson and Lamont resigned as leaders for their respective parties.

“Leading a team and serving Manitobans takes heart. This is a job in which we give it our all and I know that each of you have done the same,” he said.

Kinew was non-committal on a timeline to return to the legislative chamber but said he would like the official swearing-in ceremony to take place as soon as possible, with the earliest possible date being Oct. 20.

The premier-designate must also appoint his cabinet before a new legislative session can open with the election of a speaker and his first speech from the throne. Kinew declined to discuss the specifics of his front bench — including who may make the cut — but said his cabinet will be smaller than that of the outgoing Tories.

He committed to making his cabinet ministers’ mandate letters public.

Kinew said launching a search of the Prairie Green Landfill north of Winnipeg for the remains of Marcedes Myran and Morgan Harris, two Indigenous women police believe were the victims of an alleged serial killer, is at the top of his agenda.

“This will be one of those items that we want to tackle in the very early days of our administration,” he said.

Manitobans can also expect to see the province’s 14 cent per litre gasoline tax temporarily paused within his government’s first 100 days, Kinew said.

“We’re going to deliver immediate help to you and your family when it comes to affordability and we’re going to start the important work of staffing up the health-care system,” he said.

On Wednesday afternoon, he also announced several appointments to lead his transition team and form his inner circle.

Mark Rosner will serve as the premier’s chief of staff. Rosner was Kinew’s deputy campaign manager and was chief of staff in the NDP leader’s office in opposition.

Rosner will co-chair the transition process with Brian Topp, who was the NDP’s campaign director.

Topp previously served as chief of staff to former Alberta premier Rachel Notley, and as deputy chief of staff to former Saskatchewan premier Roy Romanow.

Rebecca Widdicombe will serve as deputy chief of staff. Widdicombe was communications officer in the NDP caucus office and was platform lead and director of communications during the election campaign.

Emily Coutts will serve as principal secretary in the premier’s office. Coutts was director of communications in the NDP caucus office and was political director during the campaign.

Kinew said he spoke with Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham and the two are aligned on areas where the provincial and municipal governments can work together. Addressing homelessness is a priority for the two leaders, he said.

“Partnering with other leaders such as Mayor Gillingham is going to be very important so that Winnipeg’s downtown, which is Manitoba’s downtown, is a place that everyone enjoys,” Kinew said. “But where everybody has dignity, too.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered congratulations and the two discussed shared priorities, a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said.

“The Prime Minister and the premier-designate spoke about the importance of working together on making life more affordable, improving health care and housing, and advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. The two leaders also discussed downtown revitalization in Winnipeg,” it said.

“The Prime Minister and the premier-designate committed to staying in touch on these and other shared priorities and looked forward to having a constructive relationship going forward.”

Reflecting on his historic win and becoming the first First Nations premier of a Canadian province, Kinew said he is humbled to be walking a “trail blazed by others” in the province, including Manitoba founder Louis Riel and the province’s first Indigenous premier John Norquay.

“There’s a lot to live up to here in Manitoba.”

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca