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Selinger wins NDP leadership race

By: Mary Agnes Welch

17/10/2009 5:44 PM | Comments: 22

Outgoing premier Gary Doer (from left), new NDP leader and premier Greg Selinger, and Selinger's rival Steve Ashton, at the Winnipeg Convention Centre shortly after results were announced Saturday afternoon.

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Outgoing premier Gary Doer (from left), new NDP leader and premier Greg Selinger, and Selinger's rival Steve Ashton, at the Winnipeg Convention Centre shortly after results were announced Saturday afternoon. (DAVID LIPNOWSKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)

Delegates cast their ballots at the Winnipeg Convention Centre (pictured) and satellite polling stations in the province's north.

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Delegates cast their ballots at the Winnipeg Convention Centre (pictured) and satellite polling stations in the province's north. (DAVID LIPNOWSKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)

WINNIPEG - Former finance minister Greg Selinger is the new NDP leader and Manitoba's new premier-designate.

Of the 2,003 votes cast, Selinger won about two-thirds of the delegates. His challenger, Steve Ashton, won 685 votes. One ballot was spoiled.

About Greg Selinger

Selinger, 58, grew up the son of a single mother in the middle-class St. James neighbourhood of Winnipeg. He became a social worker in the city's poverty-stricken North End.

He saw some of the city's poorest get involved with loansharks - something that would prompt him, three decades later, to set strict limits on interest rates for short-term lenders, including payday loan companies.

He earned a PhD at the London School of Economics, and took an interest in how economics are affected by government policies.

In 1979, Selinger founded Winnipeg's Community Economic Development Association, which helps inner-city residents access social programs and start small businesses. He was elected to city council in 1989 and chaired the city's finance committee.

Selinger lost a bid for mayor in 1992, and jumped to provincial politics in 1999, winning the St. Boniface seat and being named finance minister for the new NDP government.

As keeper of the public purse, Selinger rode a middle ground, cutting small business and personal income taxes and boosting spending on hospitals, community colleges and social housing.

The middle-of-the-road approach helped the NDP capture larger majorities in 2003 and 2007.

That approach is unlikely to change with Selinger in the premier's chair. He takes great pains to stress that he wants to continue the work done by Gary Doer, whose popularity with voters never waned.

Selinger and his wife, Claudette Toupin, have two sons.

-The Canadian Press

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As outgoing Premier Gary Doer watched from the dark corner beside the stage, and as all 35 NDP MLAs gathered around the podium, Selinger thanked his supporters and family.

"We will govern with warm hearts and cool minds," Selinger told the crowd. "I have no doubt we will all work together in the best interests of Manitobans."

Selinger, who won 1,317 votes, said the vote marked the party's renewal and he paid tribute to Ashton and Minto MLA Andrew Swan, who dropped out of the race early on. Selinger said it was a sobering experience to watch Ashton sweep more than 100 delegates in The Pas.

Though hundreds of delegates sported orange Selinger T-shirts, Ashton got a standing ovation from the audience during his concession speech. He asked the convention to make Selinger's leadership the unanimous choice of the convention.

The leaders of Manitoba’s opposition parties said the results were what they expected. Both Progressive Conservative leader Hugh McFadyen and Jon Gerrard, head of the Liberals, were quick to take their hats off to the premier-designate.

"I wish him well," McFadyen said. "He certainly deserves some time to celebrate and savour his victory."

Added Gerrard: "Congratulations to Greg Selinger. He had the support of the cabinet and the old guard of the NDP."

Before the voting began, the two candidates gave rousing speeches to the assembled delegates.

After a standing ovation for outgoing Premier Gary Doer, who laughingly tried to get people to sit down after several minutes, Alex Forrest, president of the firefighters union, nominated Ashton.

Forrest made a direct appeal to labour delegates, asking them to make up their own minds at the ballot box. Many union presidents have endorsed former finance minister Greg Selinger.

"Steve has been the unashamed champion of worker’s rights in this province for over 25 years," said Forrest, citing Ashton’s support for anti-scab legislation. "Do not let this opportunity for labour pass you by."

Ashton’s daughter Niki Ashton, the MP for Churchill, seconded Ashton’s nomination.

Speaking without a podium and without notes or a teleprompter, Steve Ashton drew on many of the same themes of his stump speeches during the campaign. He challenged party members to create an inclusive party that gets back to its social-justice roots.

Ashton noted that, if he won, he’d be Manitoba’s first premier from the north.

"We know what it’s like to be left out," said Ashton, widely seen as the race’s underdog. "If you put your confidence in me, I will be a premier for all Manitobans."

He touted his links to labour and said he will work to improve aboriginal people’s lives and womens’ rights and would keep the province’s water supply public. Drawing on the legacies of former premier Ed Schreyer and Howard Pawley, Ashton said it was time to improve the province’s social equality.

"There is no reason why we cannot achieve social and economic justice for our population," said Ashton. "What I talked about in this campaign are real substantive ideas, some of them new, some of them tried and true, but all aimed at renewing the party."

Despite his energetic speaking style, it was clear most people in the room were Selinger supporters. Almost exactly one-quarter of the room gave Ashton a standing ovation at the close of his speech.

But, Ashton had hundreds of delegates in satellite voting sites in Thompson, and in the closing days of the race he closed in on Selinger’s delegate count lead.

After Ashton's speech, it was Selinger's turn to take the stage.

Following a slick video featuring the lead singer of local rock band The Weakerthans, Selinger waded through the crowd of supporters, shaking hands and accepting hugs, acting every bit the victor though the ballots had not yet been cast.

"My notes said remember to smile but it’s pretty hard not to with a crowd like this," said Selinger.

After looking back at the tough slog the party had following the defeat of former premier Howard Pawley, Selinger touted his successes as finance minister: cutting the small business tax, balancing the budget and seeing the province’s population and economy grow.

"Our government has turned this province around," said Selinger.

Selinger was nominated by Aboriginal and Northern Affairs Minister Eric Robinson, who spoke in Cree, and Sarah Zaharia, a young New Democrat. His campaign video featured several cabinet ministers, community activists and John K. Samson from The Weakerthans, all promising that Selinger was ready to lead.

Selinger delved deep into policy wonkery, promising to improve provincial immigration programs, child care funding and touting community groups like the Aboriginal Sport Achievement Centre.

He also threw in some partisan punches at the Tories, especially former premier Gary Filmon’s government in the 1990s that saw cuts to education and health.

"We cannot go back to those days we cannot go back to those days," he said.

And he said the Tories should not assume Doer’s departure means the party is split or weakened.

"They could not be more wrong," said Selinger.

 

 

 

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22 Commentscomment icon

No time for a honeymoon Mr. Selinger (I will refuse to call him Mr. Premier till such time he wins a general election) just look at these headlines from today's Free Press web site:
"Teens stabbed on Manitoba Avenue";
"Shots fired in North End";
"Man attacked, robbed by group"
I didn't make up these headlines, unlike the last 10 years of NDP government that made up false promises to get crime under control in our Province. (Hard to believe the outgoing Premier was tough on criminal activity when he called a general election on an April 20th, (4/20day) when hundreds of pot smokers camped out on the legislature grounds with no repercussions. And for you pro-marijuana advocates who will respond to my post, stick your lame arguments in your pipes and smoke them. Legalization will not stop gangs from selling and exploiting users, as they will try to undercut any legal supply to make a buck. And your weed dollar will continue to fund criminal groups like the Hell's Angel, Manitoba Warriors and Indian Posse.)
Mr. Selinger start by ditching do nothing Dave Chomiak; tell the Crowns to stop plea bargaining; and fight bail applications. And if need be, build another jail for the criminals, (heck I wouldn't even mind if you spend extra money for your union cronies to build the place, as long as it gets done faster than the South Perimeter bridge.)
That would be a start to cleaning the scum from our streets and neighbourhoods.

Normally the NDP has the courage to stand by their traditional values and offer a social alternative. The Liberal party must be very frutrated. The normal Liberal position of "stand for nothing except to be elected" has been adopted by the NDP instead. Apparently, there will be no compromise when it comes to staying in power.

It is so refreshing to see so many positive comments when it is usually the naysayers that take the time to comment. What Manitobans need to remember is that, no matter what political stripe, the job of Premier is a very difficult job that is 24-7. The number of hours that they, and their families, give to this province is astounding and we should always keep that in mind and be grateful that there are some people who are willing to step up and do this difficult job. Next time someone wants to complain and criticize them,let him or her put their name on the ballot! My heartfelt thanks to Gary Doer and his family and Welcome to Greg Selinger and his family!

Congrats to Greg and the NDP.

Manitobans can be thankful for a great party electing a new leader who has demonstrated great leadership and management skills.

These are attributes that McFud can only dream about. The tories have been trying to unseat McFud since the last election. Love to see the tories eating their own.

When I first moved to Winnipeg in 1992 I used to (believe it or not!!) watch the City Hall Council meetings on Cable Access. I could see even then that this man had great knowledge and thus potential. He is a class act that far outdistances any of rivals in Opposition. I wish him the best in leading us through the next decade.

Meet the new boss; same as the old boss.

I give Alex Forrest and the UFFW about a month, maybe less before he(they) put their full support behind Greg Sellinger. He is such a political Brown-Noser his moustache smells not quite right!

Looks like Alex Forest picked another winner.
Hey Alex, stick to firefighting and leave the politics to the politicians. We're sick of you whining in the media and firefighters will vote as they choose NOT who you tell them to.

I'm sorry but who the hell is Alex Forrest lecturing us about who labour should vote for. This guy oozes Tory blue. He's the most self centred person in labour. No wonder he lost his MFL position, he does nothing but blow hot air.

Greg Selinger is a class act. Manitobans would have had to look long and hard to find a better person to be their premier.

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