NDP wins fourth majority in Manitoba

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This article was published 04/10/2011 (5360 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba’s New Democrats will remain in power for another four years after winning their fourth consecutive majority.

Premier Greg Selinger will lead a large contingent of MLAs in the Manitoba Legislature, as his NDP are elected or leading in 37 out of Manitoba’s 57 seats.

The result is validation for Selinger, who was in his first campaign as the NDP’s boss.

He was elected leader in 2009 and opinion polls earlier this year had suggested the party had fallen well back of the Progressive Conservatives.

Selinger campaigned on promises to improve health care and fight crime and labelled the Tories a right-wing party bent on cutting services.

The Progressive Conservatives have 19 seats while the Liberals have held one seat.

PC leader Hugh McFadyen succeeded in increasing his party’s number in the legislature but could face a leadership review after failing to unseat an NDP government that’s been in power since 1999.

The future of Liberal leader Jon Gerrard, who defeated Tory Marty Morantz in River Heights, remains uncertain as well.

The NDP won majority governments in the previous three elections, most recently under Gary Doer in 2007. In the 2007 election, the NDP won 36 seats, while the Progressive Conservatives won 19 and the Liberals won two.

Factors such as the return of the Winnipeg Jets hockey team, the relative strength of the province’s economy and rising home prices were seen as working in favour of the status-quo NDP government.

As well, the NDP accused the Tories of having a secret agenda that included selling provincial assets such as Manitoba Hydro and portions of the health-care system.

“There’s is a big risk of going with the other guys on health care, on Hydro and the economy,” Selinger said as the campaign was winding down. “So we’re just telling people, if you’re concerned about that, please vote.”

McFadyen, no doubt aware of what the polls were saying, was holding out hope for a comeback right up until the end.

“I’m a football fan,” he said Monday. “I’ve always admired quarterbacks like Peyton Manning and Joe Montana who saved their best plays for late in the game. And I think that’s where we’re at. That’s what we’re doing today.”