Premier avoids leadership talk

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This article was published 07/03/2015 (3951 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Premier Greg Selinger steered clear of the leadership fight that has gripped his party for the past four months as he addressed the NDP faithful Friday night.

Selinger opened a historic annual general convention in Winnipeg with his traditional leader’s report, not once referring to the leadership contest that has seen him battling for his political life against former cabinet ministers Steve Ashton and Theresa Oswald.

Instead, he stuck to reciting core NDP values and promoting initiatives such as a national inquiry into murdered and missing aboriginal women and the concept of universally accessible daycare.

Selinger received warm applause from the 625 convention delegates registered as of Friday evening. By Sunday, that number could grow to more than 1,500 with hundreds more having cast preferential ballots by mail from remote locations.

Speaking to reporters after his speech, Selinger said he never regretted his decision to fight for his job when openly challenged by five members of his cabinet last fall.

“People asked me to stay. People said, ‘Hang in there,’ ” he said. “A lot of people said, ‘We like the work you’re doing, and we want you to continue to do it,’ and I picked that up from a very broad section of the public.”

He told delegates the key to the party remaining in government was for New Democrats to focus on Manitobans’ priorities.

“By focusing on Manitobans’ values and priorities, we can earn the privilege of serving them as a government, and that is an approach to politics that has no expiry date. It will always serve us well as New Democrats.”

All three leadership candidates will address the convention Sunday morning before the first leadership ballot. The winner needs only a simple majority of delegate votes, but it’s very likely a second ballot will be required since all have considerable support.

Not having an opportunity to address delegates on the convention’s opening day, Oswald held a scrum in the afternoon, declaring she is confident she will do well in the vote.

“I’m feeling really good,” she said. “Folks in our campaign, to be frank with you, about a week ago looked at each other and did say, ‘Aren’t we supposed to be having anxiety pains and sleepless nights?’ Really, I think that we have done our work.”

Ashton said he has attended every NDP convention since he joined the party when he was only 17.

“Three months comes down to the final three days,” he said, referring to the leadership campaign that winds up Sunday.

Delegates were to debate a number of resolutions Friday night, including emergency resolutions and resolutions on education, youth and children, and energy and the environment.

Earlier in the day, Selinger issued a statement supporting Ovide Mercredi, former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, in his bid to become the provincial NDP president. He is challenging incumbent Ellen Olfert, who is seeking re-election.

A Cree born in Grand Rapids, Mercredi is a lawyer, author and current board member of Canadians for a New Partnership, which is dedicated to building bridges between First Nations people and all Canadians to benefit this and future generations.

“Ovide is a man of real integrity, whose depth and breadth of experience is unparalleled,” said Selinger. “His wise counsel and commitment to inclusion and reconciliation will serve both the Manitoba NDP and all Manitoba citizens well. I am honoured to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ovide and endorse him for our party’s presidency.”

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca

bruce.owen@freepress.mb.ca