Kinew advised to tackle homophobia, misogyny

By: Kristin Annable Posted: 2:20 PM CDT Sunday, Mar. 20, 2016 Last Modified: 6:41 PM CDT Sunday, Mar. 20, 2016 | Updates

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IN the face of continued scrutiny, Fort Rouge NDP candidate Wab Kinew officially launched his campaign Sunday.

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IN the face of continued scrutiny, Fort Rouge NDP candidate Wab Kinew officially launched his campaign Sunday.

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This article was published 20/03/2016 (3826 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

IN the face of continued scrutiny, Fort Rouge NDP candidate Wab Kinew officially launched his campaign Sunday.

The former hip-hop artist and broadcaster spoke confidently to supporters about issues he thinks are important for the Winnipeg constituency — health care and education.

NDP Leader Greg Selinger spoke at the event, showing his unwavering support for Kinew, who has been criticized for homophobic and misogynistic remarks he made on social media and in rap lyrics years ago.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Wab Kinew was joined by NDP leader Greg Selinger at his campaign kick-off this afternoon. — MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Wab Kinew was joined by NDP leader Greg Selinger at his campaign kick-off this afternoon.

Kinew said he apologized directly to Fort Rouge’s current NDP MLA Jennifer Howard, who is gay, about his past comments.

“She expressed her appreciation for that, and then she said that I was responding in an appropriate way,” he said. “She had some advice about what I can do to make the conversation not about me, but how we might tackle the societal issues that have been raised.”

Kinew’s campaign manager, Paul Mason, is no stranger to controversy when it comes to social-media gaffes. Mason managed the campaign of federal NDP candidate Alex Johnstone. Johnstone made headlines during the federal election after a controversial Facebook picture taken at the Auschwitz concentration camp surfaced and she later said in an interview, she “didn’t know what Auschwitz was.”

Kinew said Mason was in line to be his manager before the controversy over online comments began.

“His advice was to continue being authentic and to answer questions truthfully and be honest. Which was the same path I was already on.”

Kinew is running against Liberal Leader Rana Bokhari, Progressive Conservative Audrey Gordon, Green party candidate Grant Sharp and independent Matthew Ostrove.

kristin.annable@freepress.mb.ca