Pallister’s absences tough to stomach: Bokhari

By: Larry Kusch Posted: 11:16 AM CDT Friday, Apr. 15, 2016

Brian Pallister's long absences from Manitoba — including during the 2014 flood crisis — shows that he's been a part-time Opposition leader and would be a part-time premier, Liberal Leader Rana Bokhari says.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/04/2016 (3488 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Brian Pallister’s long absences from Manitoba — including during the 2014 flood crisis — shows that he’s been a part-time Opposition leader and would be a part-time premier, Liberal Leader Rana Bokhari says.

In an interview, Bokhari called the Progressive Conservative leader’s 240 days in Costa Rica since he was elected as an MLA in 2012 “quite astounding.”

“If you’re not in the legislature, you really should be in your constituency making sure that the people of your constituency know that you’re working for them. He’s done neither,” Bokhari said Friday.

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Brian Pallister was in Costa Rica during the height of the flood along the Assiniboine River in 2014. — BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Brian Pallister was in Costa Rica during the height of the flood along the Assiniboine River in 2014.

The CBC, citing travel records released by the Costa Rican General Migrations and Foreign Citizens Bureau, reported Thursday about Pallister’s sometimes lengthy absences. It also confirmed reports that the PC leader was in Costa Rica during the height of the flood along the Assiniboine River in 2014.

At the time, the province was on alert and the government urged all its employees to consider volunteering in the flood-fighting effort.

At first, Pallister explained his absence in early July of that year by saying he did not want to politicize the flood by making personal appearances. He later said he had been attending a wedding out of province.

Bokhari said Manitobans would have a “very tough time stomaching” an explanation that being there for people in crisis would be seen as a purely political act.

“When the people of our province are in crisis, that means no partisanship. That means every member of the legislature, that means everyone gets together and works towards helping the people of our province. That’s leadership,” she said.

Bokhari said between Pallister’s evasions on his whereabouts during the flood and NDP Leader Greg Selinger’s decision to increase the PST after promising not to do so, it is difficult for Manitobans to trust either man.

“You’re lying to people. There’s no two ways about this. You’re lying,” she said of Pallister.

“People need to trust their leadership.”

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca