Selinger joins the battle

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This article was published 09/09/2009 (6255 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Greg Selinger made it official Tuesday — entering the provincial NDP leadership race with a show of caucus support that outmatched that of his two opponents combined.

Some pundits have called the longtime finance minister the man to beat in what is expected to be a three-way race to succeed Gary Doer as premier.

But Selinger wasn’t taking the premiership for granted Tuesday, predicting colleagues Andrew Swan and Steve Ashton, who began their campaigns last week, would make it a tight race.

"You have to assume you’re running behind and work like heck every day to make a difference," Selinger, 58, told reporters after making his announcement at the Norwood Community Centre.

On hand to show their support from cabinet were: Culture Minister Eric Robinson, Agriculture Minister and deputy premier Rosann Wowchuk, Healthy Living Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross and Advanced Education Minister Diane McGifford. Also backing Selinger publicly on Tuesday were MLAs Jennifer Howard (Fort Rouge), Marilyn Brick (St. Norbert), Rob Altemeyer (Wolseley), Greg Dewar (Selkirk), Flor Marcelino (Wellington), Doug Martindale (Burrows) and Mohinder Saran (The Maples).

Swan, 41, who resigned as competitiveness, training and trade minister to contest the leadership, had three cabinet ministers and two other caucus members declare their support for him last Wednesday when he announced he was running. A fourth cabinet minister, Gord Mackintosh, said he was "leaning" towards supporting Swan. Ashton, 53, meanwhile, had the public support of three backbenchers when he declared his candidacy on Friday.

Selinger, first elected to the legislature in 1999 and the finance minister ever since, claimed to have broad support from across the province.

"I know you can make a difference for individuals, cultures and societies and at the same time be financially responsible," he said.

Selinger said he delayed his entry into the leadership race because of such ministerial duties as wrapping up the province’s public accounts and making a final decision on rent controls for the coming year. He also took some time to gauge public support for his leadership run from both inside and outside the NDP.

He resigned his cabinet post Tuesday morning. Wowchuk will be the acting finance minister.

On Tuesday, Selinger also announced the first plank in his leadership platform — increasing Manitoba’s high school graduation rate. According to Statistics Canada, Manitoba’s high school grad rate was slightly below the Canadian average but higher than Alberta’s and Ontario’s in 2006-2007.

Robinson, who is also the province’s acting aboriginal and northern affairs minister, said Selinger has a lot of experience, is a good listener and relates well to a broad spectrum of society. "He feels as comfortable dealing with the people at the Canadian embassy in Washington as he does talking with the elders in Split Lake or Nelson House or any of these northern communities that we’ve been at," he said.

Shauna MacKinnon, Manitoba director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, told the crowd at Tuesday’s campaign launch that Selinger is "intelligent, honest, energetic, an innovator, fair… a consummate professional" and down to earth.

 

— with a file from Nick Martin

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca

 

 

The Greg Selinger file

Personal: Selinger, 58, was born in Regina. Family moved to Winnipeg when he was 11. Attended St. James Collegiate. Has a PhD from the London School of Economics, a master’s degree in public administration from Queen’s University and a social work degree from the University of Manitoba. He and his wife, Claudette Toupin, have two sons.

 

Professional: Has worked as a social worker, community organizer, university professor and been elected to Winnipeg city council and the Manitoba legislature.

 

Political: Elected MLA for St. Boniface in 1999. Has served as finance minister since that time. Also was responsible for French language services, the Civil Service Commission and Manitoba Hydro. Elected to Winnipeg city council in 1989, defeating incumbent Guy Savoie; lost mayoral race to Susan Thompson in 1992.

 

Factoid: He used to drive an MG, a British sports car.