Rumours continue to swirl, but Selby hasn’t yet agreed to run in federal election: sources

By: Mia Rabson Posted: 4:39 PM CDT Friday, Aug. 21, 2015 Last Modified: 4:53 PM CDT Saturday, Aug. 22, 2015 | Updates

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Rumours of Southdale MLA Erin Selby running federally have circulated for weeks but have never been confirmed.

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Rumours of Southdale MLA Erin Selby running federally have circulated for weeks but have never been confirmed.

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This article was published 21/08/2015 (4014 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Rumours of Southdale MLA Erin Selby running federally have circulated for weeks but have never been confirmed.

NDP leader Tom Mulcair hinted this week there is a star candidate in Manitoba who will announce within the next two weeks.

However NDP sources say Selby — who was the province’s health minister before she resigned from cabinet last year as part of the Gang of Five — hasn’t yet agreed to run. She was approached and is being heavily pressured to say yes but hasn’t yet.

Melissa Tait / Winnipeg Free Press
Health Minister Erin Selby has come under fire following comments in a legislative committee meeting two weeks ago. She has since apologized. — Melissa Tait / Winnipeg Free Press Health Minister Erin Selby has come under fire following comments in a legislative committee meeting two weeks ago. She has since apologized.

“It’s an honour to represent the families of Southdale, and that continues to be my focus. A number of friends and neighbours have approached me about running federally because they want to see change in Ottawa – and in this election, the only person who can deliver change is Tom Mulcair. At this point, I have not made any decisions,” Selby said when reached by the Free Press.

Few think the NDP have much of a chance in Saint Boniface — Saint Vital, which Conservative Shelly Glover has held since 2008.

Glover isn’t running again in this election.

Former city councillor Dan Vandal is running for the Liberals and became the favourite when Glover stepped aside. He is being challenged by Conservative Francois Catellier, an agri-business consultant, and musician Glenn Zaretski for the Green Party.

Saint Boniface – Saint Vital is one of four Manitoba ridings where the NDP still don’t have a candidate. The NDP didn’t win a single poll in the riding in 2011 or 2008. The party finished a distant third in 2011, behind Glover and Liberal Ray Simard, who was the MP from 2004 to 2008. The best showing came in 2006, when Mathieu Allard earned more than a fifth of the votes, but still finished third, more than 6,000 votes behind Simard, and 4,000 votes behind the second-place Conservative Ken Cooper.