Manitoba election formally begins Wednesday

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/03/2016 (3515 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The 41st Manitoba election will begin in earnest on Wednesday, when Premier Greg Selinger visits Lt.-Gov. Janice Filmon at midday to dissolve the legislature and start the formal campaign that will culminate with voting on April 19, the Free Press has learned.

Sources confirmed Selinger will hold one final cabinet meeting before visiting Filmon to request that the legislature be dissolved. The NDP have already scheduled a huge kickoff rally at Sturgeon Heights Community Centre for Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. The Twitter notice for the event carries the hashtags #mbelxn and #NDP2016.

Selinger appeared today at a Free Press editorial board meeting hosted at the Free Press News Café in the Exchange District. At that meeting (video replay available at winnipegfreepress.com), Selinger spoke confidently about looking forward to putting his agenda before Manitoba voters.

“I honestly believe we have the best program for Manitoba,” the premier said.

Progressive Conservative Leader Brian Pallister, whose party has a comfortable lead in the polls, and Liberal Leader Rana Bokhari are both expected to confirm their own writ-day events.

dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca

Dan Lett
Columnist

Dan Lett is a columnist for the Free Press, providing opinion and commentary on politics in Winnipeg and beyond. Born and raised in Toronto, Dan joined the Free Press in 1986.  Read more about Dan.

Dan’s columns are built on facts and reactions, but offer his personal views through arguments and analysis. The Free Press’ editing team reviews Dan’s columns before they are posted online or published in print — part of the our tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.