Bokhari stands by email warning of negative coverage

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This article was published 06/04/2016 (3779 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba Liberal leader Rana Bokhari stands by a controversial email sent Tuesday by her staff, saying her party has been “personally attacked” by organizations.

“There has been a handful of different emails from different organizations that have been racist, sexist and have been personally attacking us for no reason at all,” she said when asked whether the email was an attack on the CBC. “I have no issue with any individual organization, however, if you are going to call up people specifically for something, it is a problem.”

Late Tuesday afternoon, Liberal communications director Mike Brown sent an email to party candidates — which also found its way into media inboxes — urging caution in dealing with CBC, which he said was “actively seeking out negative comments” about Leader Rana Bokhari.

She said the email was “100 per cent meant for everyone” who received the email and they would send it again, “if it was to happen again.”

“Manitobans don’t care about whether or not media has (sic) that is not their concern, this is an election about change,” she said.

She described the controversy that has surrounded her party, which includes a candidate calling for the closing of hospitals and another one stepping down after an assault charge revelation, as “petty, political issues,” which don’t reflect the “needs or wants of Manitobans.”

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“Manitobans care about their roads and highways,” she said. “Manitobans don’t care, Manitobans care about the issues that affect them day to day.”

The leader of the Liberal party was the keynote speaker at the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce breakfast series, where she touted her party’s plan to eliminate the payroll tax, privatize liquor sales and bring in a trial for a guaranteed minimum income.