Stefanson shifts gears in effort to leave Pallister behind By: Dylan Robertson Posted: 7:00 PM CDT Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 Last Modified: 9:09 AM CDT Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022 Updates

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This article was published 08/08/2022 (236 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

One year after Brian Pallister suddenly resigned as Manitoba premier, his successor is striking a different tone ahead of an election the PCs could call sooner than its scheduled October 2023 date.

“I would say they are in pre-election mode, and they are making announcements to appeal to the centre,” said Christopher Adams, a University of Manitoba political scientist.

Last August, Pallister stunned Manitobans when he announced he’d step down, after racially charged comments that followed the Canada Day toppling of statues at the legislature, a disastrous COVID-19 third wave, and grumblings from Tory allies.

Premier Heather Stefanson was sworn in in November, after a leadership race in which she pledged to be less divisive and do a better job at listening to Manitobans.

The change in tone has caught notice in Ottawa.

Manitoba quickly went from a laggard in using federal cost-shared infrastructure dollars to leading the provinces. The provincial PCs have joined federal Liberal representatives in the past month to announce funding for new buses, transit studies and hospital equipment.

“We know that working together and ensuring the people we present — who are the same people — know that both governments are pulling in the same direction,” Liberal MP Jim Carr remarked at one such event last week.

Days before, the province had announced funding for the Hudson Bay Railway, the first since 2017 washouts that temporarily cut off the town of Churchill.

Federal officials, who spoke on the condition they not be named, said Stefanson struck a much more collaborative tone — and an urgent one — shortly after taking office. They say the premier insisted untapped funding be spent before the 2023 election, and she wanted to avoid both sides squabbling in the media.

In so doing, she has lowered the temperature on disputes with Ottawa.

In the provinces’ longstanding request for more health-care dollars, Stefanson expressed disappointment in how the Liberals have handled the issue, instead of echoing premiers who accused Ottawa of being insulting, pitting provinces against each other or wanting a serf relationship.

Deveryn Ross, who served as Pallister’s deputy chief of staff, notes these changes have yet to shift public perceptions, however.

Polling shows the PCs have had little change in their popularity among Manitoba voters, while Stefanson is even less popular than Pallister.

Stefanson started 2022 on a rough note, ramping down COVID-19 restrictions while saying, “It’s up to Manitobans to look after themselves.” Weeks later, she apologized for failing to disclose more than $31 million in property sales by a real estate holding company that lists Stefanson as director.

Ross believes things started to change in June, when Stefanson hired a new chief of staff. Philip Houde had held that role during Pallister’s first years in office, and a reputation for competence.

Since then, Stefanson has done the opposite of Pallister’s approach, with funding for the Churchill railway, infrastructure announcements that hinge on future budgets or reappropriated budget cash, and more consultation with Indigenous leaders.

Yet, in nearly every interview and news conference, the provincial NDP link Stefanson to Pallister. Ross says it’s an effective strategy, because Stefanson held key files under Pallister, such as reforms to welfare during her time as families minister, and being health minister when Manitoba was the only province to airlift COVID-19 patients to other jurisdictions for care.

“Her fingerprints are on every single Pallister government decision,” Ross said. “It’s a tall task for that team, to change perceptions at this point in time.”

“Her fingerprints are on every single Pallister government decision… It’s a tall task for that team, to change perceptions at this point in time.”– Deveryn Ross

Ross said that’s particularly true when Manitobans rank health care as their top priority in polling. The province has announced piecemeal investments but there has been no major progress in getting wait times and backlogs under control.

In recent weeks, Stefanson has pivoted to focusing on crime in Winnipeg, a topic taking precedence in the 2022 mayoral race.

Adams, the political scientist, noted the premier has been much more visible in recent weeks, popping up at festivals and community events around the province, and partnering with Ottawa, Indigenous leaders and Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman.

“That’s what people in her party were hoping for, is more of a collaborative approach to leadership, and she’s demonstrating it,” Adams said. “She had some major stumbles earlier in the year, and I think they’re hoping things will move back onto a positive route.”

“She (Stefanson) had some major stumbles earlier in the year, and I think they’re hoping things will move back onto a positive route.”– Christopher Adams, University of Manitoba political scientist

The party doesn’t have much time.

Former cabinet minister Scott Fielding vacated his Kirkfield Park seat in June, which means a byelection must be held by early December. It’s a bellwether district, Ross said.

“It’s high stakes,” he said. “(The Tories) almost lost Fort Whyte (in a March byelection), and if they lose this one, that is very tough for donations, morale and volunteers.”

In any case, Ross said the sudden flurry of public events, including outside Winnipeg, means Stefanson is already campaigning across Manitoba.

“My radar is going off that we may get an early election call.”

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca