Video of handshake that shook the legislature released

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This article was published 26/04/2023 (910 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A 40-second video of the infamous handshake between Sport Minister Obby Khan and NDP Leader Wab Kinew has been released to the public by Speaker Myrna Driedger.

Khan accused Kinew of intimidating him, using profane language and being physically violent during a Turban Day cultural event, which was hosted by the NDP, in the rotunda of the legislature April 13.

The Tory, a former member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, made a formal complaint to the house saying his privilege as a member of the legislature was violated by Kinew’s actions.

He said it left him feeling threatened and unsafe.

He said the NDP leader’s grip on his hand was strong and the exchange concluded with a “physical shove” to his stomach.

The Speaker released the video recorded by a legislature surveillance camera, after ruling that Khan’s privilege as an MLA was not violated because the incident didn’t occur during legislative proceedings in the chamber or at a legislative committee meeting.

“I still stand by everything that I said that happened. I was insulted, belittled, offended, disrespected, shaken all in the workplace, all after an event, where I still think I did nothing wrong,” Khan said after the video was released. “I think Manitobans will make up their own minds on this video and they will see what they want to see or what they believe to be true.”

The video, which doesn’t have audio, shows Khan leaving the podium, which was in front of a large NDP banner, after making his remarks.

He approaches Kinew, who is seated, to shake his hand. Kinew stands up and engages in a prolonged handshake with Khan, who tries to pull away at one point and appears to be drawn in again by Kinew.

Khan told the house in his formal complaint that Kinew pulled him in close and offered an earful of profanities and insults to express his displeasure with the minister’s speech. He had said the banners of his Tory party, and the Liberal party, should have been erected at the event.

Khan said on April 13: “I tried to back away from (the handshake).”

Kinew acknowledged earlier there was a tense exchange at the event, but said “at no time was there any swearing, at no time was there any name-calling.”

He admitted he took issue with partisan remarks made by Khan at the event, and agreed he should have raised his concerns with the sport minister at a different time. He denied he shoved Khan.

A statement from the NDP caucus Wednesday said the video vindicates its leader.

“Minister Khan lied to Manitobans when he told them ‘there was a shove in the stomach’ following his interaction with Mr. Kinew. Video evidence proves he lied about a serious accusation. That’s wrong and it was a desperate attempt to distract by the PCs from their health care cuts. Manitobans deserve better.”

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca