Tory rally in park draws 100

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This article was published 06/09/2023 (775 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A wave of blue immersed Kirkbridge Park, as the Progressive Conservative party played host to an election campaign rally Wednesday evening in south Winnipeg.

“We’re gonna bring this home for Manitobans,” PC Leader Heather Stefanson told a crowd of more than 100 people.

On Tuesday, Lt.-Gov Anita Neville dissolved the legislative assembly and issued writs for Manitoba’s 43rd general election. The province goes to the polls Oct. 3.

“We have come a long way in a very short period of time,” Stefanson said, citing Manitoba as among the fastest-growing economies in Canada. “Imagine what we could do with four more years.”

In response, the crowd began to chant “four more years.”

The Tories have a full slate of 57 candidates vying for seats in the election.

At the dissolution of the legislature, the PCs held 35 seats; the NDP had 18; and the Liberals three. (Morden-Winkler was vacant after Tory MLA Cameron Friesen stepped down in February.)

Attending the rally, Louis Wenden expressed hope his daughter, Tory candidate Réjeanne Caron, will snag NDP Leader Wab Kinew’s Fort Rouge seat.

“She’s gonna have a real good fight against Kinew,” he said. “Hopefully, she can make some progress.”

Manny Osagie arrived in Kirkbridge Park to show his political support.

“They put in work, I mean, coming from where they were… two years ago,” Osagie said. “When you see people putting in effort, you’ve got to give them their kudos.”

The PCs announced $726.2 million in future funding announcements in July alone.

Osagie noted, and applauded, the increased diversity in the PC candidate ranks.

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“I think it’s time for the economy to receive the Conservative way of business. We’ve spent a lot of money, even through COVID,” said his brother, Teddy Osagie. “It’s time for the province to make more money.”

Standing metres away from lawn signs reading “Fighting for Manitoba parents” and “Fighting to stop NDP-Liberal carbon tax,” Wendy Gobert, a nurse, said she’d like the PCs re-elected and put more resources to seniors care.

“I don’t think anybody would have done a better job,” Gobert said of the Tory government’s response during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Hopefully, going forward, they’re going to help us with our health care and our school and… our carbon tax.”

Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West) emceed the event. Former federal interim Conservative leader and MP Candice Bergen and Joe Bova are the Manitoba PC campaign co-chairs.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com

Gabrielle Piché
Reporter

Gabrielle Piché reports on business for the Free Press. She interned at the Free Press and worked for its sister outlet, Canstar Community News, before entering the business beat in 2021. Read more about Gabrielle.

Every piece of reporting Gabrielle produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.