Orange crush NDP wave washes over province, premier-designate Kinew makes Canadian history By: Chris Kitching, Danielle Da Silva and Carol Sanders Posted: 8:56 PM CDT Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023 Last Modified: 6:12 AM CDT Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023 Updates

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Manitoba made history in Tuesday’s provincial election, by voting in Canada’s first First Nations provincial premier as Wab Kinew and the NDP claimed a majority government thanks to an orange wave in Winnipeg’s suburbs.

Progressive Conservative leader Heather Stefanson and Liberal leader Dougald Lamont both announced they are stepping down following disappointing results.

The NDP, which campaigned largely on health-care reform, was elected or leading in 33 of the legislature’s 57 seats at press time. The party is returning to power for the first time since 2016.

“This is a great victory for us. This is a great victory for all of us in Manitoba,” premier-designate Kinew told more than 400 jubilant supporters in a packed ballroom at the Fort Garry Hotel in downtown Winnipeg. “Manitoba — my dear, sweet Manitoba — look at what we have done here tonight.”

The Tories will form the official Opposition, with a projected 23 seats at press time. Audrey Gordon (Southdale), Kevin Klein (Kirkfield Park), Rochelle Squires (Riel), Janice Morley-Lecomte (Seine River) and James Teitsma (Radisson) were among the cabinet ministers who went down to defeat.

The PCs won majorities under former premier Brian Pallister in 2016 and 2019. The party had 35 seats at dissolution four weeks ago, while the NDP had 18. One seat was vacant. A total of 29 was needed for a majority.

Kinew, a former rapper and journalist who grew up in Ontario’s Onigaming First Nation, is Manitoba’s second Indigenous premier. John Norquay, who was Métis, held the post from 1878 to 1887.

In his victory speech, Kinew expressed his hope for a united Manitoba, while encouraging young people to follow in his footsteps and make positive changes in their lives.

“I know that the road ahead will not be easy, but there is one thing the results of tonight’s vote show crystal clear, and it is we can do amazing things when we stand together as one province,” he said to cheers, alongside his wife, Dr. Lisa Monkman, and three sons.

Kinew also offered spoke directly to “young neechies” and Indigenous people across Manitoba, pledging a New Democratic government will walk alongside them on a path to a better life – whether that’s upgrading education and locking down a job, recovering from an addiction or healing from an illness.

“I was given a second chance in life, and I would like to think I made good on that opportunity and you can do the same,” Kinew said. “Here’s how: my life became immeasurably better when I stopped making excuses and I started looking for a reason.”

Kinew said he found purpose in his family, community, the province and the country. He encouraged young people to take the “first step” toward change.“Seek your vision – dreams come true,” he said to applause.

About halfway through the campaign, after opinion polls suggested the NDP would cruise to victory, the PCs ramped up personal attacks on Kinew, who was granted a pardon in 2016 for past criminal convictions.

Kinew, the NDP’s leader since 2017, was re-elected in Fort Rouge, while his party won or led in bellwether ridings in Winnipeg’s suburbs.

At a less-than-celebratory affair at the now-shuttered Celebrations Dinner Theatre on Pembina Highway, Stefanson, who was leading and expected to win her Tuxedo seat, congratulated Kinew and the NDP, and vowed the PCs in opposition “will hold their feet to the fire.”

She said it was with a “heavy heart” she was stepping down as leader, while thanking her team and her family — husband Jason and children Victoria and Tommy — who stood behind her.

Stefanson said it was a privilege to serve as Manitoba’s first female premier. She assumed the job by winning a leadership contest in 2021, following Pallister’s resignation.

After a campaign criticized for negative attack ads, Stefanson took the high road on her way out as leader.

“Mr. Kinew and I don’t always agree on everything but, like me, I know he loves this province and he loves the people of Manitoba,” she said to cheers from party faithful.

“I wish him all the best and will make every effort in a smooth transition in the premiership.”

Stefanson acknowledged Kinew’s history-making win.

“Wab, I hope that your win tonight inspires a future generation of Indigenous youth to get involved in our democratic process — not just here in Manitoba, but right across the country,” she said.

The Liberals, meanwhile, lost two seats and will have just one MLA — Cindy Lamoureux (Tyndall Park) — in the 43rd Manitoba legislature.

Lamont was upset by NDP candidate Robert Loiselle in St. Boniface, while Jon Gerrard, the MLA for River Heights since 1999, lost to the NDP’s Mike Moroz.

Lamont told supporters at the Norwood Hotel he knew the party’s losses were a possibility, but he was “incredibly proud” of the Liberal campaign.

“Sometimes you get caught in a wave, and it doesn’t seem to matter what you do,” he said.

A record 200,790 voters cast advance ballots from Sept. 23 to 30, as Manitoba used electronic voting machines for the first time.

The NDP’s push for change at the top and health-care reform after seven years of PC rule appeared to resonate with many voters in the first election since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Governments get tired, and people want a change. The NDP were able to convince people they were a reasonable change,” said Malcolm Bird, an associate professor of politics at the University of Winnipeg.

He said the NDP won over moderates en route to victory, but it now faces a bigger challenge — trying to govern and fulfil its promises.

“We’ve got some very serious problems in Manitoba. Now, Mr. Kinew and the NDP will have to address them,” said Bird. “It is a lot easier to be in opposition than it is to be in government, and they will discover that quickly.”

Kinew promised to hire hundreds more doctors, nurses and paramedics to help ease a staffing crisis. He pledged to reopen three Winnipeg emergency rooms.

He said the NDP will not raise the PST, while vowing to freeze Manitoba Hydro rates for one year and temporarily cut the 14-cent gas tax to help Manitobans cope with the cost-of-living crisis.

The NDP supports a proposed search of a privately owned Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of two Indigenous women, who city police believe were slain by an alleged serial killer in 2022.

The Tories’ earlier decision not to support a search became a central part of their platform, drawing sharp criticism from the women’s families, Indigenous leaders and federal Liberals, among others.

The PCs also stoked controversy for their plan to expand “parental rights” in public schools.

Stefanson sought to win over voters with proposed tax cuts, anti-crime programs and a previously announced plan to hire more doctors and nurses, while being forced to defend her party’s record on health care while in government.

— with files from Maggie Macintosh

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @chriskitching

Chris Kitching
Reporter

As a general assignment reporter, Chris covers a little bit of everything for the Free Press.

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Carol Sanders
Legislature reporter

In 1997, Carol started at the Free Press working nights as a copy editor. In 2000, she jumped at a chance to return to reporting. In early 2020 — before a global pandemic was declared — she agreed to pitch in, temporarily, at the Free Press legislature bureau. She’s been there ever since.

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