Reach for the star Federal leaders keen to be seen with Canada’s most popular leader By: Carol Sanders Posted: 6:53 PM CDT Thursday, Apr. 4, 2024 Last Modified: 11:03 PM CDT Thursday, Apr. 4, 2024 Updates

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Wab Kinew has been getting a lot of face time with federal party leaders — who can’t seem to get here fast enough to soak up some of the “star power” of Canada’s most popular premier.

Leaders of the three main federal parties have popped in to Manitoba in the past week on the pre-election campaign trail, not to mention Green party leader Elizabeth May, who met with the premier Wednesday evening.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who polls show is wildly unpopular, made a joint announcement on housing with Kinew in Transcona.

In the afternoon, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh appeared at the Manitoba legislature for a photo op with the NDP premier, giving him a double-clasp handshake.

Even Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who is generally not a fan of New Democrats, met with Kinew at the legislature for more than an hour on March 28, before he held an “axe the tax” rally at the Winnipeg convention centre.

“Why wouldn’t you want to be seen with the most popular premier in the country — especially for Trudeau who doesn’t have a lot of friends among the premiers at the moment,” said Lisa Young, a political science professor at the University of Calgary.

An Angus Reid Institute poll last month showed Kinew had the highest approval rating among premiers, at 63 per cent.

“Why wouldn’t you want to be seen with the most popular premier in the country — especially for Trudeau who doesn’t have a lot of friends among the premiers at the moment.”–Lisa Young

Young said having national figures bask in the glow of Kinew’s “star power” reminds her of Naheed Nenshi’s election as Calgary’s mayor in 2010, when he became the first Muslim mayor of a major North American city.

“If we went back and looked at news clips from 2010, would there have been people coming to have a photo op and chit chat with Nenshi from the rest of the country? I bet there would’ve been,” she said.

With Kinew, it’s not just a “novelty factor” because he is the first First Nations premier of a province, Young said.

“Politicians are popular in their first couple of years in office. They have a bit of star power, especially when they’re something of a novelty. Where there is someone in a position like that — when they’re charismatic and popular — that just adds to the national attention on them.”

As for his part, Kinew wasn’t prepared to brag about all the attention.

“Our government is committed to nation building, and that means having good conversations with leaders from all parties about how to make life better for Manitobans, and Canadians. After years of the previous government fighting with the federal level, it’s important we work collaboratively together to get things done for people.”

The visits also signal we’re heading into federal election season.

“There’s going to be a real fight to hold onto NDP seats in the next election,” Young said. “If there’s any way that Singh can hitch his wagon to Wab Kinew’s star, I think it probably would be helpful to him.”

It’ll be tough for the NDP to hang on to the Elmwood-Transcona seat that was just vacated by Daniel Blaikie — who has taken a job with Kinew’s government.

NDP leaders in Alberta and Saskatchewan have kept their distance from Singh, whose supply-and-confidence agreement with the Liberals has kept the Trudeau government in power and made Singh as unpopular as Trudeau there.

“It’s going to be important for (British Columbia NDP Premier David) Eby and Kinew to appear with him in the next federal election to show the party has experience with governing,” Young said.

“There’s going to be a real fight to hold onto NDP seats in the next election … If there’s any way that Singh can hitch his wagon to Wab Kinew’s star, I think it probably would be helpful to him.”–Lisa Young

Having three national leaders “popping into the city at the same time” is surprising, said University of Manitoba political studies Prof. Christopher Adams.

Although a federal election isn’t due until Oct. 20, 2025, it appears the campaign has unofficially begun, he said.

“Here in Winnipeg really, there’s a battleground for seats,” Adams said. While the Conservatives and the NDP have “safe seats” in other western provinces, the Liberals do not, Adams said.

“Compared to the rest of the Prairies, Winnipeg is in play,” Adams said.

He expects the Conservatives will have a strong candidate to run against Liberal MP Ben Carr in Winnipeg South Centre. Royden Brousseau is the Tory nominee.

The Conservatives also have a shot in the Elmwood-Transcona, which has gone Tory blue in the past, Adams said.

“Winnipeg in many ways is in play and is important for all three of the parties for different reasons. So, I’m not surprised to see all three here in the city,” said Adams.

Although the federal election is 18 months away, leaders posing for photos with Kinew shows they’re not wasting any opportunity to drum up support, especially in Winnipeg, said Curtis Brown with Probe Research.

“I think it’s not surprising that they’re going to come here and try to get more support.”

Although the Trudeau Liberals are down 10 to 20 points in most national polls, Winnipeg is one area where they have “a glimmer of hope” of retaining seats, Brown said.

Young said it’s no surprise that all three leaders want to be seen to be making nice with the new Manitoba premier.

It’s even important for Poilievre — who polls indicate would be prime minister if an election were held today — to show he can get along with the provinces.

“One of the things I think Poilievre is trying to offer is harmony with the provinces. That’s been in short supply under the Trudeau government, especially recently,” Young said.

Seven premiers, including one Liberal — but excluding Kinew — have publicly fought the federal government on the carbon tax.

“It would be counterproductive for him to let it be known that he had a conflictual relationship with Kinew,” Young said.

Part of Kinew’s broad appeal may be that he didn’t rise through the ranks of labour unions and may be seen as more pragmatic than ideological, Adams said.

“His conversations about the carbon tax and willingness to sit down with Pierre Poilievre is an interesting thing,” the professor said. “I think there is a dynamic going on with a new premier, a new budget, spring is in the air.”

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca