Ex-Blue Bomber Reaves becomes leader of Manitoba’s Liberals

Willard Reaves is the new leader of the Manitoba Liberal party, after winning the leadership contest via acclamation.

Party president Terry Hayward announced the news in a release Monday, saying Reaves will transition into his role as leader in the coming weeks.

“Mr. Reaves brings a wide range of experiences to the position of party leader,’’ Hayward said in a statement. “The party membership looks forward to working with Mr. Reaves to rebuild and grow our numbers in the legislature at the next provincial election.”

Reaves, a star Winnipeg Blue Bombers running back in the 1980s, formerly served as the deputy leader of the Manitoba Liberals between November 2023 and June of last year.

He launched his leadership bid early this month, pledging to be “the best leader that this province can ever have” and help the party gain official status in the provincial legislature.

“We’re going to build the party step by step, that’s the only way we can do it,” Reaves said at the time. “If we can’t do it step by step, then we’re going to start jumping, but we’re going to build this party up. This party is a viable party, this party can be something for everybody to grab hold of and support.”

Cindy Lamoureux (Tyndall Park) is the only Liberal to hold a seat in Manitoba. Four seats are required for official party status in Manitoba.

Reaves twice lost as a Liberal candidate in Fort Whyte, first in a 2022 byelection and again in the 2023 general election. Both races were won by Progressive Conservative Leader Obby Khan, also a former Bomber.

The party confirmed Reaves won leadership through acclamation, after it said no other candidates completed the necessary requirements.

Reaves will work closely with Lamoureux to “champion issues and concerns of Manitobans across the province,’’ Hayward said.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca