Premier, NDP caucus pay tribute to northern MLA who left ‘very profound’ legacy

Premier Wab Kinew sang an honour song and paid tribute in the legislature Monday to Amanda Lathlin, the NDP MLA for The Pas- Kameesack who died Saturday at age 49 following an illness.

Members of the NDP caucus placed a bouquet of flowers, Lathlin’s portrait and a beaded Opaskwayak Cree Nation medallion on her desk in the chamber. The premier draped a Manitoba flag over her chair at the legislature as flags outside flew at half-mast in her honour. Inside, at the foot of the grand staircase, a book of condolences has been set up for the public to sign.

Before members of the legislative assembly agreed to adjourn early on the solemn occasion, the premier recalled Lathlin’s contributions to Manitoba politics, including championing compassionate leave for women who miscarry.

“She texted me when she wanted to bring that bill forward about compassionate leave for miscarriage, and she shared something that I hope she doesn’t feel as though I’m breaking her confidence now,” Kinew said.

“She said, ‘On that day in 2015, when I was first elected to the Manitoba legislature, I miscarried. And so, instead of celebrating with family and friends after my swearing in, I was at the hospital.’

Members of Lathlin’s family were at the legislature and watched from the visitor’s gallery.

“Her coming from a northern (community), a First Nation woman and her own unique way of life contributed to making this esteemed chamber and this legislature stronger.”

Lathlin was sworn in as Manitoba’s first First Nations woman to hold a seat in the legislature after winning a 2015 byelection. Her father, Oscar Lathlin, who died 18 years ago at age 61, was an NDP cabinet minister.

Like her dad, she was a leader who connected with her constituents, the premier said.

“Her retail political skills were really strong — Amanda blew me away,” Kinew said, recalling her making the rounds at the Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival in The Pas. “Every single person she knew by name. She’d be smiling, she’d be laughing, she’d be getting people to laugh alongside her.”

Her legacy at the legislature was also “very profound,” he said.

“There’s some issues that she felt very deeply on a personal level. One of them was about getting more support and resources for survivors of sexual assault, particularly kids in northern Manitoba. And she succeeded in passing that into law,” he said.

“Should kids in Northern Manitoba who experience terrible harm before they reach the age of 18 get the same sort of support that a child in southern Manitoba who would unfortunately go through a similar tragedy? If you ask the average Manitoban out there, every single person would say, ‘Yes, absolutely, a kid from the North should get the same support.’ And yet, it didn’t happen until Amanda came here.

“That’s why representation matters, in part because you need the voices at the table of the people who know what it’s like to be able to make sure that our democracy really works, and that a government or a system can represent the people.”

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca