Time to get down to brass tacks

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/10/2009 (5813 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The weight changes shoulders this morning as Manitobans go to church and get ready for the Blue Bomber tilt with the B.C. Lions.

At a photo-op today, Gary Doer will hand the keys to his office at the legislature to the new guy, premier-designate Greg Selinger.

The handover symbolizes the weight of responsibilty of being premier passing from one man to the next.

It’s something the former finance minister has been thinking about, even dreading, well before his convincing win over Steve Ashton on Saturday.

And he knows he’ll have to hit the ground running.

"I know there are a lot of issues that have to be addressed," Selinger said moments after becoming premier-designate. "We will take each one of them as they come. It’s not like we haven’t been unfamiliar with some of them."

With the focus being on Doer leaving — he becomes Canadian ambassador to the United States as of Monday — and on the leadership race to replace him, the business of government slowed down, Selinger said the night before the vote.

He was already thinking about the pile of work waiting on his new desk Monday, and the lineup of government staffers who will be waiting to brief him. Before anyone can bend his ear, he’ll first be sworn in as premier by Lt.-Gov. Philip Lee.

"Manitobans have told us they want steady-as-she-goes government," Selinger said Saturday. "They want us to carry on the program we’ve got. Everywhere I’ve gone, people have said, ‘We want you to govern Manitoba in the interests of Manitobans,’ and that’s what we’re going to do."

Selinger’s first task will be to put together a new cabinet and then hold a legislative session before Christmas to face the opposition. And — perhaps more important — to show Manitobans the NDP hasn’t lost any traction with Doer’s departure.

"As you know the economy is still one of the most important issues," Selinger said. "We have the potential of a serious H1N1 crisis. We are ready. We will be dealing with those matters. We will make sure Manitoba is well-positioned to weather all the events that are coming forward."

At the start of the race a month ago, Selinger showed reluctance to enter the contest.

"It’s not like I had a lot of warning this was coming," he told the Free Press Saturday.

"I don’t know about you, but I’m not the kind of guy that just drops my tools and runs off to a new event when it comes along. I felt committed to what I was doing (as finance minister). But once you commit, you’re in."

He was a shoo-in the moment Andrew Swan bowed out because of poor support, making it a two-man race between Selinger and Steve Ashton. Selinger gobbled up Swan’s support.

Ashton saw the writing on the wall, even predicting on Friday that when he goes to work at the legislature on Monday it’ll be as the MLA for Thompson — and to a basement office.

"Right now I’m a mail slot at the legislature," he said shortly after the 2,002 delegate votes were counted Saturday. "Right now the leadership’s done. I’m going to go have a few beers. Well, maybe more than few beers. And then Monday morning I’ll be back at work, probably cleaning out my mail slot."

Ashton said his team sensed the campaign was doomed in the days leading up to the vote. The sea of orange T-shirts worn by Selinger supporters at the convention centre, waving their orange Selinger signs and thumping their white Selinger thunder sticks, only confirmed that. Selinger beat Ashton handily: 1,317 votes to 685.

"I think you’ll find the NDP — we do pull together very quickly after any kind of leadership (convention) and that’s going to happen now," Ashton said.

What must change is how delegates to leadership contests are selected, Ashton said.

Ashton’s team complained that dozens of Selinger delegates were picked using unfilled union credentials. A complaint to the party’s executive was rejected because the unions had the authority to pick any delegate they wanted.

"We’re going to have to reform the process," Ashton said. "I think if you ask Greg Selinger, he’d agree, too."

Selinger does, but for different reasons.

"We had a one-person-one-vote system until 2007 and then we went back to the delegate system," Selinger said. "I think there are a lot of inefficiencies in the model we just went through… ."

Selinger said his other priority is putting the leadership campaign sniping behind him. Ashton was the first person he gestured to join him on stage.

"People are competitive. That part of the process is done. We were shaking hands and hugging each other on stage. I’m taking it for real."

After rounds of media interviews, Selinger, his wife Claudette Toupin, and two sons went to a reception with supporters and then out to a quiet dinner to bask in the victory.

As they sat down, a news release from the Progressive Conservatives circulated on the Internet.

Under the heading "Is Greg Selinger someone we can trust?" Tory CEO Jonathan Scarth directed readers to a Tory website where they could contribute money to the party.

"Hugh McFadyen and Manitoba’s Progressive Conservatives have an unprecedented opportunity to win the next election and steer our great province in the right direction," Scarth said. "I’d like to thank you for your ongoing support and ask that you continue to stand with us as we prepare to take on Greg Selinger."

The honeymoon is over.

bruce.owen@freepress.mb.ca

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca