Patriotic pageantry and astonishing apologies at Manitoba legislature

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/03/2025 (236 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There was an unexpected series of events as the second session of Manitoba’s 43rd legislature resumed Wednesday, in the midst of a Canada-U.S. trade war instigated by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Unprecedented moments, though, create unprecedented actions.

At the top of the list was Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and his NDP caucus, unveiling a massive Canadian flag, draped over the legislative building.

Standing in front of it, one of the most diverse caucuses in Canadian history — including a majority from the LGBTTQ+, Indigenous, and Black communities and women, all of whom have experienced a great deal of mistreatment in Canada — sang the praises of the nation.

“Today all of us are patriots,” a smiling Kinew announced to much applause. “We will always be the true north, strong, and free.”

Most ironic was that Kinew and his caucus were standing precisely where another group of Canadians brandishing the flag stood two years before, chanting “freedom” while complaining about the nation’s COVID-19 health measures.

The first First Nations premier of a province then championed Canada itself: announcing Manitoba’s support for federal counter-tariffs, calling on Canadians to fight like hockey players, and drink Canadian rather than American alcohol because, in his words: “Canadian booze is way better than the American stuff.”

Like I said, Wednesday was an unpredictable day at the legislature.

In the midst of many surprises came another — this one on the other side of the political aisle.

Standing in the legislature, Progressive Conservative interim leader Wayne Ewasko offered an “unconditional” apology for the refusal of his party to search a Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran — two of four women murdered by a serial killer.

“Honourable Speaker, our government erred,” Ewasko told the house. “We lost our way in regards to empathy and also lost our way in regards to closure being brought forward to the families of the victims … We will … be better as a party moving forward, and you have my word on that.”

The apology came as a surprise, in particular, to members of the Harris and Myran families, who told media they were not informed ahead of time.

The statement’s merits were questioned by Cambria Harris, daughter of Morgan Harris.

“I’m questioning why this apology was released publicly,” Harris said in a video statement. “I wonder if it was because they were generally sorry or if it was just to save face because they were wrong and our families were right (about performing a search) from the very beginning.”

Last week, two sets of potential human remains were discovered at Prairie Green Landfill. Late Friday night, the province released that one of those sets of remains were Harris.

In other words, the Conservatives were wrong to refuse to search. An apology — in fact, many — is warranted.

No one except the families of the victims get to determine whether the PCs can adequately address the harm created from one of the most racist policy decisions in modern Manitoba political history.

Manitobans, meanwhile, have every right to ask questions about this unexpected move, like: why is this “unconditional apology” coming now? Is it only to “save face”?

Also, why is such an important statement being made by an interim leader and not the party’s new leader, who will be selected April 26?

Shouldn’t Manitoba’s new PC leader be the one who would want to vow to “do better”?

And, more broadly: why is the decision not to search for the remains of Indigenous women continuing to lead to splits among Manitoba Progressive Conservatives?

From the end of the 2023 provincial election campaign, high-profile members of the PC party, like former deputy premier Rochelle Squires and party organizer David McLaughlin, condemned the decision not to search for Indigenous victims of a serial killer.

Now count Ewasko, a 15-year veteran of the party, in this group.

I can’t tell you what the next leader of Manitoba’s PC party believes in. Both candidates, Obby Khan and Wally Daudrich, made no statement to endorse the apology.

Khan even seemed to infer the apology was Ewasko’s personal decision: “Our interim leader has spoken and his comments are clear on (where) he stands.”

It’s rare in politics to see parties switch allegiances and focuses – but this this is an unprecedented time in Manitoba.

On one side of the provincial political spectrum exist now a group of leaders, who have been historically marginalized in Canada, celebrating Canadian freedom, hockey and booze.

On the other side exist a group of Canadians, who ran a remarkably racist and anti-Indigenous provincial election campaign, debating amongst themselves how to build relationships with First Nations people.

It’s an astonishing and interesting time in this province’s politics.

niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca