Festival du Voyageur president considering provincial NDP run

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This article was published 03/03/2018 (3002 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Festival du Voyageur board president Simon Normandeau said Friday he’s considering a run for the NDP nomination in the St. Boniface byelection.

“Now that the festival is over, I am currently reflecting on the possibility of seeking the nomination in the St. Boniface’s constituency,” said Normandeau, who is a French-language educator.

Greg Selinger will resign on Wednesday, after holding the seat for the NDP since 1999.

Premier Brian Pallister has said he will call the byelection by Sept. 8, within the six months allowed by law, but won’t commit to calling it before summer.

Earlier this week, Blandine Tona, program co-ordinator at the Sexuality Education Resource Centre and a human rights activist, announced she’ll seek the NDP nomination.

City Coun. Matt Allard said he won’t run provincially for the NDP. Instead, he’ll seek re-election to city council in 2020.

Natalie Duhamel told the Free Press she won’t try for the Liberal nomination. A constituency aide to Liberal MP Dan Vandal, Duhamel is the daughter of the late Liberal senator Ron Duhamel, and Carolyn Duhamel, retired longtime executive director of the Manitoba School Boards Association.

Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont is considering trying for the St. Boniface seat, which he contested in 2003 against Selinger, but wants to see if the riding association prefers someone else. Winning the riding would give the Liberals four seats and party status, bringing in resources and additional publicly paid staff.

None of the parties has called a nomination meeting yet. The Liberals have their annual general meeting March 16 and 17, but have yet to release an agenda.

Selinger announced his resignation a week after NDP Leader Wab Kinew demanded he step down. Several female staffers raised complaints about inappropriate sexual misconduct by former cabinet minister Stan Struthers, under the watch of former premiers Selinger and Gary Doer.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca