MLA who quit Pallister’s cabinet backs Stefanson’s leadership bid, party rules

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This article was published 26/08/2021 (1513 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The former Manitoba cabinet minister who quit over comments made by Premier Brian Pallister about Indigenous reconciliation is supporting Heather Stefanson in her bid to replace him as leader.

And former Indigenous and northern relations minister Eileen Clarke hasn’t got a problem with the Progressive Conservative party’s rules to enter the race that allegedly favour Stefanson.

Clarke posted her endorsement on social media.

“I just received a call from Heather’s campaign team about their rural tour itinerary,” Clarke said on Facebook Thursday morning. The Tory MLA said Stefanson and “her team” will be travelling throughout Clarke’s Agassiz constituency next Wednesday.

“Come and meet Heather and be a part of Manitoba’s PC Team,” Clarke wrote, explaining her rationale for backing the former health minister.

“This decision is not something I take lightly and I’m not just ‘aligning’ with the majority of my PC colleagues,” Clarke wrote, praising Stefanson for her composure, inclusivity, ability to form good relationships, unite the caucus and for her understanding of the need to promote and support reconciliation in Manitoba.

“She is already out and about the province meeting people and this to me is very important.”

Clarke defended the party’s requirement that candidates must raise $25,000 and sell or renew 1,000 memberships by Sept. 15 in order to be included on the Oct. 30 leadership ballot.

“The perceived short time frame for this leadership election is the same for everyone,” she wrote. “We were all aware of the premier’s announcement to step down during this term. Anyone with intentions to run has had equal time to prepare a team and financial support.”

Clarke said she spent $13,500 on her nomination just to run as a candidate in Agassiz, and that she sold nearly 900 memberships for her nomination in less than two months with the help of faithful supporters.

“These requirements are more than fair for anyone hoping to run in this election,” she wrote.

Stefanson’s only opponents for the leadership thus far are fellow PC MLA Shannon Martin and former Conservative MP Shelly Glover who has complained that the Manitoba party’s rules give Stefanson a huge advantage. Glover told the Free Press Wednesday that she was getting the runaround from the party when she asked for an application and couldn’t get one, and she wasn’t provided with enough memberships to sell or renew in order to reach the 1,000 quota.

On Thursday, another potential candidate announced he would not enter the leadership race because of the “tight timelines” imposed by the party.

“At a moment in history when thoughtful, respectful and compassionate leadership is so critical, I’m honoured that so many people I’ve spoken to were willing to consider giving me an opportunity to lead the party and its government,” city councillor Scott Gillingham said in a press release.

“However, given the tight timelines set by the party this week, I don’t believe there is enough runway for a new candidate to mount an effective challenge and so I will not be a candidate in the leadership race,” Gillingham said.

“I can’t ask people to take time from their lives, their jobs or their families to work so hard on my behalf without a reasonable chance of success.”

In an email to the Free Press late Wednesday night, the party said it is in the process of clarifying the rules and updating all the associated forms and documents.

“It is important that the final application package reflect the updated rules and it will be available very shortly,” a party spokesperson wrote. “Membership books are available to candidates, although not in unlimited numbers. PDF forms and online membership registration are also available.”

The spokesperson said membership lists are never provided to candidates until they have been conditionally approved. Glover said candidates have to fill out an application form before they can be conditionally approved, and she was still waiting for a list a week after Stefanson announced she was running.

The spokesperson said the leadership committee will release more details on potential debates and forums in the coming weeks.

On Thursday, the party provided a timeline for the leadership election.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca