Longtime NDP MP Jenny Kwan reflects on bruising election night for her party
Vancouver East NDP MP Jenny Kwan was among a limited number of incumbent New Democrats who hung onto their seats in the federal election, as the party was decimated, losing its leader. The longtime New Democrat said that she intends to help build a political movement where "no one gets left behind," but did not say whether she would stand for the party's leadership.
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Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
The end of a raucous legislature session
Opinion On June 2 at the end of the spring session of the Manitoba legislature, the two main parties issued duelling press releases, each claiming they were listening and responding to the needs and concerns of Manitobans. The NDP government boasted it had delivered 'a strong, ambitious legislative agenda' of 39 bills that would improve health care, remove interprovincial trade barriers, make groceries more affordable, enhance public safety, and act on many other matters. The Progressive Conservative (PC) opposition countered with the claim that several of the more important bills were based on ideas stolen from them. This credit claiming by the parties has become an annual ritual. Over the past five decades, the proceedings of the legislature have increasingly come to resemble a permanent election campaign in which the parties spend more time seeking to score political points against their opponent than using questions of the premier and ministers and debating bills for the constructive purpose of improving public policy. The just-finished session featured too much shouting and name calling across the aisle and several unfortunate episodes of disorderly conduct. It was not, however, the most raucous session that has happened in the modern era of Manitoba politics, which I date from the breakthrough victory of the NDP in 1969. For observers of my generation, it is impossible to forget the French language crisis of 1983-1984 during which then-PC leader Sterling Lyon and his MLAs ferociously fought a NDP government bill entrenching language rights by using prolonged bell-ringing which paralyzed the legislature and brought angry, screaming crowds into building. I recognize that partisan competition provides the motivation and energy which drives the institution. The clash between opposing philosophies and policy perspectives helps to define what actions are in the public interest. Criticism from the opposition is the main way that the government is made to answer and to be held accountable through the media to the electorate. It would be impossible, and wrong, to seek to drive disagreement, emotion and passion entirely out of the proceedings of the legislature. The legislature actually has two modes of operation: most often it is adversarial between the parties, occasionally it demonstrates the capacity for cross-party collaboration. Because media coverage focuses mainly on the partisan clashes in Question Period, many members of the public sees the legislative process as only games-playing by the parties. In my view partisanship has become excessive, unduly negative and personal in content. There is throughout the legislative process too much rude heckling, personal attacks, bullying, inflammatory rhetoric, defensiveness and feigned indignation. Women MLAs are targeted disproportionately. Two episodes in the past session illustrate the problem. On April 22, PC MLA Greg Nesbitt questioned the NDP government about a contract for mental health therapy, suggesting, without providing any evidence, that it may have been for the personal benefit of NDP Finance Minister Adrien Sala. Either this was a cheap ' gotcha' question or Nesbitt had failed to do his homework to learn that the contract was actually for mental health support to landfill searchers. It strained credulity for the PC interim leader Wayne Ewasko to claim that his MLA was simply seeking information. In the shouting match which ensued, the Speaker, Tom Lindsay lost his cool and threatened to toss Nesbitt from the chamber, a threat he apologized for the next day. He also expressed frustration with the lack of decorum and the refusal of MLAs to immediately obey his calls for the heckling to cease. There is only so much the Speaker can do under the rules to maintain civility and to curtail belligerent language. The deeper problem is the culture of the institution which is shaped by many factors, most importantly by the words and actions of the party leaders. This brings me to the second episode which happened in the committee of supply on May 21 when the spending estimates of the executive council (which includes the premier's office) were under review. Proceedings of the meeting can be found on a YouTube stream. Both Premier Wab Kinew and Opposition Leader Obby Khan were in attendance and the meeting turned ugly almost immediately with the two MLAs showing intense dislike and disrespect for one another. A backbench NDP MLA serving as committee chair was hard pressed to maintain order. During Khan's opening statement on economic indicators, he was constantly heckled by Kinew, who at one point described the opposition leader as 'a joke.' Khan responded by bringing up Kinew's encounters with the law as a young adult and described him as a 'toxic, bullying leader' (echoing allegations from a former NDP MLA banished from that caucus). Kinew fought back by accusing Khan of being part of the ethics scandal involving violations of the caretaker convention during the final days of the former Heather Stefanson government. Fostering a more respectful and constructive culture starts with the leaders who must model more responsible behaviour and encourage their MLAs to restrain their outbursts and personal attacks when emotions rise in the chamber and in the committees. Paul G. Thomas is professor emeritus of Political Studies at the University of Manitoba.
CTV News
16 hours ago
- CTV News
Albertans to start paying for COVID-19 vaccines after province changes immunization program
Many Albertans will have to start paying for a COVID-19 vaccine this year. In a press release Friday, the Government of Alberta said it was reducing eligibility for publicly-funded immunizations for the virus. The province said just over 1 million COVID-19 vaccines were wasted in the 2023-24 respiratory virus season, equating to 54 per cent of Alberta's order that year. It said the decision was made in response to changes to the federal vaccine procurement process earlier this year, which made provinces responsible for buying their own vaccines. 'Now that Alberta's government is responsible for procuring vaccines, it's important to better determine how many vaccines are needed to support efforts to minimize waste and control costs,' release said. The new vaccine program will roll out in four phases. During the first, only residents in senior's supportive living and home care will be able to get a vaccine for free. The second phase will open provincially-funded COVID-19 vaccines to people with underlying medical conditions or compromised immune systems, people living in congregate living accommodations, people on social programs like AISH or income support or people experiencing homelessness. In the third and fourth phases, all other Albertans starting with those 65 years old or older will be able to purchase a vaccine. Sarah Hoffman, Alberta NDP shadow minister for health, released a statement calling the decision 'callous' and 'anti-science.' 'It's cruel for the UCP government to put further financial burdens on Albertans who want to protect their health and their loved ones and not get COVID,' Hoffman said in the release. 'If the UCP government was really interested in eliminating waste and protecting the health of Albertans it would be promoting vaccines. That way the supply would get used and we would keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.' The province did not give a timeline for the rollout of the new program and did not specify when Albertans would stop being able to get a free COVID-19 vaccine or booster. Anyone who would like a COVID-19 vaccine can pre-order one starting Aug. 11. The province said it doesn't know yet exactly how much a dose will cost but estimates it will be about $110. CTV News Edmonton has reached out to the health minister's office for more information.
Winnipeg Free Press
20 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Liberals gear up for leadership race; sole MLA not interested
The hunt for a new Manitoba Liberal leader is set to begin this summer after the party's lone MLA confirmed Friday she doesn't want the job. 'After much consideration I have made the decision to not pursue the leadership,' Cindy Lamoureux, the member for Tyndall Park, said in a news release. Lamoureux has been interim leader since leader Dougald Lamont lost his St. Boniface seat in the 2023 election to NDP candidate Robert Loiselle. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES 'After much consideration I have made the decision to not pursue the leadership,' Cindy Lamoureux, the member for Tyndall Park, said in a news release. 'I will continue to focus my attention on serving the constituents of Tyndall Park and will remain on as the interim leader until a new leader has been elected by the party membership,' Lamoureux said. A leadership committee and convention team are being set up and the nomination period is expected to open early this summer, said party president Terry Hayward. 'That's my hope so that any potential candidates can get out there and start talking to people that they would like to support them in the campaign for leadership,' Hayward said. 'They will be reaching out as much as possible to liberals and potential liberals who would support them in the upcoming leadership campaign,' he said. It's been a long time since the Liberals were a force in Manitoba; under Sharon Carstairs'e leadership, the Grits won 20 seats and became official Opposition in 1988. 'We've had some rough times,' Hayward said Friday. 'We still are a viable party — a bit reduced, I would admit that,' he said. The party lost two of its three seats in 2023. 'I'm hoping that a leadership campaign will bring a few more people to the realization that there is a needed third voice here in Manitoba,' Hayward said. 'We've heard a lot of criticism from people saying that the current NDP party is presenting Progressive Conservative party ideas and policies.' He praised Lamoureux for providing 'excellent service' as the lone Grit in the legislature. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Lamoureux has been interim leader since leader Dougald Lamont lost his St. Boniface seat in the 2023 election. 'She's been doing a great job bringing key things to the floor' said Hayward. 'There are more Cindys out there, more liberals like her out there, that we will work to get into the legislature and eventually get back to party status that we had,' he said. 'I think we've got a viable option for people.' The next election is expected in October 2027. Hayward said he expects a new leader should have at least 18 months in the role before Manitobans go to the polls. The committee in charge of the process will be unbiased in the search for a new leader, its president said. 'They will not be supporting any one candidate that might come forward — and that goes as well for our board of directors that are involved in this thing.' Wednesdays A weekly dispatch from the head of the Free Press newsroom. Carol SandersLegislature reporter Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol. Every piece of reporting Carol produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
