Daudrich buys Tories’ former headquarters

WINNIPEG — Manitoba’s Progressive Conservative party found a buyer inside the family for its former headquarters across the street from the legislature.

The 114-year-old, 3,600-square-foot historic home on Kennedy Street now belongs to Wally Daudrich, who finished second to Obby Khan in the Tories’ leadership race last spring.

Daudrich, who has a home near Morden and owns Churchill’s Lazy Bear Lodge, is reportedly turning the property into a reception centre for his tourism business, PC party president Peter Smith said Thursday.

“I do know he’s going to restore it and there’s a certain amount of work to bring it back up to condition,” Smith said.

Daudrich received more leadership ballots than Khan last April, but came up short in his bid for the top job because of a point system the party used to weigh support in different constituencies.

He is now seeking the party’s nomination in Turtle Mountain, where incumbent Doyle Piwniuk announced he’s not seeking re-election in what is considered a safe Tory seat.

During his campaign, Daudrich infamously quipped that he’d solve Winnipeg’s homelessness crisis by letting polar bears loose in the city.

The Kennedy Street house was listed at $800,000 when it was put up for sale last year by Nocorp Investments Ltd., a trust that had been set up by the party. It sold for $600,000 to a holding company directed by Daudrich, the Manitoba land titles registry shows.

Premier Wab Kinew gleefully shared news of the sale price during question period Thursday, responding to Khan’s accusation that the NDP have mismanaged Manitoba’s economy.

“While they listed the PC headquarters for $800,000, they were forced to take a haircut and only landed $600,000,” he said. “So I’d like to ask the member opposite — why should we take any advice when he’s running his party like a pawn shop?”

Khan blasted the premier for not addressing serious concerns about slow economic growth and a lack of investment in the province.

Kinew fired back at Khan, taking aim at his narrow leadership election victory.

“For the members of the PC party who just found out about the fact their headquarters was just sold — donors as well, probably — do they know who purchased their headquarters?” the premier asked.

“Oh, you’re gonna love this one … It’s the guy who got the most votes in the recent PC party leadership. And of course, as we all know, the person who got this is not the leader of the opposition.”

After question period Khan said that NDP policies haven’t improved property values downtown, but said the sale is helping the party reduce its debt.

“Under the NDP government, there are more vacant buildings downtown than there ever have been,” he told reporters.

Elections Manitoba filings at the end of 2024 showed the PC party was $689,000 in the hole.

Smith said the purchase price was about what party officials expected, since it needs about $200,000 work.

“It needs some remediation for asbestos, there’s rodents,” he said. “A few years ago there was a flood — a pipe burst. So there’s a significant amount of renovation work to do before it’s back in usable condition.”

The party now leases office space at 5 Donald Ave.

He said the party has paid down about two-thirds of its debt.

“We’re now in a very comfortable position, financially,” said Smith, an accountant.

The next provincial election must be held by Oct. 5, 2027. Daudrich could not be reached for comment Thursday.

The NDP filed a complaint with the elections commissioner last month over the sale of the Tories’ former HQ.

In a complaint to commissioner Bill Bowles, the New Democrats said there would be a “clear violation” of the Election Financing Act if proceeds from the eventual sale of the building, which is owned by a corporation, were transferred to the PCs.

On Thursday, Smith called the NDP complaint “a little specious and it was materially wrong.” He said the property is owned by a trust established by the party.

“It’s not a separate corporation in the same sense as other corporations … It’s equivalent to us selling our own property,” he said.

“We’ve been talking to the elections commissioner and there’s no problem with the transfer of this property.”

» Winnipeg Free Press