Premier downplays delay in calling byelection

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This article was published 16/07/2025 (254 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Premier Wab Kinew is downplaying his choice to not call a byelection for Spruce Woods more than 110 days since the riding was vacated.

At a news conference Wednesday on adding more health-care seats at Brandon University, reporters asked why so many funding announcements for the area are being made now, with the byelection looming.

“(The) Spruce Woods byelection will come and go, and it’ll be long done with,” Kinew said.

“We’re investing in the Westman region because we believe that putting those pieces together judiciously and in a smart fashion is going to ensure that we have the maximum amount of success in serving you, the people of Manitoba.”

Spruce Woods has been without a candidate since March, after PC MLA Grant Jackson stepped down to run in the federal election, which he won. Kinew has to schedule the byelection for no later than Sept. 16. The NDP has not yet named a candidate.

“We’re here to talk about rebuilding health care,” Kinew said when asked by a CBC reporter if the party has a candidate for the byelection.

As Kinew said that, he walked to the front of the podium and gestured to the “Rebuilding Health Care” sign hanging from it.

“That’s what we’re doing today,” he said.

Kinew said the more than 110 days he has taken to call the byelection so far is nothing compared to how long his predecessor took when she was in power.

In 2022, then premier Heather Stefanson took 162 days to call a byelection for Winnipeg’s Kirkfield Park riding, which was retained by the Tories. She took 152 days to call a Thompson byelection, which remained an NDP riding.

In contrast, Kinew took 43 days to call a byelection in Stefanson’s old Tuxedo seat, which flipped to the NDP, and 63 days for Transcona, which stayed with the NDP.

Spruce Woods has been held only by the PCs since it was created in 2011. Jackson garnered more than 61 per cent of the vote in 2023, the party’s lowest percentage since the riding was created.

When the Sun asked Kinew how much longer it will take for people in Spruce Woods to have a representative in the legislature, Kinew answered, “What’s the rush?”

He asked if anyone was even talking about the byelection.

“For sure, the PCs are sending you news releases, but have you been hearing that from actual residents?” he asked. The PC party hasn’t sent any press releases to the Sun about the upcoming byelection.

In a statement on Wednesday, PC Leader Obby Khan said Kinew should call the election today, and stop wasting time.

“Wab Kinew and the NDP are playing political games and spending tax dollars to try and undermine the democratic process and avoid election blackout rules,” Khan said. “The residents of Spruce Woods can’t be bought with empty promises and political games.

“It’s time to stop playing these political games because the premier is not fooling anyone, especially the residents of Spruce Woods.”

Brandon University political science Prof. Kelly Saunders said the amount of time Kinew is taking compared to the other byelections he scheduled “is concerning.”

“I’m sure the people of Spruce Woods are uncomfortable with that. I’m uncomfortable with that,” she said, adding she lives in the riding.

“We have an expectation, and I think a right, to timely representation as citizens and voters in a constituency,” Saunders said. “When there are delays in … providing that representation, I think voters have a right to be a little frustrated and disappointed.”

She said the delay is a common tactic, and that governments of all ideologies use it. She added that she isn’t surprised by the government doing this, nor by the recent funding announcements made in the riding and surrounding area.

In addition to the announcement made yesterday at the university, the provincial funding announced in the last nine days includes just under $17 million for the Oak Lake Dam, $95,000 for an aeration project in Oak Lake and $500,000 for the Spruce Woods Housing Co-op. It also includes $189 million in road and bridge repairs, much of which is in Spruce Woods, and the cancellation of the RCUT north of Carberry, which is only 23 kilometres away from the Spruce Woods boundary.

Saunders said this isn’t a coincidence.

“It’s enticing for a government to use that for their own political gain,” she said. “So that’s why we see everybody do it. I’m not surprised about it.

“The timing, I think, is raising a few eyebrows amongst a lot of people. And for good reason.”

She said the NDP should call the byelection in the next couple of weeks if the party wants to “ride the wave of this really positive, really good news announcement.”

Announcements like Wednesday’s, she said, will make people want to vote for the NDP more than they otherwise would have.

“Give it a few days to kind of let it sink in and get the word out, and some really good news stories in the local press to remind voters of what you’ve done,” Saunders said. “Once it’s kind of saturated, then I would call it if I was him.”

On the candidate front, Ray Berthelette told the Sun Wednesday afternoon he believes he’s the only person currently seeking the NDP nomination. He said there are plans for a nomination meeting next week, although the party didn’t confirm that.

Colleen Robbins is running for the PCs in the byelection, and Brandon teacher Stephen Reid for the Liberals. The Green party said it isn’t going to be running a candidate.

» alambert@brandonsun.com