Konrad Narth named Manitoba PC interim leader

WINNIPEG — Konrad Narth took the reins as interim leader of the Manitoba Progressive Conservatives on Tuesday, while the former party leader accused him of hosting caucus conspirators.

Narth was selected in a closed-door caucus session in the morning, and soon after the house resumed work for the new legislature sitting.

He stood in the chamber and received applause from fellow Tory members as he made his first comments in the top job.

“PCs are optimistic,” Narth told the house. “We’re united, and we’re moving forward for all Manitobans.”

Former leader Obby Khan was not in attendance.

Narth told reporters that the Tory caucus is focused. “We’re not fractured,” he said.

“There’s optimism amongst the caucus today.

“Everyone’s committed to, again, putting anything personal or emotional aside and getting down to business representing the people who’ve selected us.”

Narth, first elected in the 2023, said the party would select a new permanent leader at a later date and that he has no plans to run for the leadership on a permanent basis.

He represents La Vérendrye in the province’s southeast.

Narth was chosen a day after Khan abruptly quit the top job – and the caucus. Khan cited caucus turmoil and infighting and said he would sit as an Independent.

Around the time Narth was being sworn in, Khan delivered further details about his adversaries in an interview on Winnipeg radio station CJOB.

In a caucus leadership vote Friday, Khan said he received 13 of 19 votes and that the conspiracy continued through Monday.

He named five legislature members who he said voted against him — Jodie Byram (Agassiz), Richard Perchotte (Selkirk), Kathleen Cook (Roblin), Carrie Hiebert (Morden-Winkler) and Lauren Stone (Midland) — and said they continued to undermine him.

“The constituents need to know that their MLAs are the ones who lack the moral integrity and loyalty and trust,” Khan said.

He didn’t name the sixth but said after the vote his adversaries continued to plot against him at Narth’s home.

“I guess the meeting that (Narth) hosted on Monday night at his house worked in his benefit,” Khan said.

“It’s clear that this is the direction that they wanted to head.”

He added, “It’s ironic that (Narth) is the one that hosted the secret meeting, didn’t invite members who were going to support me, and now he’s the new leader.

“So, it is what it is.”

The PC party didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the allegations.

Khan had been in the job for one and a half years.

The Tories now find themselves without a permanent leader and the next scheduled provincial election a little over a year away, on Oct. 5, 2027.

Narth said he’s committed to leading the party through an election if a new leader isn’t in place before then.

He said he’s not expecting a sharp change in policy but the party has to show it’s focused on core issues like rising costs, crime and health care.

“Affordability is becoming further and further out of reach for each and every Manitoban, and yet our popularity in the polls has slipped. That’s concerning,” Narth said.

Narth takes the helm of the party as a first-term legislature member, but he was an early entrant to politics.

From Zhoda, he was elected at age 23 to municipal council, which he served for 12 years before moving up to the legislature.

He’s leading the Tories with 19 seats in the house, compared with 34 for Premier Wab Kinew’s NDP, one Liberal and, with Khan, three Independents.

The party said in a statement that its executive will meet in the coming days to consider the process and requirements for a leadership election.

The last leadership race on April 26, 2025 ended with populist Wally Daudrich winning the popular vote but losing to Khan because of a weighted ballot system.

Khan didn’t take his seat on the backbench Tuesday next to fellow independent MLAs Mark Wasyliw (Fort Garry), who left the NDP, and Bob Lagasse (Dawson Trail), a disaffected former Tory MLA.

Khan said Wasyliw and Liberal Leader Willard Reaves — who challenged Khan in the Fort Whyte byelection in 2022 — both reached out to him.

“They’re shocked by this,” he said.

Reaves, who also played for the Blue Bombers, quipped about joining forces with Khan.

“We know what teamwork does, OK? You get results from it,” said Reaves, who doesn’t hold a seat in the legislature.

» The Canadian Press, with files from the Winnipeg Free Press