Kinew delivers election-style speech at gala

Premier Wab Kinew went into election mode on Thursday evening, highlighting the strengths and momentum of his party’s candidates while touching on a variety of other topics during the NDP’s Westman Gala in Brandon.

Kinew started his election-style speech by revisiting the close result the party received in Spruce Woods in last year’s byelection, when candidate Ray Berthelette came within 70 votes of Progressive Conservative Colleen Robbins in an area that historically sees strong PC support.

“Seventy votes — pretty darn close. You’re the man, Ray,” Kinew said during his 21-minute speech at the Keystone Centre’s MNP Hall in front of a crowd of about 300 politicians, business leaders and community members.

“And thanks for opening up people’s minds to show them what’s possible in southwestern Manitoba,” Kinew said.

“Heading into an election year, let’s keep working together,” he said. “The job is not done and next year we’re going to be coming around asking you for four more so we can get the job done.”

Kinew mentioned sitting Brandon East MLA Glen Simard, Brandon West candidate Cora Dupuis and Turtle Mountain candidate Rick Pauls.

He said those candidates will “try and repeat the magic” that Berthelette’s campaign had.

The event also featured short speeches by Simard, Dupuis and Pauls.

The NDP has also nominated Dauphin MLA Ron Kostyshyn for re-election, but doesn’t yet have candidates in Spruce Woods, Riding Mountain, Agassiz or Swan River.

Kinew during his speech also brought up the referendum vote in Alberta earlier this week, in which Albertans voted not to hold a second referendum to secede from the country.

“I think we have a special role as Manitobans in terms of putting an arm around Alberta and making sure that we repair the ties that bind across the West, and that we make sure that this referendum never happens again across our country,” Kinew said to a very loud round of applause from attendees.

Kinew said there will be a lot of positives for Manitoba in the federal government’s Nov. 5 budget, and that it would include “good news” for Brandon and Westman.

The NDP earlier in the day also had an event at Brandon University with BU’s New Democrats student club. The club hosted Kinew for a panel discussion and community conversation about the environment, affordability, reconciliation, student engagement and the future of Manitoba.

The club had invited the Sun a week in advance, but the party later barred reporters from attending the event.

» alambert@brandonsun.com