Khan made the right decision

Opinion

“Both Wally (Daudrich) and myself both ran our leadership campaigns on the principle of giving back power and voices to grassroots members. Both of us ran on taking decisions out of back rooms, as they were done historically … I’m more than happy and proud to stand by that.”

— Manitoba Progressive Conservative Party Leader Obby Khan

 

In denying former leadership candidate Wally Daudrich an uncontested run as the party candidate for Spruce Woods, the leader of the Progressive Conservatives has made the right call.

At least, he has thus far.

Recall that Daudrich had demanded of Obby Khan the “thumbs-up” to let him run as an uncontested candidate in the western Manitoba constituency following his failed leadership bid. “I’ve been vetted (by) the party. I have gone through all those hoops and I believe I’m ready to run as a candidate,” Daudrich told The Canadian Press last month.

While Daudrich was — and remains — entitled to seek the party’s nomination in Spruce Woods, his demand to be unilaterally appointed to be the party’s candidate for the coming byelection was unreasonable and undemocratic, a fact we noted on this page already.

If granted, such a request would have deprived other party members from also seeking the nomination, and would also prevent party members residing within the boundaries of the riding from deciding which contestant is the best choice to be the party’s byelection candidate.

It’s interesting to note that Khan seems to have heeded our advice, choosing instead to go ahead with a proper nomination process so that regular voters in the area can have their say in choosing the new candidate.

Not that we wish to take credit or anything.

Nevertheless, we’re pleased to see it. And we’re clearly not the only ones.

Longtime PC Party member Colleen Robbins, who along with RM of Sifton Coun. Scott Phillips has decided to seek the nomination, told the Sun on Wednesday that it would have made sense for Daudrich to run in Spruce Woods had he won the leadership race. With that race lost, she doesn’t see good reason for him to run in a constituency so far from his own.

“I have no idea why he would just choose (Spruce Woods). Go to your own riding in the next election and put your name forward there, and go where you know people,” she said.

“Why wouldn’t you run in your own? Work on your riding for the next two years.”

We find ourselves in agreement, though that doesn’t change the fact that he has the right to seek the nomination in our little corner of the province. At this point, it remains a little unclear whether Daudrich will deign to seek the candidacy in a contested party nomination process. Whatever the case, we certainly don’t discourage him from doing so.

More to the point, however, is the fact that should he chase the nomination in Spruce Woods, Daudrich will now face some strong competition from local candidates who likely know the region far better than he does, and are well-known individuals in their own right when it comes to local voters.

We hear through the grapevine that the Liberals are on the hunt for a local candidate to take on the PCs for Spruce Woods, and the NDP may already have some interested candidates as well.

Quite frankly, this is a good sign, as we need more qualified people to run for office to represent our region.

But it must be said that Khan has done the right thing by allowing grassroots candidates in his party to come forward — and there may yet be more wishing to do so. Our democracy is stronger when local residents stand up to run and make their case before the electorate.

Certainly, as noted this week by both Phillips and Robbins, the party still needs to give them final approval to run as candidates. And if Khan faces internal pressure to allow Daudrich to run uncontested, it is still possible that the Tory leader may yet sing a different tune when it comes down to making some final decisions.

We urge Khan to stand by his decision.