Manitoba | Provincial Politics

[Wpg_Guy]

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[borkborkbork]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

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manitoba has a climate plan like i have a weight loss plan

[BlackDog204]

The climate change plan for most of North America is to ignore it, and hope the problem goes away. I've heard it's pretty much irreversible, and people ahve simply given up.

[borkborkbork]

Originally Posted by BlackDog204

The climate change plan for most of North America is to ignore it, and hope the problem goes away. I've heard it's pretty much irreversible, and people ahve simply given up.

that seems to be the case. people claim to love their kids but nobody seems particularly interested in leaving them a world worth living in

[pspeid]

Originally Posted by borkborkbork

that seems to be the case. people claim to love their kids but nobody seems particularly interested in leaving them a world worth living in

I think that fatigue is a big part of it. When the powers that be know exactly what the problems are and are content to bow to the greed of oil & gas companies, and a big chunk of the population bases their own personal identity on how much they oppose anything environmentally progressive, it can feel like pushing a boulder uphill.

[Wpg_Guy]

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[Wpg_Guy]

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[Wpg_Guy]

We’re not falling back, springing forward anymore; Manitoba staying on daylight time
Carol Sanders
Thursday, Sep. 17, 2026



Time’s up for the time change in Manitoba.

Manitobans won’t be setting their clocks back an hour when daylight time comes to an end elsewhere on Nov. 1.

After surveying residents on the twice annual clock adjustment, the province announced Thursday that it will no longer spring forward and fall back, as has been the case for the majority of the past 110 or so years.

“We heard from Manitobans loud and clear — no more changing the clocks in Manitoba,” Premier Wab Kinew said in a news release Thursday. “Permanent daylight saving time is good for our health, good for business and good for parents… This change means one less adjustment families have to deal with each spring and fall. That’s why this November, your clocks won’t be changing.”

More than half of the people who took part in an online EngageMB survey said they would like to see the practice end. The survey asked if they preferred earlier sunrises in winter with standard time or the later sunsets in summer with daylight time.

Manitoba arrived at the decision after Saskatchewan, Yukon, British Columbia and Alberta.

After the announcement in March that B.C. would stick to daylight time year-round, Kinew said Manitoba would not follow suit.

“Everybody’s got an opinion on it, but we only have so many hours in a day, and we’re going to spend those hours on health care and lowering your cost of living,” he said at the time.

But after hearing from many Manitobans who were tired of the practice, a few weeks later Kinew announced the online survey.

At the time, the premier referenced a 2025 study by researchers at California’s Stanford University, who concluded that adopting one time for the entire year is better for human health. That study, which was cited in the Manitoba survey, suggested permanent standard time would bring the most health benefits, including a reduction in obesity and strokes.

However, a public opinion poll in May indicated that Manitobans preferred year-round daylight time. That survey, conducted by Winnipeg-based Prairie Research Associates, found roughly three in four Manitobans supported an end to seasonal time changes.

It has been a perennial issue on both sides of the political aisle.

In 2019, while in opposition, the New Democrats launched public consultations; Kinew hasn’t said what became of them.

In 2022, under the Tories, the provincial government considered moving to year-round daylight time. A bill before the legislature was tied to the United States changing its seasonal time change, and Manitobans would’ve needed to support the idea. The U.S. bill has repeatedly stalled, including last October in the Senate.

Progressive Conservative MLA Ron Schuler introduced a private member’s bill in March to move Manitoba to permanent daylight time.

The daylight saving time transition in spring originated during the First World War to boost productivity, conserve energy and extend daylight leisure time.

Report on health implications of time change

Winnipeg Free Press

[Wpg_Guy]

‘On track’: premier’s pledge to balance books step closer
Manitoba announces $832-M deficit — in line with previous projections
Carol Sanders
Monday, Sep. 21, 2026


MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS

Premier Wab Kinew and Finance Minister Adrien Sala released the 2025-26 audited public accounts during a press conference at the Manitoba Legislative Building on Monday.

Manitoba’s public accounts for the last fiscal year show the province is “moving in the right direction,” the NDP finance minister says.

On Monday, the provincial deficit for 2025-26 was $832 million, nearly half the $1.666-billion deficit forecast in the third quarter update and in line with the $794-million estimate in Budget 2026.

“I’m particularly proud of this final result given what our problems are stated the past year — the implications of tariffs on our economy, the worst wildfire season in 30 years, which resulted in significant emergency expenditures, and of course a significant drought,” Finance Minister Adrien Sala said at a news conference.

The province reported revenues of $25.1 billion and expenses of $25.9 billion, resulting in the $832-million deficit. Manitoba’s net debt is $36.5 billion and costs the province $2.3 billion a year in debt servicing charges.

“While other provinces are struggling to rein in their deficits, here in Manitoba we’re moving in the right direction,” said Sala, flanked by Premier Wab Kinew.

The province also announced it made a $600-million contribution to the fiscal stabilization fund, commonly known as the rainy day fund “that helps to ensure that government can continue providing services no matter what happens,” Kinew said.

It is the first deposit in five years and the largest in more than 20 years, the province said. The contribution more than doubles the balance of the fund and re-establishes compliance with legislated reserve targets.

The premier said his government will meet its commitments to balance the province’s books before the next provincial election, which is due on or by Oct. 5, 2027.

“This puts us on track to balance the budget next year, just like we promised,” Kinew said.

Progressive Conservative Leader Obby Khan said most Manitobans don’t feel like the province is heading in the right direction.

“Every Manitoban I’ve spoken to has said they are struggling with affordability, they’re struggling with paying bills, they’re struggling with putting food on the table,” Khan told reporters Monday.

“This NDP government clearly has no plan for affordability,” Khan said. “They have no plan to make life better for Manitobans. They are simply going to pick and choose the numbers they want to show Manitobans.”

Khan pointed to a line in a TD economic report Monday that said “2026 is shaping up to be yet another subpar year for Manitoba’s economy.”

Winnipeg Free Press

[Wpg_Guy]

Kinew, NDP rise to new heights in Free Press-Abacus Data poll; support for Khan, Tories falls further
Chris Kitching
Monday, Sep. 21, 2026


MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES

Premier Wab Kinew’s personal approval rating increased five percentage points to 68 per cent year-over-year

Support for Premier Wab Kinew’s NDP climbed to its highest level yet — buoyed by a bump outside Winnipeg — while the Tories lost some ground in a quarterly Free Press-Abacus Data poll.

With an election year looming, 60 per cent of those surveyed said they would vote for the New Democrats and 29 per cent said they would back Obby Khan’s Progressive Conservatives.

Seven per cent would support the Liberals — led by Willard Reaves, who doesn’t hold a seat in the legislature — while 18 per cent were undecided.

“To some degree, that increase in (NDP) support is driven in part by higher support outside of Winnipeg,” said Mary Agnes Welch, a vice-president with Abacus (formerly Probe Research).

“I think part of it might be a little bit of, maybe, a (U.S. President Donald) Trump bump. There’s sort of this feeling of rallying behind our leaders in the face of what is now pretty clearly a trade war and, also, perhaps kind of rewarding Wab Kinew for taking a pretty tough stand on some of those tariff issues.”

Kinew’s personal approval rating increased five percentage points to 68 per cent year-over-year. Khan’s rating decreased three points to 31 per cent, while Reaves’ rating dropped four points to 19 per cent, the poll showed.

“It tells me, as the leader of the party, that we continue to have a lot of work to do, and a lot of that work is getting out and meeting and listening to Manitobans,” said Khan, who has led the Tories since April 2025.

He said the economy, affordability, crime and safety and health care are the top concerns he hears from Manitobans.

“We have to do a better job of getting our message out on how we’re going to address those issues and make life better in Manitoba,” Khan said.

The New Democrats and Tories have trended in opposite directions in Abacus polls since Kinew won a majority in October 2023, when the incumbent PCs were led by Heather Stefanson.

A December 2023 survey put NDP and Tory support at 51 per cent and 38 per cent, respectively. The NDP was backed by 55 per cent of respondents in a June 2026 poll, the PCs had 32 per cent and the Liberals eight per cent. The Tories have dropped six points since a March survey.

The New Democrats’ popularity in rural and northern areas in the latest poll (54 per cent) was 12 points higher than June. The Tories, whose traditional strongholds are rural, and the Liberals lost three and five points, respectively.

Welch said the PCs should be “pretty concerned” about polling numbers. The next election must be held on or before Oct. 5, 2027. Kinew has floated the idea of an early vote.

“When you’re running a fair bit behind the NDP outside of the Perimeter, if that trend holds… that does put some of those rural ridings in play that the NDP are already looking at,” Welch said.

Tory MLA Colleen Robbins edged NDP candidate Ray Berthelette by only 70 votes in an August 2025 byelection in Spruce Woods, where the PCs previously enjoyed landslide victories.

Abacus surveyed 1,000 random adults between Aug. 28 and Sept. 14. The online poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 95 times out of 100.

In Winnipeg, support for the NDP and Liberals increased one point to 64 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively. The Tories’ popularity dropped three points to 22 per cent.

Smaller sample sizes suggested the NDP made gains at the Tories’ expense in Winnipeg’s suburbs, which tend to be election battlegrounds, but lost some support to the Liberals in the inner-city.

Smaller samples also suggested some support among seniors and men shifted from the PCs to the New Democrats.

Christopher Adams, an adjunct professor in political studies at the University of Manitoba, said the poll should give the NDP confidence and prompt the PCs to take a hard look at their strategies.

He cautioned a lot can happen to influence public opinion before the next general election is held.

“I would say Kinew is doing all the right things in terms of delivering on some of his election promises, (and) in terms of his appearances in public,” Adams said. “He’s also enjoying a good relationship with (Prime Minister) Mark Carney, so there’s probably a little bit of a brand halo.”

Recent polls suggested national support is high for Carney and the federal Liberal government’s approach to Trump’s tariffs.

Adams said the Tories are in a situation similar to the early 2000s, when then-leader Stuart Murray had trouble resonating with voters while facing a highly popular NDP premier in Gary Doer.

The PCs also face a “Wally Daudrich effect,” Adams said. Daudrich had strong support among PC members in rural Manitoba when he narrowly lost the party’s leadership to Khan.

After the Tories disqualified him from seeking the Turtle Mountain nomination, Daudrich quit and unsuccessfully ran for the Keystone Party in a July byelection in The Pas-Kameesak.

Welch said PC supporters are probably watching recent upheaval in B.C.’s provincial Tory caucus, and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s struggle to regain momentum nationally.

“That, I think, is maybe at play here as well for the provincial Tories — just not being able to sort of define themselves and manage that internal tension between maybe the more right-leaning elements of their caucus and their supporters vs. those more centrist folks that the party really does need to attract, particularly in Winnipeg,” she said.

MLAs are scheduled to return to the legislature for a fall sitting starting Sept. 29. The NDP holds 34 of 57 seats. The Tories have 20 and the Liberals one. Two MLAs are independents.

winnipegfreepress.com

[Wpg_Guy]

Unspent public funds raise questions
Budget reveals province underspent on crucial departments related to justice, public safety
Carol Sanders
Wednesday, Sep. 23, 2026

While concerns about homelessness and public safety continue to make headlines in Manitoba, the two government departments mainly responsible for addressing them came in under budget last year.

The 2025-26 public accounts, released Monday, show Housing, Addictions and Homelessness underspent its budget of $869 million by $18 million. Manitoba Justice underspent its budget of $994 million by $34 million.

The 247-page public accounts report attributes the underspending in justice mainly to “reduced impacts of contingency liabilities,” such as a court ruling or legal settlement.

The report did not explain how and why Housing, Addictions and Homelessness underspent its budget last year as the province addresses those critical issues.

Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith was not made available for an interview Tuesday, nor was Justice Minister Matt Wiebe.

Cabinet communications staff was asked why justice department money that wasn’t spent last year couldn’t have been put toward addressing a shortage of Crown prosecutors handling more cases and the shortage of judges that has forced the provincial court to cut the number of sittings in rural Manitoba.

A brief statement from the press secretary for Finance Minister Adrien Sala said underspending in justice “reflects a partial reversal of an accrued legal liability,” without offering any detail, and that Housing, Addictions and Homelessness’ underspending “reflects changes in capital timelines.”

Hearing the justice department left $34 million on the table last year “when there are obviously parts of the system crying out for more resources” is “interesting,” Ben Wickstrom, Manitoba Association of Crown Attorneys vice-president (prosecutions) said Tuesday. He estimated hiring the 50 additional Crown attorneys MACA says are needed would probably cost one-third of that amount.

“I appreciate that the government’s position may be that this was budgeted somewhere else in the justice budget, but it’s really a question of priorities, and what their priorities are. It really hasn’t felt that the government’s priority has been on front-line resources for the courts, whether that be for judges, for crown prosecutors and for legal aid,” Wickstrom said.

“The underspending deserves an explanation,” Molly McCracken of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives said Tuesday.

Manitoba has “very substantial unmet needs for affordable and supportive housing, homelessness services and addictions treatment,” the provincial director of the national think tank that advocates for greater income equality said.

“The explanation for the justice underspending doesn’t tell Manitobans whether this is money that could have been used to address pressures elsewhere in the justice system, such as Crown capacity and access to justice.”

The public accounts are the government’s official annual financial statements detailing the province’s revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities and overall financial position for the fiscal year ending March 31. On Monday, they reported Manitoba’s deficit of $832 million — a reduction from the $1.1 billion reported in 2024-25 and $1.95 billion in 2023-24.

Premier Wab Kinew said Monday the province is cutting the deficit and is on track to balance the books during his first term in office. To do that, he’ll need to find $832 million more in spending cuts and revenue growth to get rid of the deficit. Meanwhile, the province has to pay $2.3 billion a year to service its $36.5-billion debt.

McCracken cautioned the province against treating underspending as good fiscal management simply to help reduce the deficit or to offset other departments, such as health, spending more than budgeted.

“A balanced budget is not an end in itself. The Manitoba government’s job is to deliver the services Manitobans need,” she said.

The Tories’ housing, addictions and homelessness critic questioned the underspending.

“With the epidemic that we’re dealing with right now when it comes to crime, when it comes to drugs and addiction issues, one of my questions is how many treatment beds could we have done for $18 million?” Jeff Bereza said Tuesday.

“I’ve been spending a lot of time in a lot of the seniors places, including Manitoba Housing seniors places, where that money could have been used so much for repair,” the Portage la Prairie MLA said.

“We could have hired many more prosecutors or been in the queue to hire many more prosecutors,” he said of the unspent portion in the justice budget. “The people of Manitoba are scared. Whenever they talk about the drug or addiction issue or about crime and safety, it really is top of mind of I would say for all Manitobans.”

An online survey for CBC News by Abacus Data last month found almost six out of 10 people in Manitoba feel less safe now compared to four years ago.

Winnipeg Free Press

[BlackDog204]

If an election were called today, the NDP would decimate the Conservatives.

[Wpg_Guy]

Khan quits as Tory leader, leaves caucus to sit as independent
Carol Sanders
Monday, Sep. 28, 2026


JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Obby Khan said he will continue to serve his constituents in Fort Whyte, where he won a byelection in 2022 to replace former premier Brian Pallister after he resigned his seat.

Manitoba’s Leader of the Opposition is stepping down.

Progressive Conservative Leader Obby Khan announced late Monday afternoon he is quitting caucus and will sit in the legislature as an independent MLA, effective Tuesday.

He cited internal party fighting for his decision.

The former Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive lineman survived a caucus confidence vote Friday. He said there were 13 votes for him to remain and six against, with one person absent.

Caucus communications director Alison Sutherland said earlier Monday that Khan still had “the full confidence” of the caucus.

An emotional Khan, who frequently paused to compose himself during the announcement in the opposition leader’s office at the legislature, said he became aware party members were going to meet in secret Monday night to subvert that confidence and he wouldn’t sacrifice his principles to stay.

“I am not leaving because I lost the confidence of caucus,” he said. “I won that more than two to one. I’m not leaving because I’m unwilling to fight. I have spent my life fighting for things I believe in. I am making this decision because I will not allow a fight for a title to take precedence over my responsibility to Manitobans and compromise my personal integrity,” he said during a 20-minute address, after which he took no questions from reporters.

“Leadership requires listening, but it also requires knowing when internal conflict has begun to overshadow the work people have elected us to do. I have heard criticism of some of the choices I made as leader, including whom I entrusted with responsibilities in various roles.”

Khan said he will continue to serve his constituents in Fort Whyte, where he won a byelection in 2022 to replace former premier Brian Pallister after he resigned his seat.

He said he made history by becoming the first Muslim to win a seat in the legislature. He narrowly won the leadership in April 2025, defeating right-wing populist Wally Daudrich with fewer votes, thanks to a weighted balloting system.

It was not clear Monday night who would serve as acting PC leader on the opposition front bench when the legislative session resumes Tuesday.

Borderland MLA Josh Guenter, Deputy Chair of Manitoba’s Progressive Conservative Caucus, said in a statement Monday the caucus would be meet Tuesday morning. “We will have more to share tomorrow.”

Khan thanked caucus members who supported him, including Kelvin Goertzen (Steinbach), Ron Schuler (Springfield-Ritchot), Rick Wowchuck (Swan River), Greg Nesbitt (Riding Mountain), Derek Johnson (Interlake-Gimli), Trevor King (Lakeside) and Colleen Robbins (Spruce Woods).

The party has floundered under Khan’s leadership, a recent poll suggests.

The quarterly Free Press-Abacus Data poll shows the Tories have lost ground while support for Premier Wab Kinew’s NDP climbed to its highest level yet.

Kinew’s personal approval rating increased five percentage points to 68 per cent year-over-year. Khan’s rating fell three points, to 31 per cent.

With a looming election, which must be held by Oct. 5, 2027, nearly two-thirds (60 per cent) of those surveyed said they would vote for the New Democrats and 29 per cent said they would back the Khan-led Progressive Conservatives.

The timing of the leadership confidence vote came as no surprise to one political analyst.

“This is not unusual for a leader to have to defend him or herself when the polls are tanking,” University of Manitoba adjunct political studies Prof. Christopher Adams said.

“When your numbers are tanking, and you’re a sitting MLA and you’re looking around (wondering), ‘Well, which of us is going to survive the next election, and can we do it with this person?’”

Adams said there’s no obvious successor waiting in the wings to replace Khan. Daudrich quit the party and ran unsuccessfully as a Keystone party candidate in the summer byelection in The Pas-Kameesak.

“Is there somebody else in the caucus that’s sort of scheming to take over?” Adams asked. “I don’t know, but it’s possible.”

Daudrich, who lost in the PC leadership race against Khan in April 2025, said “I do believe this is the best day since Duff Roblin, the previous Premier, took out a membership in the PC Party and that’s going way back to the 60s… So, it’s a fantastic day.”

Daudrich said when it comes to his leadership hopes, he was barred from running under the PC Party banner in the Turtle Mountain Riding by Khan and he said if you’re barred from running in a riding, you’re barred from running in the party. He said it’ll be up to the PCs to let him run again now that Khan is gone.

“That would be a litmus test, if they’re willing to right some of the wrongs that have happened in the past 17 months,” said Daudrich. “There is a trail of human debris that has been left by this leader and we just need to correct things if the party wants to get back on track.”

After Friday’s vote, Manitoba PC campaign director Stephen Carter posted on social media that he had resigned. The Calgary-based president of Decide Campaigns said he resigned because he lacked confidence in the direction the party was headed.

“That was an indication to me that I was not going to be able to be successful,” Carter told the Free Press Monday.

“I think that one of the things that I pride myself in is running clean campaigns where we know very clearly what it is we’re all trying to achieve and we all have the same direction, and I was unable to achieve that.”

The political strategist played a role in the rise of former Calgary mayors Naheed Nenshi and Jyoti Gondek and former Alberta premier Alison Redford.

“I said at the very beginning when I joined (the Manitoba organization) that I thought that there was a path (to winning), but the path was very clearly evaporating,” Carter said.

Kinew was asked about the PC caucus confidence vote at an unrelated event Monday before Khan announced his resignation.

“While they’re focused on their own internal whatever, we’re focused on trying to save you money,” the premier told reporters.

Khan’s departure did not come as a complete surprise, Paul Thomas, University of Manitoba political studies professor emeritus said Monday evening.

“Support for his leadership was never strong within caucus, within the party at large or among voters,” Thomas said.

“There is a close relationship between electability and caucus. Khan was seen as a liability in terms of delivering electoral success.”
Free Press

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[pspeid]

While I won't miss the personal attacks between Khan and Kinew that would almost have been guaranteed during the next election, I'm afraid this opens the door for an even more "MMM" (Manitoba Maple MAGA) Conservative Party. I have no doubt there's a wing of that party that believes they can foster and exploit outrage over any number of imported "culture war" issues to try to grab power. I hope the old-school PC's in Manitoba don't just roll over for the sake of gaining power, but that always seems to be the main goal of politics.

[WildCake]

Originally Posted by pspeid

While I won't miss the personal attacks between Khan and Kinew that would almost have been guaranteed during the next election, I'm afraid this opens the door for an even more "MMM" (Manitoba Maple MAGA) Conservative Party. I have no doubt there's a wing of that party that believes they can foster and exploit outrage over any number of imported "culture war" issues to try to grab power. I hope the old-school PC's in Manitoba don't just roll over for the sake of gaining power, but that always seems to be the main goal of politics.

I share similar worries. Khan's resignation all but seals an NDP victory in 2027, but for the following election in or around 2031, when "vote out the incumbent" sentiment will be stronger, what will the opposition leader look like?

It seems like provincially and federally, the PC parties are struggling between the "culture war/hard right" subgroup and the more moderate right "fiscal conservative" subgroup, and the louder more motivated one seems to be catching the most attention.

What type of leader gets chosen will probably depend on how things are in the US. If continued trade threats and 51st state commentary keep happening, those presenting a more united Canada front will probably be selected. If the threats calm down, then the "Ottawa is ignoring us, let's separate and have the economic power of Myanmar on our own" crowd might win out in leadership races.

Full disclosure, I tend to vote for left leaning parties, but I also believe a strong opposition that challenges the incumbent government (ideally multiple parties) is part of healthy democracy.

[zalf]

Originally Posted by WildCake

"Ottawa is ignoring us, let's separate and have the economic power of Myanmar on our own"

Remembering this line for later use

[Wpg_Guy]

Manitoba PCs choose Narth as interim leader; Khan blasts former caucus colleagues
Carol Sanders
Tuesday, Sep. 29, 2026


Progressive Conservative MLA Konrad Narth (La Vérendrye) was selected by the PC caucus to be the next leader of the party Tuesday morning. (Mike Deal / Free Press)

Manitoba’s Progressive Conservatives have chosen Konrad Narth as their interim party leader after the sudden resignation of Obby Khan.

Narth, who represents La Vérendrye in the province’s southeast, was chosen in a closed-door caucus meeting Tuesday morning.

Khan announced late Monday afternoon that he was quitting caucus and will sit in the legislature as an independent MLA.

“We’re not fractured,” Narth said shortly after being selected and just hours before the legislature resumed sitting after a summer break of nearly four months.

Khan resigned despite winning a caucus confidence vote Friday, saying despite the outcome there were members plotting to oust him.

The former Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive lineman said there were 13 votes for him to remain and six against, with one person absent.

Khan came out swinging against some of his former colleagues during an interview with CJOB Tuesday morning.

He said Kathleen Cook (Roblin), Richard Perchotte (Selkirk), Lauren Stone (Midland) and Jodie Byram (Agassiz) were among the Tory MLAs who were planning to meet in secret Monday night in an effort to subvert Friday’s confidence vote.

Khan said constituents deserve to know which of their elected representatives “lacked moral integrity.”

His successor pushed back.

“I have complete confidence that we have an extremely morally grounded caucus that is committed to doing the right things for Manitoba above and beyond any of their personal interests,” Narth said after the Tory caucus meeting.

“It’s very concerning to me that (Khan) would make those comments, because I stand 100 per cent behind all of our caucus…” he said. “We have people that are truly passionate on making Manitoba a better place and effectively representing the great people that have selected them to serve in those roles. We need to start taking that a lot more serious.”

In his Monday resignation speech, Khan thanked several Tory MLAs for supporting him, including Kelvin Goertzen (Steinbach), Ron Schuler (Springfield-Ritchot), Rick Wowchuk (Swan River), Greg Nesbitt (Riding Mountain), Derek Johnson (Interlake-Gimli), Trevor King (Lakeside) and Colleen Robbins (Spruce Woods).

Johnson, Nesbitt and Robbins were the only MLAs among that group who attended the news conference announcing Narth’s interim leadership.

In a release, Narth thanked the former leader for his service — without naming Khan — adding “I believe that there’s a better path forward for this province, and Progressive Conservatives are committed to showing Manitobans exactly what that looks like.”

The next provincial election is due by Oct. 5, 2027 but there have been rumblings that Premier Wab Kinew could decide to send Manitobans to the polls as soon as the spring.

The PC campaign director who resigned Friday after the confidence vote said the former leader’s decision to use Tuesday’s radio interview to publicly criticize those who didn’t support him illustrates the problem.

“I think it’s evident from the behaviours over the past couple of days why it was was hard to stay,” Stephen Carter said from Calgary. “This wasn’t the caucus’s problem. This was a leadership problem. If, in some fashion, I helped make that real by leaving, then I’m glad that I did.”

Narth said he has no plans to run for the leadership on a permanent basis.

“I’m here to continue moving us forward to find a new leader that will be the next premier of Manitoba,” he said.

The party hasn’t announced plans for a leadership race.

Winnipeg Free Press