Manitoba Opposition plans to file a complaint over commemoration of women’s vote

WINNIPEG – Manitoba Opposition Leader Brian Pallister is not backing down from criticism of an event commemorating women’s right to vote.

Pallister says he plans to file a complaint with the provincial elections commissioner, saying an event planned by the Women’s Advisory Council violates a ban on government advertising and announcements.

The advisory council is hosting a reception at the legislature Jan. 28 to mark the 98th anniversary of when Manitoba women won the right to vote.

That’s the same day that two provincial byelections are being held, and provincial law forbids the governments and its agencies from making announcements during any election period.

The government has said the event is not an announcement, and is simply a non-partisan gathering to mark an important historical milestone.

Liberal Leader Rona Bokhari has said as a woman, the Tory complaint does not sit well with her and politicizes a non-partisan event.

Pallister is undeterred.

“Because the government has played fast and loose with the elections rules historically, we want to make sure they’re not doing it now,” Pallister said Friday.

“And it would be in the government’s best interest, frankly, to make sure they’re not abusing the election rules.”

The Election Financing Act says a government department or Crown agency cannot “advertise or publish any information about its programs or activities” during campaigns, but there are several exceptions such as public health emergencies. There are also exemptions for government contract notices and continuations of pre-existing advertising campaigns.

The NDP have already been found guilty of violating the act.

Commissioner of Elections Bill Bowles ruled the NDP was wrong to organize a media tour of a new birthing centre in south Winnipeg just prior to the 2011 election campaign.

In that case, government workers were used to help then health minister Theresa Oswald highlight the new facility. But the commissioner ruled the violation was inadvertent and the NDP suffered no penalty.

For the Jan. 28 ceremony, the minister responsible for the status of women, Kerri Irvin-Ross, sent out invitations to all legislature members. The invitation said the event would be a one-hour celebration of “the 98th anniversary of women’s suffrage in Manitoba” and that light refreshments would be served.