WINNIPEG — Greg Selinger’s future as Manitoba’s premier will be put to the test this spring.
“It is baffling and unprecedented,” said Christopher Adams, a political scientist at St. Paul’s College at the University of Manitoba.
The NDP leader is willing to have a party leadership contest while still in office. A vote will take place during the provincial NDP convention in March.
“We haven’t seen anything like this in the history if the province,” said Adams.
It will be interesting to see how the premier balances running the province while running a leadership campaign, Adams said.
The answer to that question didn’t become any more clear when a spokesperson for Selinger released a statement late Monday.
“Under the NDP constitution the party leader is chief spokesperson for the party,” the statement says.
It was emailed to media on a page without any letterhead.
“It’s important we clarify the rules governing any challenge to the leadership of the NDP. We must follow the party constitution and the Manitoba NDP’s tradition of democratic practices,” Selinger is quoted in the statement.
Selinger’s problems are the result of a perfect storm that started with flooding expenses followed by the hike in the PST, Adams said.
“In some ways it was self-inflicted,” he said.
Last month five of Selinger’s senior cabinet ministers publicly questioned the premier’s leadership.
Theresa Oswald, Andrew Swan, Erin Selby, Jennifer Howard and Stan Struthers have since resigned from cabinet but are staying with the NDP.
READ MORE: How cabinet revolt against Premier Greg Selinger erupted in Manitoba
The details of how a leadership vote would work will be ironed out this weekend by NDP executive.
Mineral Resources Minister Dave Chomiak said MLAs are capable of multitasking and can run the province in the midst of a leadership race.
“Going for a leadership convention and putting his name up to the delegates is the appropriate thing to do, and it is a correct move and a good show of leadership on the part of the premier,” Chomiak said.
Many political scientists have thrown Oswald’s name around as a possible strong contender for NDP leader, Adams said, adding people shouldn’t count out Kevin Chief and Steve Ashton.
Even if Selinger nets a majority of votes, that may not be enough to stay on as premier.
“Fifty per cent plus one is not strong,” Adams said.
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