WINNIPEG — Greg Selinger has kept his job. Now Manitoba’s Premier is working on keeping his party in power, and political analysts say it’s a pretty monumental task.
“He has a real hole to dig out of,” said Curtis Brown of Probe Research.
The NDP has been trailing the conservatives in the polls for months, and while the leadership question is now settled, pollsters and pundits say what Sunday’s vote revealed is how deeply divided the party is.
Selinger beat Theresa Oswald by just 33 votes.
READ MORE: Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger back at work after clinging to job
“There is obviously some work everyone has to do around healing,” said Selinger Monday. “That’s an effort that requires everybody to show good will, and I thought when they made the decision, all the leadership contestants to make it unanimous, and it was supported by all the delegates, I thought that was a good beginning.”
WATCH: Greg Selinger talks about the state of the Manitoba NDP
Shortly after his narrow victory was announced, Oswald took to the stage to say she declared the results “unanimous.” While it’s an olive branch traditionally extended after a leadership ship race, it was met with barely a grin from Selinger.
On Monday the Premier allowed a series of five minutes, one-on-one interviews with media, but provided few details on how he would further unite the party, or what the future holds for those who spoke out against him.
Oswald was one of five MLA’s to first publically express they had lost faith in the Premier. They were later put on ‘restrictive privelege’ in caucus. Essentially they are still members but not allowed to attend NDP caucus meetings. The Premier said Monday that still stands until caucus has a chance to review that decision.
READ MORE: A breakdown of the Manitoba NDP leadership crisis
They weren’t the only ones to say they had lost faith in Selinger. Several political staffers left his team to work on competing campaigns with a promise they would be able to return to work. On Monday, many were seen back in office, but the Premier would not say what his plans were for them going forward. “Those are decisions that are hopefully arrived at by mutual agreement,” said Selinger.”
He also would not say what date he is considering for recalling the Manitoba Legislature.
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