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Manitoba Tory premier calls byelection in longtime NDP stronghold

The vote in the Point Douglas constituency is to fill a seat that has been vacant since January, when former New Democrat Kevin Chief resigned from politics to work in the private sector.
The vote in the Point Douglas constituency is to fill a seat that has been vacant since January, when former New Democrat Kevin Chief resigned from politics to work in the private sector. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Steve Lambert

WINNIPEG — Voters in an inner-city Winnipeg neighbourhood will vote in a provincial byelection June 13.

The vote in the Point Douglas constituency is to fill a seat that has been vacant since January, when former New Democrat Kevin Chief resigned from politics to work in the private sector.

Point Douglas has only ever voted NDP, and the opposition party scored its strongest showing there in last year’s election, with 58 per cent of the vote.

READ MORE: Former Manitoba cabinet minister, Kevin Chief, quits politics

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The Liberals have the most to gain in the byelection.

If they win, they will gain a fourth legislature seat — enough for official party status and additional funding and privileges in the legislature.

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The governing Progressive Conservatives finished a distant third in Point Douglas last time around, but are hoping for an improvement after having the only contested nomination for the seat.

The Tories are running Jodi Moskal, an electrician and former chair of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce.

The NDP is putting up Bernadette Smith — an advocate for missing and murdered indigenous women who has worked in an outreach program for at-risk high-school students.

READ MORE: Bernadette Smith seeking NDP nomination in Point Douglas

The Liberals are running John Cacayuran, who used to work for Liberal MP MaryAnn Mihychuk.

The Green Party has nominated Sabrina Binesi, who has worked as an executive office assistant in a number of federal and provincial government departments.

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