A longtime Winnipeg city councillor is considering making the jump from municipal to federal politics.
Janice Lukes confirmed to 680 CJOB’s The News Monday that she is exploring the possibility of running for the Conservative nomination in the next federal election in the Winnipeg South riding.
Lukes is the councillor of Waverley West in Winnipeg and has been at City Hall since 2014.
She says she’s had many residents reach out to ask her to consider this opportunity and now she’s listening.
“I’m seeking advice from more residents to see if they want me to be their voice in Ottawa,” Lukes said. “It’s a huge decision, it’s partisan politics, something that never appealed to me in the past.”
“I’m investigating it, I’m researching it, I’m thinking about it.”
Winnipeg South is currently led by Liberal MP Terry Duguid, who Lukes says she’s worked well with in the past.
“We’ve had a great working relationship and we’ve done a lot of great things for our community because we both care,” Lukes said. “But sometimes it’s not really an individual’s choice, it’s a bigger picture – it’s what is the party doing, what is the decision of the leadership in the party, and not necessarily that individual.”
She says she doesn’t agree with all the Conservative policies under leader Pierre Poilievre, but she needs time to consider if she agrees with the majority of them.
“I really feel federally, the government’s changing, I really do. I really feel that Winnipeg South needs to have a voice at that table when the government changes.
“Canada’s changing and I think there needs to be better management on how it’s changing. I don’t think we have a handle on what’s happening.”
The next federal election has to take place no later than October 20, 2025.