WINNIPEG – Opposition leaders took maximum advantage of the turmoil in Manitoba’s NDP government, demanding it bring the Legislature back in session.
Both Progressive Conservative leader Brian Pallister and Liberal leader Rana Bokhari held news conferences Thursday, as confusion continued about the future of senior cabinet ministers who called for the resignation of Premier Greg Selinger this week.
“It’s a dysfunctional government, it has been for some time but we’re just seeing graphic evidence of it in the last few days,” Pallister told reporters.
“If the ministers have lost confidence in their premier, those ministers cannot possibly govern in the best interests of Manitoba while their attention is focused on their own political interests,” Bokhari said.
Both called on Selinger to bring the legislature back into session – there is currently no timetable from the government when it will present a throne speech and get MLAs back in their seats this year. While the house isn’t sitting, Selinger and his ministers can’t be directly questioned by opposition MLAs in Question Period and no legislation can be debated and passed.
“They’re fighting about their best chances of hanging on to their jobs, they’re not debating the issues that matter to Manitobans,” Pallister said. The revolt within the NDP was sparked by low poll numbers and the recent trouncing of an NDP-affiliated candidate in Winnipeg’s mayoral election. Two NDP party executive members, 5 cabinet ministers and 1 back bench MLA have called on Selinger either to resign or seriously consider it, in an effort to turn the party’s fortunes around.
“While the NDP is playing games, Manitoba families will suffer,” Bokhari said.
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