WINNIPEG — The Manitoba Liberal Party is standing by a candidate who pleaded guilty to assaulting his common-law wife in 2002.
Court documents show Kurt Berger was given a conditional sentence of two years’ probation and underwent counselling for anger management and depression.
RELATED: Sexist tweets land Jamie Hall, Manitoba MLA hopeful, in hot water
Berger, who is running in the Elmwood constituency in Winnipeg, says he and his girlfriend got into an argument, both pushed each other and he called the RCMP.
Liberal spokesman Mike Brown says Berger was honest about what happened and has paid his penance, and the party believes enough time has passed.
“Kurt Burger (sic) was up front with the party during the nomination process about his past. He has acknowledged it and gone through counseling for it, and has turned his life around in the past 14 years. We approved him as a candidate and stand by him,” Brown said in an email statement to Global News.
The Liberals are not the only party with a candidate who has an assault conviction.
RELATED: Star candidate Wab Kinew questioned about misogyny in Manitoba campaign
New Democrat candidate Wab Kinew pleaded guilty to assaulting a taxi driver in 2004 — an incident he mentioned in his recent memoir.
Comments