Manitoba PCs choose Narth as interim leader; ‘deeply hurt’ Khan blasts former caucus colleagues

Manitoba’s Progressive Conservative caucus chose MLA Konrad Narth as interim party leader Tuesday to replace Obby Khan, who quit a day earlier after he said he was stabbed in the back by a small group of caucus members plotting in secret to oust him.

“I am deeply, emotionally hurt by this,” Khan told the Free Press Tuesday afternoon.

He announced late Monday afternoon that he was leaving the Tory caucus and will sit as an independent MLA. He was absent from the first question period in four months Tuesday as the legislature resumed sitting after the summer.

The former Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive lineman said he prevailed in a confidence vote Friday; 13 caucus members voted for him to remain leader, six voted against and one person was absent.

Despite the outcome, he said he learned of the plan to end his leadership.

Khan lashed out against some of his former colleagues during an interview with CJOB Tuesday morning.

He said Kathleen Cook (Roblin), Richard Perchotte (Selkirk), Lauren Stone (Midland) and Jodie Byram (Agassiz) were among the Tory MLAs who were planning to meet in secret Monday night in an effort to subvert Friday’s confidence vote. The MLAs named by Khan weren’t taking reporters’ questions later in the day. Cook said in a text that she had no comment.

He said Kathleen Cook (Roblin), Richard Perchotte (Selkirk), Lauren Stone (Midland) and Jodie Byram (Agassiz) were among the Tory MLAs who were planning to meet in secret Monday night in an effort to subvert Friday’s confidence vote.

Khan said constituents deserve to know which of their elected representatives “lacked moral integrity.”

The named MLAs weren’t taking reporters’ questions Tuesday. Cook said in a text that she had no comment.

The next provincial election must be held on or before Oct. 5, 2027. There have been rumblings that Premier Wab Kinew could decide to send Manitobans to the polls as soon as the spring.

Khan said there was “extensive discussion” in caucus about a recent Free Press-Abacus Data poll showing Kinew’s personal approval rating increased five percentage points to 68 per cent year-over-year, while Khan’s rating fell three points, to 31 per cent. Nearly two-thirds (60 per cent) of those surveyed said they would vote for the New Democrats and 29 per cent said they would back the Progressive Conservatives, at that time led by Khan.

He said he spoke to PC shadow cabinet members Cook (health) and Stone (finance) by phone on Friday and asked them if they thought he should quit.

“They said, ‘No, it’s not all your fault,’” he said.

They pointed to conservative movements across Canada struggling in the polls, the Trump tariffs and the Manitoba party being somewhat dysfunctional for the last five to eight years.

“‘It’s not all you, Obby. We’ll work together and we’ll get through this,’” Khan said he was told.

“When MLAs tell you that over the phone then stab you in the back, I believe there’s a question of integrity.”

Before the confidence vote was held Friday, Khan said he told the caucus that he’d accept the outcome. The six who voted against, however, refused to do the same, he said.

“They continued to work behind the scenes — cloak and dagger,” he said.

Before resigning Monday, Khan said he learned that Narth was to host a secret meeting that night to discuss the leadership. He said he questioned Narth about it during a phone call while they discussed issues heading into the fall sitting of the legislature.

“When I brought it up with him, he said, ‘It’s not a meeting — it’s just a conversation on what direction we want to go.’ I said, ‘Do you not think I should know about it, and a few other seniors MLAs who you’ve intentionally left off of inviting to it?,’” Khan said.

“How can I possibly go back to a team like that?”

Narth, who represents La Vérendrye in the province’s southeast, was chosen as the interim leader in a closed-door caucus meeting Tuesday morning.

“We’re not fractured,” he said, pushing back after Khan’s remarks on the radio.

“I have complete confidence that we have an extremely morally grounded caucus that is committed to doing the right things for Manitoba above and beyond any of their personal interests.

“It’s very concerning to me that (Khan) would make those comments, because I stand 100 per cent behind all of our caucus… we have people that are truly passionate on making Manitoba a better place and effectively representing the great people that have selected them to serve in those roles. We need to start taking that a lot more serious.”

Stephen Carter resigned as the Progressive Conservatives’ campaign director Friday after the confidence vote. He said said the former leader’s decision to use Tuesday’s radio interview to publicly criticize those who didn’t support him illustrates the current problem.

“I think it’s evident from the behaviours over the past couple of days why it was was hard to stay,” Carter said from Calgary. “This wasn’t the caucus’s problem. This was a leadership problem. If, in some fashion, I helped make that real by leaving, then I’m glad that I did.”

In his Monday resignation speech, Khan thanked several Tory MLAs for supporting him, including Kelvin Goertzen (Steinbach), Ron Schuler (Springfield-Ritchot), Rick Wowchuk (Swan River), Greg Nesbitt (Riding Mountain), Derek Johnson (Interlake-Gimli), Trevor King (Lakeside) and Colleen Robbins (Spruce Woods).

Narth said he has no plans to run for the leadership on a permanent basis.

“I’m here to continue moving us forward to find a new leader that will be the next premier of Manitoba,” he said.

The party said in a statement that its executive will meet in the coming days to consider the process and requirements for a leadership election.

The last leadership race on April 26, 2025 ended with far-right populist Wally Daudrich winning the popular vote but losing to Khan because of a weighted ballot system.

Khan didn’t take his seat on the backbench Tuesday next to fellow independent MLAs Mark Wasyliw (Fort Garry), who left the NDP, and Bob Lagasse (Dawson Trail), a disaffected former Tory MLA.

Khan said Wasyliw and Liberal Leader Willard Reaves — who challenged Khan in the Fort Whyte byelection in 2022 — both reached out to him.

“They’re shocked by this,” he said.

Reaves, who also played for the Blue Bombers, quipped about joining forces with Khan.

“We know what teamwork does, OK? You get results from it,” said Reaves, who doesn’t hold a seat in the legislature.

He said Manitobans have alternately been failed by PC and NDP governments, and more Liberals in the chamber — Cindy Lamoureux is the lone member of the party with a seat — would provide a third option for Manitoba voters.

“If you can’t get that third option in there, we’re going to continue to spin our tires,” he said.

Khan said he’s not sure if he will run again in the next provincial election. Meanwhile, he will have more time to serve his constituents in Fort Whyte without the leadership duties. He said he’ll miss question period — holding the premier to account, “the excitement in the chamber — the barbs and heckles back and forth.”

He doesn’t regret his decision to step down as leader and quit the PC caucus.

“I’m much happier and at peace than I was yesterday,” he said.

— With files from Nicole Buffie, The Canadian Press

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca