Stefanson to head PC party until leadership contest

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This article was published 06/10/2023 (729 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

She may have been an unpopular premier who led the Tories to a major defeat, but Heather Stefanson staying on as leader until a successor is chosen sometime in the next 18 months is no surprise, experts say.

“She still holds the Tuxedo seat and I think there are a lot of people who’d just like her to stay around while the party decides what it wants to do,” University of Manitoba political studies Prof. Christopher Adams said Friday.

Earlier in the day, Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba president Brent Pooles announced Stefanson will remain at the helm in the near-future.

“Heather’s commitment to this party is commendable, and her steady hand will ensure that our party holds the NDP’s feet to the fire until we can codify our leadership review in the next AGM, and run a successful leadership race,” Pooles said in a news release. “I’m glad that Heather will continue bringing her experience to the table.”

Stefanson was first elected in 2000, and served as part of the Opposition for 16 years. After the Tories’ 2016 majority win, she served as justice minister (2016-18), families minister (2018-21), health minister (2021) and premier (2021-23).

When Brian Pallister’s PCs unseated the governing NDP in 2016, Greg Selinger resigned as NDP leader immediately and asked the party to appoint an interim leader. Whereas Selinger faced detractors in his own caucus, Stefanson has not, said Adams.

“Some people grumbled about the election but they’re not in her caucus anymore,” he said, referring to Rochelle Squires who lost her seat in Riel then publicly denounced the PCs’ negative election campaign strategy.

“I don’t think there’s any concern that Heather Stefanson will have a caucus that would problematic for her,” Adams said. “She’s got people behind her saying, ‘Stay on.’”

That saves the party from having to select an interim leader, said Félix Mathieu, assistant professor of political science at the University of Winnipeg.

When Selinger stepped down, the NDP chose Flor Marcelino (then-MLA for the now-defunct Logan) as interim leader.

“One of the problems with new interim leaders is that they need to adapt very quickly to that new position,” Mathieu said.

Long-time PC MLA Kelvin Goertzen, who served as interim premier for two months after Pallister resigned until Stefanson was sworn in, said Thursday he isn’t interested in leading the party.

“Retaining Stefanson’s services for the time being appears to be a good strategy,” Mathieu said. So does taking their time before the PCs choose a new leader, he added.

“They need first to discuss what went wrong, and then figure out the direction the party needs to take in the future. They will want to hold several debates and give the candidates the necessary time to sell membership cards and bring new people around them,” Mathieu said.

Stefanson will return to the legislature as the leader of the official Opposition, once it is recalled by New Democrat premier-designate Wab Kinew.

“I believe in this party,” Stefanson said in Friday’s PC news release. She has not made herself available to answer reporters’ questions since Monday, when the PCs released their fully-costed platform on the eve of the election.

“To form government again in 2027, we need to ensure stability as we transition to a new leader, so that they can have a fresh start for the important work of the official Opposition, and ultimately lead us to victory.”

On Thursday, Kinew said his transition team is working toward nailing down a date for a swearing-in ceremony. He and Stefanson have discussed a power-transfer date but did not provide specifics.

“We still need to work on the logistics,” Kinew said. “It’s in the coming weeks.”

He was not made available to answer reporters’ questions Friday.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca