Manitoba’s Election Deflection

If Manitoba Premier Gary Doer covers his face with his hands, you can’t see him.

Or so he believes. In a province that holds a sitting government for a sweat-breaking average of 39 days per year, Premier Doer is finally feeling some long-deserved heat. Grinin’ Gary has been compared in the past to the Teflon likes of Jean Chretien, having most issues roll off with a simple smile and a couple good words about Manitoba. But sadly it isn’t that smooth. The past reveals a less confrontational history with the opposition and media.

That seems to be changing however. The local media is getting tired of covering the same old ’stolen car capital of Canada’ Winnipeg stories and looking for more. More in the fashion of a good old Manitoba election. Whispers could be heard as long ago as last September in the halls of the legislature about a looming election, which is still in a holding pattern over the province.

Doer’s zeal for an election is tracking in the negative numbers. He doesn’t want one anytime soon and will most likely wait until the last possible moment. The provincial Tories, under new leader Hugh McFadyen, have gained force in a push forward to power in the province. This coupled with Doer’s short list of accomplishments and shorter list of working days for MLA’s in the province has the premier worried.

There’s always a new bottom

Doer holds up the excuse that he’s waiting for the feds to have their election like the corpse from weekend at bernie’s every chance he gets. That explanation died last Novemeber. He’s been waiting for some good provincial announcements, like any smart government would, but waiting has it’s risks, just as calling an election does. Today, in the middle of waiting, Elections Manitoba announced that they would be investigating the current government for ‘wrongdoing by certain party members’. Specifically, a high-level job was offered to an NDP member to stay clear of a nomination in one of Winnipeg’s ridings.

In addition, the local media in their ongoing search for ‘different’ stories have spotlighted the fact that Doer has neglected to call a by-election in the riding of Assiniboia, where the former PC leader stepped down almost six-months ago.
Premier Doer still hides behind his hands hoping the voting public won’t see him. But in a province that has a story hungry media and an organized opposition wanting a fight, he is less the invisible man and more like the 600lb. gorilla sitting in the middle of the room. Everyone is watching him, closely.
The NDP in Manitoba will be prepared for the next provincial election, don’t let the foot dragging fool you. Their undoing amidst their preparation may be the fact that the excessive foot dragging could cause the party to trip.