I would like to take this opportunity to discuss some recent behaviour displayed by Premier Wab Kinew.
On January 24th, the MLA for Swan River, Rick Wowchuk, was supposed to speak at the grand opening event for the new cultural arts centre at Swan Valley Regional Secondary School. However, he was informed the night before the event that his invitation had been rescinded. This decision was made not by the Swan Valley School Division, who organized the event, but by the Premier and his Chief of Staff, who dictated to the organizers who could and could not speak at the event. When Premier Wab Kinew was later asked about his government rescinding the invitation, he repeatedly brushed past the questions and made insulting statements about MLA Wowchuk, referring to him as “not a good guy,” “a backbench PC MLA,” and saying who cares about him and his feelings.
Not only are these actions and remarks incredibly immature and disrespectful, but they also display a complete abuse of power. The Premier should not be dictating whether or not MLAs can attend community-organized events in their own ridings. The fact that that is what he is choosing to focus his time and energy on signifies the start of what could be a very slippery slope into greater abuses of power. It also shows just how greatly disconnected the NDPs are from what is really important.
As MLA Wowchuk stated in the video of the speech he planned to deliver at the grand opening, we should be putting our political differences aside so that great things can happen for our communities. He mentioned how the former PC government was able to complete an 8,400 square foot trades building on the school’s grounds in 2018 that had been started by the previous NDP government, and now we see it again with the cultural arts centre that was started by the former PC government and has now been completed by the NDPs.
As MLAs and government leaders, our focus should be on working together to help our communities and to better the lives of Manitobans, not on personally attacking each other and refusing those we may not like or agree with from participating in community events.
As your MLA, I will continue to work alongside both my PC and NDP colleagues to ensure that the constituents of Dawson Trail are receiving the supports and care that they deserve, and that their concerns and needs are being addressed.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact my constituency office.
