Bernadette Smith seeks NDP seat in Point Douglas

Flanked by NDP MLAs Wab Kinew and Nahanni Fontaine, Bernadette Smith took the plunge into provincial politics Friday in Winnipeg.

Smith formally announced she would seek the nomination in Point Douglas less than two days after NDP MLA Kevin Chief signalled he plans to step down for "family reasons."

• Bernadette Smith aiming to replace Kevin Chief in Point Douglas

Smith said she had no advance knowledge Chief was leaving and told reporters, "I probably heard about it the same time you did."

The activist and educator had support from family members of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls at the announcement at Neechi Commons.

Smith's sister, Claudette Osborne, went missing more than eight years ago. Smith said she and others still walk the streets looking for her.

Smith said she's running for the nomination to "strengthen the community."

"I don't think any other party can do that," she told her supporters. "I want to help create a better tomorrow.… That's what this is about."

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Kinew said he's sad to see Chief go but also reassured now that Smith has thrown her hat in the ring.

Smith, who co-founded the Drag the Red search effort, attended school in Point Douglas and has lived in the community for more than 30 years.

"Chief set a very high bar in this community for how a politician ought to behave, how they ought to be engaged, how they ought to be active in the community, and I think that means whoever is going to come and run to replace him has to be as engaged and has to have as authentic a connection to Point Douglas as [he] did," Kinew said.

"There's always questions when somebody leaves, but I am proud to see Bernadette step up."