Former Manitoba NDP candidate, VP quits party, citing premier's policies and leadership style
Kinew's support for pipelines led Chris Wiebe to make public break with NDP
A former Manitoba NDP vice-president and candidate has quit the party over what he describes as Premier Wab Kinew's "top-down leadership style" and unprogressive policies.
Chris Wiebe, who ran as the NDP candidate in the southeastern Manitoba constituency of Dawson Trail in 2023 and also served as the party's vice-president for southern and southeastern portions of the province, gave up his NDP membership in March.
"There are a number of reasons I would say: Dysfunctional leadership within the party itself. Also, they campaigned as progressives, but they're governing as conservatives," Wiebe said Monday in an interview outside the University of Winnipeg's Richardson College for the Environment and Science, where he works as a chemistry professor.
Wiebe, who finished second to Progressive Conservative MLA Bob Lagassé by 543 votes in Dawson Trail in 2023, said he is disappointed the NDP government has made little progress since the election on climate change and does not appear to have a climate-change plan.
Wiebe said he was motivated to speak out after Kinew said Friday he was open to oil shipments through Hudson Bay. Wiebe claims Kinew insisted in 2023 the party did not support pipelines.
"We had multiple meetings with Mr. Kinew throughout the campaign as candidates to talk about policy, and one of his lines in the sand was no more pipelines," Wiebe said.
'Room for everybody' on Team Manitoba, says Kinew
When asked about Wiebe's comments, Kinew rejected the idea his party had such a prohibition.
"It's a big tent and there's room for everybody on board Team Manitoba," Kinew said Monday.
Wiebe, who said he was inspired to enter politics by the late Transcona social democrat Bill Blaikie, said he does not believe there is room within the party for progressive politics and does not believe Kinew accepts input from candidates when it comes to forming policy.
He said he is disappointed the Kinew government has kept some Progressive Conservative tax cuts going and contends there has been insufficient attention to core areas of government.
"We're living through a third age of [Brian] Pallister," Wiebe said, referring to the former PC premier of Manitoba who won terms in 2016 and 2019.
"I think that it's an austerity budget that they've given us, and health care is not getting better and education is not getting better. We're struggling with post-secondary education. So I don't see much of a difference between us and the Conservatives."
Kinew laughed off this comparison.
"Anyone who's seen me play basketball would reject the comparison to Brian Pallister and for what it's worth, I've never seen Brian Pallister put on a pair of skates," the premier quipped.
Paul Thomas, professor emeritus of political studies at the University of Manitoba, suggested he would not be quick to dismiss Chris Wiebe.
"This is not an angry, disgruntled individual like Mark Wasyliw, whose ambitions were blunted by Kinew's decision to exclude him from cabinet and then has gone on rants on social media attacking the leader," Thomas said, referring to the now-Independent MLA for Fort Garry.
"This is somebody who's a reflective serious person and has some well-thought-out positions."
Thomas said the Kinew government has been forced to contend with serious issues such as the U.S. trade war and Manitoba's wildfires and may not be able to focus on keeping party members happy.
The professor also suggested the premier's focus on polling and popularity may impair his ability to develop policy.
"He loves to please the audiences, I think, and one wonders whether that contributes to a reluctance to make tough decisions," Thomas said.
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With files from Ian Froese