Marcy Markusa: Anyone else frustrated with the political power struggle?

OK, what the heck is going on? I mean, what's really going on? I have never heard so many stock political lines as I have in the past week in attempts to explain what is happening behind the scenes of the power struggle on Broadway.

One of my questions to Premier Greg Selinger last Wednesday on Information Radio: "What do you make of why this happened or how long it's been building?"

His answer: "It's simply because of concern and making sure that we do a good job for the future of the province and making sure that all of the things we've done that have made a difference, all of the investments in education and health care, and in things that improve the quality of life for people, continue to be available to people because there is concern about the potential going in another direction, where we lose these services and have major cuts. It's very important that we have a clear vision for the future of Manitoba." 

• VIDEO: Selinger on CBC's Information Radio on Oct. 29
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• STORIFY | Greg Selinger stays as premier: Manitobans react online

One of my questions to outgoing finance minister Jennifer Howard today on Information Radio: "How does your Manitoba differ from Premier Selinger's?"

Her answer: "I have always believed and continue to believe that Premier Selinger is a man who is deeply, deeply committed to the same values that I am committed to. That is not what is at odds here. Of course, there are disagreements over different issues. What the challenge is for us is to go forward in a cabinet where, because we have disagreed on some points, we can't work together on other priorities."

Howard went on to say, "There is certainly time for us to fight an election and to make sure that we are doing all of the things to make sure that we are putting ourselves in a place where we can win that election, because what's at stake in the next election is very important to the families of Manitobans…. I believe that should we elect a government led by Brian Pallister, we will see the very Manitobans we fight for hurt."

So it seems that Selinger and Howard and the other four ministers who resigned today are all ready to fight an election.

They just need to stop fighting each other first.

Since no one is offering specifics about the differences in political policy between the group and the premier, it's left to us to try and figure it out.

At first, the ministers came forward suggesting that this was about Selinger's decision to increase the provincial sales tax, or PST.

But today in their letter to the media, the five ministers suggested that their resignations go beyond the tax issue.

I asked Jennifer Howard, "What else were you and premier at odds over?"

Her response: "I'm not going to go into those kinds of discussions. But what I would say about the PST, though, is, you know, we can all wish that we had done it a different way but we were faced with a choice to cut into health care and education or not invest in infrastructure, and we made the choice to raise the PST.  And we all voted for that choice, and that is the truth." 

But Stan Struthers, who was finance minister at the time of the increase, said this today: "What was our choice? We were going to vote against our own government? I mean, I wasn't prepared to vote against the government that has done so much good work over the 15 years for people in Manitoba."

So one minister of the group of five takes some responsibility for her vote on the PST, and the other suggests that he had no choice. Does that speak to these ministers' individual abilities to be accountable for their own decisions, or does it speak to something deeper in the way that Greg Selinger is leading the party?

At today's press conference, the latter is clearly in question. But again, pretty short on detail.

• 5 ministers resign from Premier Greg Selinger's cabinet
• Selinger replaces cabinet ministers in government revolt

I firmly believe that we are owed a better explanation about why this is happening.

Selinger supporter Rosann Wowchuk says the NDP is like a family and families fight.

Well, families might fight, but they make up or they move on. What we are seeing today is that these five have resigned their posts but moved into the metaphorical basement apartment until Dad can come up with a better parenting plan to get them to return to the dinner table. Or not.  

We are owed some detailed answers.

The cabinet members and the premier himself might not like that this is being played out publicly in the media, but that's exactly where they kicked the ball. And I, for one, would like to know what to do with it.

If the vague statements that we are hearing are intended to show that these five ministers are taking some sort of a high road in terms of not airing their dirty laundry in public, then I have news for them: that ship sailed last week.

As for Selinger, here was his statement to media today: "Last week I had direct conversations with members of my team who have chosen another path. In those conversations I made it clear: either focus on the priorities of Manitoba families as a part of our team, or resign."

Again, is anyone wanting to know which "priorities of Manitoba families" these ministers aren't on board with? I certainly do.