View From the Legislature

After watching some of the unethical behaviour occurring by all three NDP leadership candidates during the course of their leadership race, many Manitobans may be left wondering if any of them is fit to occupy the office of  Premier.

Take for example Premier Greg Selinger, who is fighting to keep his job. One of his key supporters, former Finance Minister Rosann Wowchuk, was accused of having filled out the ballots of seniors without their knowledge in Swan River. When the seniors complained that their secret ballots were manipulated, a new vote had to be called in Swan River for the NDP leadership race. Manipulating the secret ballot of a voter, let alone seniors, shows just how desperate this leadership campaign has become, but it’s actually not unusual for the NDP.

That’s because this wasn’t the first time either Ms. Wowchuk or Mr. Selinger have run into trouble with election laws. In 2009 Ms. Wowchuk was found to have violated The Elections Financing Act by making a government announcement during a by-election.

Mr. Selinger, when he first ran for provincial politics in 1999, found himself and other NDP candidates entangled in an NDP scheme that involved false election returns. When Elections Manitoba discovered the false returns, the NDP were forced to repay tens of thousands of dollars of taxpayer funded rebates they were not entitled to.

Leadership candidate Steve Ashton has had his own campaign fall under ethical scrutiny as well. A recent news report said his campaign had loaded supporters onto a bus which was being paid for by a business. Those on board were then driven to a voting station and promised a free supper after being instructed how to vote according to the report. In this alone there are both potential election and ethical violations.

And the third leadership candidate, Theresa Oswald, entered the race having recently violated election laws. Prior to the last provincial election, then Health Minister Oswald was found in violation of The Elections Financing Act by Elections Manitoba for making an announcement using government resources during a time when it was prohibited by law to do so.

Each of the NDP leadership candidates have shown a willingness to manipulate or break election rules to advance their own interests. Through the wrongful use of government resources, manipulation of the secret ballot process, improper election reporting and a host of other violations, each have shown that they are willing to do anything to win.

Regardless of who wins the NDP leadership on the weekend, the question Manitobans will have to ask themselves is what other rules the winner is willing to break to win the next provincial election. The priorities of Manitobans have already taken a back seat during the NDP civil war. The last thing our province needs is an NDP Party and leader that is willing to throw democracy under the bus if it serves their political interests.