Kinew gives election-style speech to party faithful in Brandon

BRANDON — Premier Wab Kinew revved up into election mode as he highlighted the strengths and momentum of his party’s candidates while touching on a variety of other topics during the NDP’s gala in Brandon Thursday.

Kinew started his election-style speech by revisiting the close result the party received in Spruce Woods in last year’s byelection, when candidate Ray Berthelette came within 70 votes of Progressive Conservative Colleen Robbins in an area that historically garners strong PC support.

“Seventy votes — pretty darn close. You’re the man, Ray,” Kinew said during his 21-minute speech at the Keystone Centre in front of a crowd of about 300 politicians, business leaders and community members.

“And thanks for opening up people’s minds to show them what’s possible in southwestern Manitoba,” Kinew said.

“Heading into an election year, let’s keep working together,” he said. “The job is not done and next year we’re going to be coming around asking you for four more so we can get the job done.”

The election must be held on or before Oct. 5, 2027.

Kinew mentioned Brandon East MLA Glen Simard, Brandon West candidate Cora Dupuis and Turtle Mountain candidate Rick Pauls.

He said those candidates will “try and repeat the magic” that Berthelette’s campaign had.

The event also featured short speeches by Simard, Dupuis and Pauls.

The NDP has nominated Dauphin MLA Ron Kostyshyn for re-election, but doesn’t yet have candidates in Spruce Woods, Riding Mountain, Agassiz or Swan River, other Westman constituencies.

Kinew raised the referendum vote in Alberta this week, in which Albertans voted not to hold a second referendum to secede from the country.

“I think we have a special role as Manitobans in terms of putting an arm around Alberta and making sure that we repair the ties that bind across the West, and that we make sure that this referendum never happens again across our country,” Kinew said to a very loud round of applause from attendees.

Kinew said there will be a lot of positives for Manitoba in the federal government’s Nov. 5 budget, and that it would include “good news” for Brandon and Westman.

The NDP earlier in the day had an event at Brandon University with BU’s New Democrats student club. The club hosted Kinew for a panel discussion and community conversation about the environment, affordability, reconciliation, student engagement and the future of Manitoba.

The club had invited the Brandon Sun a week in advance, but the party later barred reporters from attending the event.

— Brandon Sun