Manitoba’s legislature resumes sitting today, with the Opposition Progressive Conservatives in the unusual position of looking for a leader.
The Tory caucus says it will meet this morning to select an interim leader to replace Obby Khan.
Khan resigned suddenly on Monday, saying not only is he leaving the job effective today, he is also quitting the PC caucus and will sit as an Independent.
Khan cited internal party feuding and efforts to undermine his leadership as the reason for his decision.
The move leaves the Tories with 19 seats in the house, compared with 34 for Premier Wab Kinew’s NDP, one Liberal and, with Khan, now three Independents.
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The next scheduled provincial general election is still over a year away.
“I’m not surprised on reflection that this has happened, but it is a very sad day for the PC party and it’s a sad day for Obby Khan,” Christopher Adams, an adjunct professor of political science at the University of Manitoba, said Monday.
Adams said cascading events — from Kinew’s polling popularity to the Tories’ declining popularity in Winnipeg — make the move understandable. He said Khan likely had no choice but to step down, as the party isn’t likely to win the next election, set for October 2027.
To turn things around, Adams said the PCs need to win back suburban Winnipeg. He suggested the party name a leader who could appeal to urban voters, citing Winnipeg city councillor Janice Lukes or federal Conservative MP James Bezan as examples.
Asked whether he thought Kinew would call a snap provincial election, he said the premier would likely wait, given municipal elections set for this fall and the harsh dead of winter.
“My thinking is it’s high probability they’ll just wait out till (next) fall,” Adams said.
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