Despite internal turmoil, NDP go with the Flo
NDP interim leader Flor Marcelino acknowledges the party needs to rebuild
Flor Marcelino acknowledges some of the cut and thrust of provincial politics does not play to her abilities.
"I'm not really your bombastic debater. I'm better working on the ground, behind the scenes," said the New Democratic Party interim leader.
But she was selected to pick up the pieces after the 2016 retirement of some strong NDP political figures such as Nancy Allen, Dave Chomiak, Jennifer Howard and Theresa Oswald.
The party has been split into camps by 2015's internal revolt and a disastrous election that left the former governing party in sparse opposition.
The wounds, according to Marcelino, have yet to heal.
"If there is any progress at that I still don't see a sizable or huge gain towards that. But it's a process that is ongoing," she told CBC News.
The reeling party looked for some measure of stability by turning to the daughter of a Filipino minister who immigrated to Canada for a new life. Someone with some political experience, but perhaps not political ambition.
Marcelino had been in the Legislature since 2007 and was a cabinet minister in the Selinger government. The hope was that as interim leader she could allow the party to start putting itself back together.
Politics despite health setbacks
In 2002 Marcelino underwent surgery to remove a benign brain tumour which was impeding her sight and other senses. A party spokesperson acknowledges she does experience some challenges with short-term memory, which she accommodates through note-taking.
"The goal for me taking on this job has been to rebuild and renew the party that I believe in," Marcelino said. "[We've] tried to make everybody's voices heard. We tried to listen to what was hurting. And we tried to share our vision that we need to be united as a party," she said.
But if anyone in the NDP wants to remove her, she's ready.
"I serve at the pleasure of my caucus. My caucus elected me. Anytime they want me out, I'm ready."
The scars of the leadership revolt still run very deep. Marcelino acknowledges there are people in the NDP whose memories are still clouded by those days.
"Maybe there are members who have not come to terms that when there was a leadership race the result was [not] what they wanted. But we have to accept the verdict of the membership," Marcelino said.
Opposition hasn't been easy
The result has been a bumpy eight months for the NDP as an opposition. There have been stumbles in Question Period by some veteran members.
Most recently the caucus lost a popular member in Point Douglas MLA Kevin Chief, but didn't have the time to wish him well as the next day it began grappling with accusations of sexual harassment against another member — the Maples Mohinder Saran.
- NDP MLA Mohinder Saran suspended after sexual harassment allegation
- Point Douglas MLA Kevin Chief resigns seat
Marcelino said the allegations were taken seriously and dealt with by the book.
"The moment we learned about this allegation we acted swiftly and really made sure that the process is followed. There is a process for filing a complaint and that was presented immediately to the staff member. There is also a process for mediation if it is still workable and if it's not workable, by all means file the complaint. And that was provided immediately," Marcelino said.
Despite the internal tumult, Marcelino insists the NDP offer a credible opposition to the Progressive Conservative government.
"We're concerned that this government has no plans. You've heard their announcements, you read their press releases; they are coming up with manufactured crises. Like the amount of the deficit or, anyway, some issues with the Fleetnet. Those were dealt with by the previous government and there were plans for that already ... to say that that didn't happen is wrong," Marcelino said.
Previous government better than the polls showed
The interim leader says despite the bruising showing at the ballot box in April, the former NDP government was on the right track.
"Manitoba under NDP's watch was flourishing. We did have a deficit but the economy is judged by, say the Conference Board of Canada, as the second best economy in all of Canada. Our unemployment was second lowest. People are working and communities are being supported," she said.
And Marcelino quickly flips to a critique of the Pallister government, hammering away at eight months of what she describes as short-on-detail governing.
"To this day we have not heard what specific plans they have to grow the economy of the north. To this day we don't know how they will boost the economy so people will be working," Marcelino said.
She is also concerned the government may tinker with the Rent Assist program and the Provincial Nominees Program.
The new PC government, from premier to minister to backbencher, constantly describes Manitoba as hobbled by years of NDP mismanagement. Marcelino admits the New Democrats made mistakes, but says the province was growing under their watch.
"No government, no party, is perfect. But I stand by our party that when we were in government we tried to do our best when it comes to job creation, when it comes to growing the economy, when it comes to supporting communities," she said.