Repairing ties with Manitobans key for Kelvin Goertzen in short stint as premier
PC government should take responsibility for failure to connect with Manitobans, interim premier says
Kelvin Goertzen filled in as Manitoba's premier for only a short time, but he hopes one of his principles — listening before speaking — will be remembered after his brief term is done.
As his two-month stint as premier wraps up with the governing Progressive Conservative Party electing its new leader on Saturday, Goertzen acknowledges the government should have spent more time listening to Manitobans.
"I did hear from people saying, 'You know, we would like to be more connected to the government,'" Goertzen said in a wide-ranging interview on Tuesday.
"Not that we're always going to agree, not that we're always going to be completely aligned in terms of decisions, but there's an importance to have that connection that was lost, I think, partly because of the pandemic — and then I think we have to take some responsibility as well."
The contrast between Goertzen — who vowed to be "quick to listen and slow to speak" — and Brian Pallister, the opinionated and sometimes brash premier he replaced, is stark.
WATCH | 'Maybe we didn't do a good enough job' of listening, Goertzen says:
Pallister routinely left stakeholder meetings to his cabinet ministers. He and Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman went for long stretches without meeting. An Indigenous leader accused Pallister of talking at people, rather than having a conversation.
Goertzen wouldn't point fingers at his predecessor, suggesting stressful pandemic decisions took their toll, but it's clear he sees premiership as a collaborative job.
Plenty of meetings for premier
It was his idea to set off on a listening tour, after party MLAs decided he should serve as premier until a new leader is chosen. Within days, he was speaking with Bowman and Indigenous leaders. He's had more than 110 engagements, through meetings and public events.
"I relished it and I embraced it because I enjoy it — but I also knew that it was the best path back to reconnecting government with people," Goertzen said.
He portrayed himself as a "caretaker premier," leaving mandate-setting decisions to his replacement, but still overturned some of the decisions made under Pallister.
Under Goertzen, the province has scrapped an unpopular education reform bill, returned the role of setting electricity rates to an independent body and moved toward introducing treaty land acknowledgements at the legislative assembly.
All decisions Pallister seemed unwilling, or reluctant, to make.
Those orders, combined with Goertzen's friendly, good-humoured manner and conciliatory approach to governance, have earned the Steinbach MLA acclaim, in spite of a controversial tenure as health minister, during which he oversaw the transformation of Winnipeg's emergency room system.
Some Tory members have suggested it's too bad he didn't want the job for the long term — but the number is "probably less than you think," quipped Goertzen, who denied making decisions to rescue the party's sinking popularity.
The PCs appear to have made gains, according to a recent Probe Research poll, but the poll suggests they still trail the NDP in support.
WATCH | Premier's job not about achievement, but the work:
Goertzen has rejected previous opportunities to run for leadership because the timing wasn't right for his family. His experience losing his father to alcoholism at the age of 11 has tempered his political ambitions.
In the short term, Goertzen saw two months as premier as an opportunity to serve government in another capacity.
Calming presence in uncertain time
"I hope that people see that I've done my best, that I've tried to be a stabilizing force in a destabilized time and a difficult time," he said, referring in part to the acrimony stemming from the pandemic.
"To the extent that people feel that that has been beneficial or successful … I appreciate that, but that's not really why I do it or why I've served."
Either Tuxedo MLA Heather Stefanson or former member of Parliament Shelly Glover will become party leader on Saturday. The winner will be sworn in as premier at a later date, Goertzen said.
The pandemic meant some government decisions couldn't wait. So far, he feels Manitoba has "blunted" the fourth wave of COVID-19 cases, thanks in part to a high vaccination rate.
"I'm actually really optimistic in terms of where we're at now," Goertzen said.
WATCH | New Year could bring loosened pandemic restrictions, premier says:
He recalls the situation a year ago, when Manitoba was approaching a near lockdown. Now, most people can attend sporting events and eat at restaurants due to their vaccination status.
"If we can move through Christmas — and we all hope that we can gather together in some form or fashion and go to a house of worship if we choose at Christmas — if we can do those things, I think we're going to be in a really good position early next year to start to see public health orders removed and hopefully removed for good."
He hopes one lesson from the pandemic is about a more adaptable health-care system. The next health crisis may strain something other than intensive care capacity, he said.
While he sees the premier's job as an honour, he looks forward to handing the reins to the first female premier in Manitoba's history.
"For me, that's going to be a really neat experience, to be able to welcome them in here."
An early ask is for the Blue Bombers — who won the last CFL Grey Cup pre-pandemic — to remain undefeated while his successor is in office.
"Not forever, because that's unrealistic and we shouldn't put unrealistic expectations on our politicians," Goertzen said.
"But [undefeated] to the end of this year, so that we defend that Grey Cup and we bring that home again, and we can have a great celebration in whatever way we're allowed to — because Manitobans again deserve another celebration."
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