Manitoba NDP MLAs defeat Tories' non-confidence motion

Manitoba's New Democrats have survived a non-confidence motion that, if approved, could have brought down the government.

The motion was put forward by the Opposition Progressive Conservatives on Nov. 24 and required the approval of a majority of members to pass.

• Manitoba Tories' effort to bring down troubled NDP yawns into next week
• Read the full text of the Tories' motion here

It was defeated by a vote of 34-20 on Monday afternoon.

All NDP MLAs, including those who have recently called on Premier Greg Selinger to step down, voted with the government.

The New Democrats have a majority with 36 seats. But the Tories, with 19 seats, were likely counting on the disgruntled NDP MLAs to vote against their party for the motion to succeed.

Five former cabinet ministers resigned their posts after they publicly called on Premier Greg Selinger to resign.

Andrew Swan, Jennifer Howard, Erin Selby, Stan Struthers and Theresa Oswald remain in the NDP caucus, but their roles have been restricted.

• Selinger replaces 5 cabinet ministers in government revolt
• 5 former ministers to stay in Selinger's caucus after revolt - for now

Backbencher Clarence Pettersen, the MLA for Flin Flon, also criticized Selinger publicly and has been allowed to stay in caucus.

Christine Melnick, a former immigration minister who was shuffled out of cabinet then thrown out of the NDP caucus earlier this year, was brought back into the NDP caucus.

Following Monday's vote, Tory Leader Brian Pallister chastised the dissident former cabinet ministers for propping up Selinger's government despite the fact they have openly questioned his leadership.

The dissent within the NDP has prompted Selinger to call a leadership contest at the party's annual convention in March 2015.

Over the weekend, members of the provincial NDP executive approved a set of guidelines in the event there is a leadership challenge at the convention.

They decided that Selinger would not have to step down as party leader leading up to the leadership vote.