Wab Kinew's troubled past the butt of premier's joke at PC meeting

In front of more than 300 Progressive Conservative delegates, Premier Brian Pallister joked Saturday he has spent less time at his tropical vacation home this year than NDP Leader Wab Kinew has spent behind bars.

The comment came during the party's second annual general meeting since coming to power 18 months ago.

During a question and answer session Saturday afternoon, Pallister told the crowd he wanted to tell them "a cute one." 

"So I'm supposed to be away all the time," he said, smiling. 

Many in the crowd laughed at his remark, others seemed taken aback.

Pallister owns a home in Costa Rica. Last year he faced criticism for spending weeks away on vacation. The premier has defended the time, saying he works while away.

In a written response to CBC, Kinew said Pallister's attack was more political than personal.

• Wab Kinew speaks out after anonymous emails disclose past charges

"Desperate Pallister is trying to distract from the damage he's doing by taking shots at me," Kinew said.

"I'll keep standing up for what Manitobans are counting on — good jobs and health care they can rely on. I expect the more Manitobans voice their opposition to his cuts the more desperate and ugly Pallister's attacks on me will become. That's fine, I'm here to focus on the issues."

Kinew was convicted of assaulting a taxi driver and driving under the influence in 2004. He has since been pardoned. Two domestic abuse charges laid against Kinew were stayed.

Outside the meeting, Pallister told reporters he travelled to Costa Rica only once this year, in January, for six working days and two weekends.

He said the trip was "invaded by media every day" and "it wasn't my favourite time away with my wife."

The premier is planning to travel to Costa Rica next for Christmas.

• What we know so far about Wab Kinew's convictions, stayed charges

Candidate criminal record checks

Later on Saturday the issue of criminal pasts came up again when PC members voted on a resolution to require all provincial candidates and leaders, regardless of party, get criminal background checks and publish the results.

Out of the 20 resolutions passed Saturday, it was the only resolution voted down.

Keith Stewart, CEO of the PC Party of Manitoba, said they already conduct criminal background checks on candidates so the resolution was not necessary.

"I think that our grassroots membership understands that we do a thorough job of vetting our candidates," he said. "If other parties don't want to do that I think that's their choice."

The remaining 19 resolutions were carried by PC members Saturday, including a plan to review and replace the way education taxes apply to farmland and expanding residency opportunities in rural and northern Manitoba as a way to recruit new doctors to those areas.

The next AGM for the Progressive Conservatives is scheduled in Brandon, Man. from Nov. 2 to 3, 2018.