Heather Stefanson staying on as Manitoba PC leader until race to replace her, likely next year
Senior Tories says party should be in no rush to choose new leader
Heather Stefanson plans to serve as interim leader of the Manitoba Progressive Conservatives until her party holds a leadership race, which several senior Tories expect to happen some time in 2024.
The outgoing Manitoba premier announced on election night that she intends to resign her position as PC leader and help the party choose a successor.
"I look forward to working with the party to ensure a smooth process is in place to replace me as your leader," Stefanson said on Tuesday, after conceding to premier-designate Wab Kinew and the New Democratic Party.
Stefanson also said Tuesday she will continue to serve as MLA for Tuxedo, a constituency she held on to with a narrow 263-vote win over the NDP's candidate, according to unofficial Elections Manitoba results.
She will serve as interim party leader until there is a race to replace her, said Cam Eason, a spokesperson for Stefanson during her campaign.
Several senior PCs said that race should not be held for at least six months, and possibly as long as a year from now — but should still come soon enough to allow the party to rebuild before the next election.
Take time for 'thoughtful' race: Goertzen
Steinbach PC MLA Kelvin Goertzen, a 20-year incumbent who served as interim premier for two months in 2021, said the Progressive Conservatives should not rush to select a new leader.
"We're likely four years from another election, and you clearly don't want to wait four years, but I don't think this has to be done in four weeks either," Goertzen said Wednesday in an interview.
"There needs to be some time to talk about what we want that process to look like. How can we engage membership? How can we have the discussion … about the last election and what we want the party to look like going forward?" said Goertzen, who was re-elected on Tuesday.
"For someone who's been there a long time, I think my only suggestion would be don't rush into anything, because you've got time to do it in a thoughtful way."
Goertzen said the PCs now have the chance to allow prospective candidates to find out what party members, and Manitobans overall, want to see from the next Tory leader.
"There should be time for them to be able to speak more broadly to Manitobans, to have that discussion about the things that they think that we got right and, frankly, the things that we got wrong," he said.
That's something the Progressive Conservatives had no time to do following Brian Pallister's resignation in 2021, after which Stefanson competed for the party leadership against former Conservative MP Shelly Glover in what amounted to an abbreviated race.
Goertzen said no one should expect that sort of dynamic in the next race.
Next leader will need time to rebuild: Bergen
Candice Bergen, a former Conservative MP who served as a co-chair of the 2023 Manitoba PC campaign, said the party also has to be patient with its next leader.
"Whoever is elected as the new leader of the PC party probably is going to need more than one election," said Bergen, whose former federal party has been through three leadership races since Justin Trudeau's Liberals assumed power in 2015.
Bergen said Manitoba voters will want to give Kinew and the NDP a chance and likely a second term in power.
"I'm just being very realistic. They probably will get at least their full term and probably a minority in the next election," Bergen said.
"That's a realistic expectation, so whoever becomes the new leader needs to be able to accept that, and the people surrounding him or her have to give that individual that opportunity."
Bergen said she has not ruled out the possibility of running for Manitoba premier.
Goertzen said he's not interested.
"I think it's time for there to be a new generation of Progressive Conservatives who really take sort of the handle of the party in different ways," he said.
"I'm really encouraged that we have you know, so many young people who were elected [Tuesday]," he said, referring to the likes of Kathleen Cook in Roblin, Konrad Narth in La Vérendrye and Lauren Stone in Midland.
"That doesn't mean they necessarily run for leadership, but I do think it's time for a different generation of Progressive Conservatives to steer the ship forward."
Goertzen also said Progressive Conservatives must commend Kinew for becoming the first First Nations premier of a Canadian province.
"What's good for Manitoba is good for all of us, and obviously we wish him well going forward," he said.
"It is a historic election that I think many in the Indigenous community, and many beyond the Indigenous community, will take pride in and take encouragement in."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
