Manitoba PC Party's grassroots will get final say on changes that could overhaul leadership races

Manitoba Progressive Conservative Party delegates will vote next month on proposed changes that could overhaul the party's leadership races.

The party's executive met Saturday to discuss a report outlining proposals that include allowing electronic voting and deviating from the party's traditional one-member-one-vote system.

Rather than making amendments, the executive decided to present the report as-is to delegates at a special meeting already scheduled for Jan. 13.

"We're leaving the decision to the grassroots," Brent Pooles, party president, said Saturday.

"We'll deal with different amendments [on Jan. 13] and see what they come up with at the end of the day."

The Tories are trying to avoid a repeat of the last leadership race in 2021, which saw many party members complain they did not receive mail-in ballots in time to send them back. The issue was exacerbated by the fact thousands of people signed up as new members in the final weeks.

Shelly Glover, who lost by a narrow margin to Heather Stefanson, launched a lawsuit alleging voting irregularities cost her the race. Glover lost the case when a judge ruled she did not provide evidence of any irregularities that might have affected the outcome.

The Tories are expecting to hold another leadership race next year. Stefanson announced the night of the Oct. 3 provincial election that she would be stepping down, after the Tories were swept from power by the NDP.

Switch to electronic voting proposed

Among the proposed changes the party will vote on next month is a switch from physical mail-in ballots to electronic voting. That could address the logistical hurdles posed by any last-minute surge in memberships.

Another proposal is to move away from the current voting system that counts every party member's ballot equally.

The report suggests adopting a points system that would cap the influence of constituencies with large membership numbers. A constituency with 100 voting members would get 100 points in a leadership vote. One with 400 member votes would get 200 points, and no constituency would get more than 500 points.

The aim is to ensure that leadership hopefuls have support in different areas of the province instead of concentrated support in one area.

Glover warned party members in November not to adopt the new rules, arguing the weighted system is not democratic. She is no longer a PC member and will not run for the party leadership again, she said.

Former PC MLA Kevin Klein also criticized the proposed new rules, arguing the timeframe for approving them is too short. Klein said he has not ruled out a run for party leader.

Obby Khan, a Tory legislature member who also has not ruled out a run for the leadership, said Saturday he likes the point system.

"It reflects a better picture of what the party wants to represent, and that is all of Manitoba," Khan said.

He was coy when asked if he is kicking the tires on a potential leadership run.

"I actually kick tires regularly at the gym as well. I work out — the tire-flip, the whole nine yards," he said.

"I'm excited for the party right now."