'No room for a learning curve': Steve Ashton makes the case for why, finally, he should lead the NDP
It took 10 elections to knock Steve Ashton out of his northern stronghold in Thompson, but there is an Energizer Bunny quality to the man. He does seem to keep going and going.
After a failed run at the leadership of the party in early 2015 following an explosive internal rebellion, Ashton lost his seat in the last provincial election.
Now he's back and he's taking on Wab Kinew, who holds endorsements from unions and the backing of bunches of high-profile New Democrats.
His platform covers the environment, a promise to eliminate post-secondary tuition, a $15 minimum wage and better employment standards.
One of the reasons Ashton says he got back into politics is what he's seen in Manitoba's health care system (and it would be his No. 1 priority as leader).
"What's happening right now in the health care system is chaos," Ashton says, "They (the PC government) have no plan other than to cut."
Ashton says he would reverse cuts to personal care home facilities to ease long-term stays in hospitals. He says he would start fresh by talking to healthcare professionals across the system.
"They haven't done that," says Ashton.
(The PCs claim their health plans are based on the Peachey report, which was commissioned by the former NDP government and did involve broad consultations in the health system).
There are some things that Ashton and Kinew agree on, and one is an immediate and visceral reaction to suggestions of a health care premium — something the current PC government is asking Manitobans to weigh in on.
"We will never have health-care premiums and if he (Premier Brian Pallister) brings them in, I can guarantee you one thing, if I have anything to do with it, the first thing, we'll take them out."
Dam Tigers
Media know Ashton as a political figure that isn't shy. Indeed there have been many an aide that has likely wanted to drag the then-minister out of throng of reporters. Ashton liked to hang in there and engage.
But his loose style got Ashton, as Infrastructure and Transportation Minister, in trouble in 2014 over the procurement of flood-fighting gear for First Nations. Specifically flood fighting tubes called Tiger Dams.
Manitoba's Ombusdman would later find the purchase "lacked sufficient justification," was against the advice of civil servants and that the contract went to a friend and political supporter of Ashton's.
Today Ashton is repentant, mostly. He says Tiger Dams were the least expensive and most available gear, but he has learned a lesson.
Rebel rebel?
Ashton could also be accused of opportunism; or at least a keen political sense.
In the aftermath of a bloody internal revolt involving some of the most senior cabinet ministers in the Selinger government, Ashton made a play for leadership. Effectively it killed any hope that Theresa Oswald (one of the Rebel Five) could take control of the party from an increasingly isolated Greg Selinger.
"I was essentially in the middle," Ashton says.
Looking back Ashton is reluctant to criticize any of the attempted-coup organizers. Almost.
"You have to have a significant amount of self-discipline as a party and once you start going out — once you let the genie out of the bottle, you just can't put it back in," Ashton says.
Ashton says there is enough blame to go around and it's pointless to point fingers. But he says it was a learning experience for the party.
Kinew should come clean: Ashton
But Ashton has been pointing fingers — at Wab Kinew. He has chased his leadership rival on disclosures about his past charges of assault and Kinew's determination not to relate any details of what transpired.
"Delegates deserve to know. By the way 95 per cent of delegates [voted] before any of this became public," he says.
"There is no room for a learning curve. We've got to take Brian Pallister on. And there is a real sense within the NDP that if he [Pallister] continues on this path he could be another Sterling Lyon; one-term Conservative premier," he says.
Ashton says his friend and supporter MLA Ted Marcelino would likely resign his seat to make way for a byelection and a chance for the new leader (if elected) to have a place on the front bench of the opposition in the Legislature.
He also says he hasn't made his mind up if, as leader, he would champion the reinstatement of Mohinder Saran into the NDP caucus. Saran has led a successful campaign gathering delegates for Ashton.
It's clear Ashton loves the political game and won't slip away gently into the night. He says part of his motivation to get back into the business was a hole in the leadership race.
"I think it would have been an absolute disaster to have an uncontested leadership. And lots of people come up to me and say 'you should run.' And I would say, 'oh, thank you.' And they would say 'I won't vote for you, but you should run," Ashton recalls with a grin.
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