Keystone Party of Manitoba, formed in wake of pandemic, launches bid for disaffected voters

The leader of the Keystone Party of Manitoba says his new political entity is a grassroots party capable of attracting voters unhappy with the pandemic policies supported by provincial Progressive Conservatives, New Democrats and Liberals.

About 35 people stood under the hot July sun at Winnipeg's Vimy Ridge Park for almost an hour on Friday morning to hear leader Kevin Friesen introduce the newly formed party, which espouses the primacy of individual rights, seeks to abolish human rights tribunals and opposes pandemic restrictions.

"We fully recognize that a major division has occurred over the past couple of years among Manitobans," said Friesen, a grain farmer from the south-central Manitoba town of Manitou, west of Morden.

He suggested rules about the use of masks and vaccine mandates led some Manitobans to be estranged from their neighbours, business partners, family members and even spouses.

"Some of us were willing to be flexible when it came to lockdowns and mandates, but some weren't," he said. "Some thought it was OK to force a medical decision on them for very personal choices, but let me be clear: The Keystone Party is not OK with dictating those choices for Manitobans," he said.

Keystone officially registered with Elections Manitoba as a party earlier in July, after spending nearly a year amassing 2,500 signatures.

Friesen says the party will operate on a grassroots basis, with individual riding associations choosing candidates and dictating policy to those candidates.

 "For too long, we have let our elected representatives assimilate to a predetermined agenda that does not serve the membership. It just serves the whims of the leader. That archaic model will end," said Friesen, who described himself as "not a dictator, but a team player."

He said Keystone hopes to field candidates in all 57 Manitoba constituencies during the 2023 provincial election.

Some of us were willing to be flexible when it came to lockdowns and mandates, but some weren't. Some thought it was OK to force a medical decision on them for very personal choices, but let me be clear: The Keystone Party is not OK with dictating those choices for Manitobans.- Kevin Friesen, leader, Keystone Party of Manitoba

"It might be a bit of  pipe dream to think that we're going to form a majority government in the next [election], but we've seen some strange things happen over the last three years," he said, adding he hopes the party can win at least three seats.

"We're going to set our sights high, but we'd for sure like to be an official party — that would be my goal today."

Friesen sidestepped questions as to whether Keystone will attract the PC voters who supported Shelly Glover's bid for party leader in 2021. He said he believes there are disaffected members of all Manitoba parties.

Premier Heather Stefanson brushed off the idea the new party could steal conservative votes from the PCs next year.

"That's what's so great about our country … people have the right to set up those parties," Stefanson told reporters at True North Square in downtown Winnipeg.

Keystone began signing up members on Friday.

Winnipeg resident Joy Onyschak said she is eager to support a party that supports her freedom to make her own health decisions.

"This party gives me hope. Right now our family doesn't have a lot of hope for our province, a lot of hope for politics or politicians," she said at Vimy Ridge Park.

"We need more voices in legislature here in Manitoba. There doesn't seem to be any opposition whatsoever," said Patrick Allard, who was charged twice during the pandemic for offences related to public health orders.

Friesen said Keystone is open to anyone who shares the party's principles and said he doesn't believe it will attract people with extreme political views. 

"We are not the extreme right-wing people. We are not the extreme left-wing people," Friesen said. "We are people of Manitoba who want to do best for Manitoba and the only reason we're here is because the system, we feel, is broken."