PC leadership hopeful Khan breaks with interim leader, won't call refusal to search landfill a mistake

Manitoba Progressive Conservative leadership candidate Obby Khan has declined to support his interim party leader's declaration it was a mistake for the former PC government to refuse to search a Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of murdered First Nations women.

Fort Whyte MLA Obby Khan said Friday the decision made by former premier Heather Stefanson's PC government was based on information it possessed at the time, even though he said hindsight is 20/20 and he believes his former government displayed a lack of empathy and compassion in the way it communicated that decision.

Khan's opponent, hotelier Wally Daudrich, said he would have been "all in" on a landfill search but would have enlisted the private sector to help fund it to reduce financial burden on the government.

On Wednesday, the first day of a new sitting of the Manitoba Legislature, interim PC Leader Wayne Ewasko rose in the chamber and apologized to the families of four women murdered by serial killer Jeremy Skibicki in 2022 for refusing to search the Prairie Green landfill for the remains of two of his victims, Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran.

"Honourable Speaker, our government erred. It's as simple as that,"  Ewasko said during question period on March 5, one week after two sets of human remains were discovered as part of a landfill search initiated by Wab Kinew's NDP government.

"We went forward and followed advice to emphasize prosecution above all," Ewasko said. "We lost our way in regards to empathy and also lost our way in regards to closure being brought forward to the families of the victims."

Khan backs apology, defends decision

After Ewasko's apology, Khan refused to say whether he supported it, adding he would provide an opinion following the conclusion of the PC leadership race on April 26.

The MLA relented two days later, stating in an interview that Ewasko was right to apologize for the party's messaging and communications about the landfill search — but would not say the Stefanson government made a mistake by refusing to conduct the search.

"I think the decision that was made at the time was based on the information that was presented at that time. I think if you can now look in hindsight, and say the information that's now available to us and what can be done would have favoured a different response at that time," Khan said Friday in an interview in Winnipeg.

"I think at that time the advice was justice for the families is is what needs to be done, justice and the criminal case was still happening at that time," said Khan, noting a search of the landfill did not begin in earnest until Skibicki was convicted for the murders of Harris, Myran, Rebecca Contois and a woman granted the name Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe, or Buffalo Woman.

"The NDP did not start the dig until after the case was ruled on and justice was served to the family. Hindsight is always 20/20," Khan said.

Khan was a member of the PC caucus when the Stefanson government made its decision not to search the landfill.

Daudrich says he would have built fund

Daudrich, who does not have a seat in the legislature, said Friday he would have been "all in" on a landfill search, noting he has four daughters.

"I can't imagine thinking about losing one of my children and especially under the circumstances that some of these people have lost their daughters," Daudrich said in an interview in the R.M. of Stanley.

Daudrich said he would have enlisted financial support from businesses to conduct the search.

"What I was saying is what we should do is put some seed money to start a fund and then ask corporations to contribute to that fund so that we would have the money, so that we actually have the emotional closure on that issue," he said.

Khan and Daudrich made their comments nine days after two sets of human were discovered at Prairie Green Landfill. Hours after they spoke, Manitoba RCMP confirmed one set of remains belonged to Harris.

While she was in office, Stefanson cited several reasons for not conducting the search. She expressed concerns about the safety of workers conducting excavations at the landfill and said the search could impair the prosecution of Skibicki, who is now serving four life sentences.

Stefanson's PC government was defeated in October 2023, following an election campaign during which she campaigned on her refusal to search the landfill. 

She apologized after the campaign for election ads she said "were not intended to hurt anyone" but did not apologize for the refusal to search the landfill.

Skibicki was convicted in July 2024. Excavations at the landfill began substantively in December 2024. After that, it took three months before workers at the excavation site discovered human remains.

More empathy needed, both say

Both Khan and Daudrich said they agreed with Ewasko's contention the former PC government did not display sufficient empathy with regards to the landfill search.

Khan suggested the party displayed this lack of empathy in the way it communicated with the public.

"I think it was long overdue for us to recognize and acknowledge publicly that we had lost our way with our messaging," Khan said.

"What I'm really looking forward to, hopefully when I become the leader, is getting our communications with Manitobans on an empathetic, compassionate level, speaking to Manitobans with a heart and soul like we all have."

Daudrich said the 2023 election campaign was "mismanaged from the beginning" and said he was thankful for Ewasko's apology.

"I think it closes that chapter of how we mismanaged a part of our last election campaign and that we would move forward," he said.

Stefanson did not respond to CBC News requests for comment over the weekend. Neither did Marni Larkin, one of the co-chairs of the 2023 PC election campaign.

The other 2023 campaign co-chair, former Conservative MP Candice Bergen, said Saturday she stands by comments she made after the election, when she said "voices that encouraged sensitivity and compassion were largely ignored" around the campaign table.

The PCs will choose a new leader on April 26.