Manitoba premier apologizes, discloses charter trip to Grey Cup to ethics commissioner

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew went to the ethics commissioner Monday to disclose that twice he took a Winnipeg Blue Bomber charter to the Grey Cup following a CBC story that looked at whether that trip violated the province's conflict of interest laws.

Kinew apologized, saying that it "didn't even occur" to him to disclose taking the charter in 2023 and 2024 to cheer on the Bombers.

Under the Conflict of Interest Act any non-commercial flight must be approved by the commissioner. 

Kinew said because he paid $8,000 out of pocket for four seats on the plane in 2023, he didn't feel he had to clear it with the commissioner. 

"When I get tickets to a Jets game and I pay my own way, I don't have to disclose those, so I figured paying my own way to the Grey Cup that I wouldn't have to disclose," he said.

"But I talked to the ethics commissioner this morning, and he said I should, so I did."

These new disclosures of private air travel are now posted on the ethics commissioner's website.

When reporters asked Kinew whether he thought he broke conflict-of-interest laws he didn't answer.

"I just assume that stuff that you pay for you don't have to disclose," he said.

If the travel is required for the performance of the MLA's office, they must disclose the details to the ethics commissioner within 30 days after the trip, and must explain why it was necessary to use a non-commercial flight.

The premier's trip to Hamilton in 2023 on a plane chartered by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers came to light following the disclosure of his staff expenses through freedom of information laws. 

Transportation provided by Blue Bombers

It showed his assistant expensed his hotel to the government while his transportation was provided by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

A spokesperson for the Bombers said the charter is organized for fans, sponsors and families. 

Kinew told reporters Monday that he paid for his own hotel room when he went to watch the Bombers lose to the Montreal Alouettes in Hamilton on Nov. 19, 2023.

When asked why the hotel showed up as an out-of-province expense that was publicly posted, Kinew said, "I don't run the website."

He didn't explain why his spokesperson initially told CBC that the government paid for his hotel room. 

"You'll have to go straighten out all your details with whoever's providing them to you," he said. 

A democracy watchdog told CBC it doesn't matter whether Kinew paid for the flight — taking the charter plane gave him access to an exclusive perk not available to the general public.

"Not everyone has access to that plane, and so accepting the seat on the plane for himself and others is what causes the conflict," Duff Conacher, the co-founder of Democracy Watch, said in an early March interview with CBC

PCs file complaint

Wayne Ewasko, the interim leader of the Opposition Progressive Conservatives, says Manitobans deserve to know the truth.

"I want to be clear that it's not about attending the Grey Cup. That's not the issue," said Ewasko during question period.

"It's about following the law and about disclosing the thousands of dollars that he may or may not have paid for that chartered air service," he said. 

Only an MLA can ask the commissioner to investigate whether someone has contravened the Conflict of Interest Act. 

Greg Nesbitt, the Progressive Conservative MLA for Riding Mountain, filed a complaint with the ethics commissioner on Monday.

"I am writing to formally request that your office investigate possible violations of the Conflict of Interest (Members and Ministers) Act by Premier Wab Kinew, specifically regarding his travel arrangements to the 2023 and 2024 Grey Cup games," wrote Nesbitt.

The complaint also highlighted significant delays in the government's disclosure of information under FIPPA, and inconsistent responses from the premier's office, as reported by CBC News.

"Given these facts, the lack of transparent public disclosure, and the broader ethical implications raised by concerned advocates, I respectfully request your office undertake a thorough investigation," the complaint says. 

"Manitobans deserve full transparency and accountability from their elected officials, particularly when it comes to potential conflicts of interest involving Premier Kinew," Nesbitt wrote.

If the commissioner determines the premier broke the law, he could impose penalties, including recommending the premier be reprimanded, fined, suspended or ,in extreme cases, recommending his seat be made vacant.