Manitoba Progressive Conservatives pick Wayne Ewasko as interim leader

Lac du Bonnet MLA Wayne Ewasko will serve as interim leader of Manitoba's Progressive Conservative Party and as leader of the Official Opposition.

The PC caucus voted Thursday for Ewasko to serve in the role, until the leadership contest expected this fall.

"I'm extremely honoured to have been chosen by our PC caucus team to lead them going into the leadership race," Ewasko told a media conference at the Manitoba Legislature.

He takes over from former premier Heather Stefanson, who resigned from leadership on Monday after the party established rules for the next leadership contest. Stefanson will remain the MLA for Tuxedo.

In the meantime, Ewasko will be the new face of the Tories and the party's lead questioner of the NDP government during question period.

Ewasko said the Tories have to rebuild trust with Manitobans after losing to the NDP last October, suggesting the party will have to do a lot of listening.

Restoring trust with Manitobans

"I think that's really important moving forward, you know, make sure that that groundwork is done so that when the new leader comes in, they're not having to start right from scratch," he said Thursday. 

While Ewasko wouldn't name the areas where the party fell short, he agreed with a reporter who brought up the widely-condemned election ads touting the Tories' refusal to search a landfill for the remains of First Nations women and the failed attempt at reforms the education system.

Ewasko said he thinks the PCs need to remember the "progressive" side of their name. 

"I think we definitely need to get back to some of that," he said. 

"Part of what had always brought me toward the Progressive Conservatives was the fact that there's people out there that absolutely need that hand up or hand out, but at the same time, we need to be fiscally responsible."

Asked if he wanted to be in the top job permanently, Ewasko didn't rule out a run for party leadership in the fall. 

"All I can say to everybody is I'm definitely not saying yes but I'm definitely not saying no either."

A political analyst said the new leader's first job is to get the caucus prepared for the spring legislature sitting in March.

"His immediate task is to ensure that the caucus is unified and focused so that the party can perform effectively in challenging and holding the government accountable, especially during the spring (sitting)," said Paul Thomas, professor emeritus of political studies at the University of Manitoba.

"That task becomes more difficult because there may be caucus members with personal leadership aspirations and/or there may be alignments within caucus into different leadership camps."

Opening door to leadership run

The fact Ewasko is leaving the door open to a possible leadership run is unusual, Thomas added, because whatever decisions he makes could be interpreted by some as attempts to give himself an edge in the leadership race.

"Usually an interim leader rules out the possibility of going for the job permanently, or caucus insists he or she not become a leadership contestant."

Ewasko was first elected in 2011. A former high school guidance counsellor, he's been re-elected in his rural constituency, northeast of Winnipeg, three times.

He entered the provincial cabinet in the latter half of the Tories' tenure in government when he was appointed minister responsible for advanced education, skills and immigration in 2021.

He became the minister of education and early childhood learning in 2022 under Stefanson. In that role, he boosted funding for K-12 schools and helped to advance the federal $10-a-day child-care plan earlier than scheduled.

Since the Tories lost the 2023 election, Ewasko has served as education critic and, in that capacity, demanded the government build the nine schools promised by the former PC administration.

Last December, Premier Wab Kinew said he'd likely abandon the plan to seek a single contractor for all schools, through a controversial public-private partnership, and instead build them the conventional way.

Kinew congratulated Ewasko on his new position Thursday. 

"Being the leader of the Opposition is an important role. Up until my current job, it was the best job that I'd ever had in my life," the premier said following a unrelated news conference.

"So I wish my colleague all the best in carrying out that important work on behalf of Manitobans."

Despite the recent pleasantries, a previous dispute between the two political leaders was aired out in the legislature.

Ewasko was reprimanded by the Speaker of the legislature last year for "misguided and hurtful" remarks when he compared Kinew to Manitoba-born First Nations actor Adam Beach. 

The NDP alleged Ewasko's comment was racially motivated since Kinew is Indigenous. Ewasko said he meant no ill will but didn't make an unqualified apology.

Outside of his work as a legislator, Ewasko is an avid curler who's competed in a number of provincial championships. His team is trying to secure a berth in this year's championship.