Digging up dirt on Kinew justified, Pallister says, despite suggestions it was an improper use of government
NDP leader says premier's attack a desperate ploy to distract from his failings as a leader
Premier Brian Pallister has no qualms with the hiring of a private investigator to find dirt on NDP Leader Wab Kinew, even as questions are raised about whether government resources were improperly used for the partisan activity.
Pallister said the move to investigate Kinew is justified based on the criminal history of the Official Opposition leader.
"When we receive allegations that someone has covered up a criminal record, it's important to do the research and get the facts. This record was covered up, so we had a criminal record check done," Pallister said Tuesday at an unrelated media briefing.
"I think that's an appropriate thing to do, I think research matters."
WATCH | Premier says he has an obligation to research his opponent:
The Winnipeg Free Press unveiled last week that Pallister ordered senior political staff to hire a private investigator to investigate Kinew in the lead-up to the 2019 election.
Pallister and the Progressive Conservatives have taken various opportunities to remind Manitobans of Kinew's troubled past.
Kinew has openly admitted to a conviction for impaired driving and for assaulting a cab driver in his early 20s, more than a decade ago — offences for which he has received pardons.
He was given a conditional discharge in 2004 for an assault, and was charged with assaulting his partner in 2003. The latter charge was stayed, although his former partner maintains Kinew threw her across the room.
Partisan activities funded by taxpayers
While a political scientist told the Free Press it's common for political parties to spend money investigating their opponents, it's inappropriate for partisan attack campaigns to be led by government staff. In this case, the private investigator was hired using Tory funds, but it was overseen by senior members of Pallister's staff, the newspaper reported.
On Tuesday, Pallister said the investigation sought to research Kinew's criminal record to make sure it was factual. "We didn't take it at face value," the premier said.
The Free Press reported the private investigator was hired in 2018, but the disclosure of Kinew's criminal record came to light a year earlier as he was seeking the leadership of the NDP.
Pallister called on Kinew Tuesday to "come clean about any other interactions he may have had with the justice department or various criminal activities, because the sooner he wrestles those demons, the sooner forgiveness will come." Pallister did not specify any examples of these alleged activities.
WATCH | NDP leader says Pallister is distracted from the issues that matter:
In response, Kinew said he has nothing to answer to.
"It's very desperate, it's not true, and I think this is what we see every time the premier gets into trouble is he tries to attack me," Kinew said.
"Let's not forget that the real issue here is his improper use of executive council resources to try and manage the hiring of a private investigator, which I believe was improper."
When asked if he'd consider filing a complaint, perhaps with Elections Manitoba, Kinew said he was mulling if there was a recourse he could take.
Kinew accused Pallister of relying on attacks rather than debating him on the issues.
Christopher Adams, adjunct professor of political studies at the University of Manitoba, acknowledged that members of Pallister's senior political staff have partisan backgrounds, but he said they should not have a role in concocting a smear campaign against a political rival.
"We expect a political party maybe to do that, but not the top of the civil service," Adams said.
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