The 2 males vying for the management of Manitoba’s Progressive Conservative occasion squared off Wednesday evening in a debate that touched on crime, well being care, taxes and different points.
Obby Khan, a former cupboard minister who now sits on the Opposition aspect of the legislature, once more pitched himself as a big-tent conservative who may assist the occasion regain assist in Winnipeg.
Wally Daudrich, a lodge proprietor and longtime occasion board member who has not held elected workplace, advised the gang of greater than 100 that he’s the one true conservative within the race and that the occasion has “misplaced its method” in recent times.
Daudrich has promised smaller authorities and a extra business-friendly atmosphere, together with a brand new port in Hudson Bay. He has described himself as “pro-life” and has stated a few of his supporters really feel the training system has grow to be an “indoctrination system.”
On Wednesday, he criticized the NDP authorities’s transfer final yr to cowl the price of prescription contraception.
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“The NDP additionally received Winnipeg (within the 2023 election) by offering the poorest, most susceptible girls in Winnipeg with free contraception. As a result of when you find yourself probably the most susceptible in our society, you don’t want security, you don’t want housing, you don’t want an training or a job. You want the power to be extra sexually lively,” Daudrich stated.
He additionally stated a brand new authorities invoice so as to add gender expression to the human rights code goes towards free speech, and the Tories may regain seats in Winnipeg and win an election in the event that they leaned extra conservative.
Khan, certainly one of two Tories with seats in Winnipeg, stated he would rebuild assist within the metropolis by attracting a wider vary of assist and dealing nicely with others.
Khan revealed a brand new plank in his platform as he addressed the gang. He stated he would give a proportion of the provincial gross sales tax to municipalities, which have lengthy complained concerning the degree of provincial funding.
When pressed for particulars by reporters later, Khan supplied few and couldn’t say what proportion he would supply.
“We’d have to take a look at what different provinces are doing, actually, and what the wants are. It could possibly be anyplace from 0.5 per cent to extra,” Khan stated.
The Tories are working to rebuild after dropping the 2023 election. Though their proportion of the favored vote provincewide was shut behind that of the NDP, the Tories misplaced most of their seats in Winnipeg and ended up with solely three of the 32 seats within the capital.
On crime, each candidates referred to as for extra police and stricter monitoring of individuals on bail. On well being care, each males stated they’d assist communities get extra docs. Daudrich stated he would change the legislation in order that charitable hospital foundations may increase cash for salaries, not simply capital initiatives.
Wednesday’s debate was the final official occasion discussion board that includes the 2 candidates earlier than occasion members forged their ballots, largely through mail-in vote. A winner is to be introduced April 26.
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