By Canadian Press

Some of the races to keep an eye on in Manitoba’s provincial election

Sep 5, 2023 | 11:09 AM

WINNIPEG — Manitoba’s election has been called for Oct. 3. Here are some of the races to watch:

Southdale — Currently held by Audrey Gordon, the Progressive Conservative health minister. She won this south Winnipeg seat by fewer than 500 votes in 2019, and may be in for a tough battle now that the NDP are riding higher in opinion polls. The New Democrats have given a high profile to their candidate, Renee Cable, at recent press conferences and events. The Liberals have nominated former member of Parliament Robert-Falcon Ouellette, who previously ran for mayor.

McPhillips — Another Winnipeg seat that was a close win for the Tories last time. Shannon Martin won by fewer than 100 votes and is not running again. Sheilah Restall is carrying the Tory banner this time. The NDP are putting up Jasdeep Devgan and the Liberals have nominated Umar Hayat.

St. Boniface — Held by Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont since a 2018 byelection, this seat was previously won by the NDP. Recent opinion polls have suggested Liberal support in Manitoba has dropped while the NDP’s has risen, so this may be a tighter race this time. Lamont faces the NDP’s Robert Loiselle and Kirt Hayer for the Tories.

Kirkfield Park — A traditional Tory seat in west Winnipeg that has voted NDP in the past. It’s currently held by Kevin Klein, who won the seat in a byelection last December, and was soon promoted to environment minister. His margin of victory was less than 200 votes. The NDP are running Logan Oxenham again and Rhonda Nichol is carrying the Liberal banner for a second time.

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Selkirk — This seat was held by the NDP for 26 years before Tory Alan Lagimodiere won it in 2016. Lagimodiere is not running again. The field this time includes Richard Perchotte for the Tories and Mitch Obach for the NDP.

Brandon East — This seat went to the NDP for decades before the Tories won it in 2016. Len Isleifson is seeking re-election for the Tories. Glen Simard is running for the NDP and Trenton Zazalak is running for the Liberals.

Riel — This is one of a few suburban Winnipeg seats that have swung between the two major parties in the past, helping to determine which party forms government. Tory Rochelle Squires, the minister for families, kept it in 2019 by a roughly 1,000-vote margin. The NDP are running Mike Moyes again and the Liberals have put forward LéAmber Kensley.

Fort Whyte — Traditionally a rock-solid Tory seat, the party hung on by fewer than 200 votes in a byelection last year won by Obby Khan. Khan was later promoted to cabinet, and will once again face Liberal Willard Reaves, who finished a close second. Trudy Schroeder is running for the NDP.

This report by The Canadian Press was first publishedSept. 5, 2023. 

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press