We knew the next premier of Manitoba would be a woman since the only 2 contenders for leadership of the Progressive Conservatives were women.
Heather Stefanson, the MLA from Tuxedo, narrowly edged former Conservative MP Shelly Glover 8,405 to 8,042. Stefanson had 51.1% of the vote, a margin of 363 votes.
Stefanson will be Manitoba's 24th premier. Cabinet minister Kelvin Goertzen has been the interim party leader and premier since Brian Pallister stepped down as premier and later MLA.
She has served as Deputy Premier; Minister of Families; Minister of Justice/Attorney General; and most recently as Minister of Health and Seniors Care.
Pallister had been under fire for his handling of COVID-19; Stefanson was health minister during the third wave in the spring when Manitoba sent patients out of the province. He also came under criticism for avoiding crises by hiding out in Costa Rica.
Manitoba had been scheduled for a 2020 election but Pallister called an election in 2019.
There were concerns of missing ballots since at least 1,200 party members hadn't received their mail-in ballots days before the vote. Leadership election committee chair George Orle said the party issued replacement ballots.
Brian Pallister, PCs lose seats but win a second term in Manitoba
2019 Manitoba election preview
Brian Pallister, Progressive Conservatives end NDP reign in Manitoba
CanadianCrossing.com Manitoba coverage
Dan Vandal essentially replaces Jim Carr as the lone Manitoba MP in the cabinet shuffle from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced this week.
Vandal, the MP for the Saint Boniface-Saint Vital riding, is the Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister Responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, and Minister Responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency.
He previously served as the Minister of Northern Affairs as well as the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services.
Jim Carr previously served as the Special Representative for the Prairies, Minister of International Trade Diversification, and Minister of Natural Resources.
Carr, the current MP for Winnipeg South Centre, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (a blood cancer) in October 2019.
2021 Canadian politics preview
CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage
Stefanson will be the 14th woman to hold such a high office in the history of Canada. Being a female premier is still a big deal.
British Columbia and Alberta combined to have had 4 female premiers. Now 7 of the 10 provinces and all the territories have had female leaders. Canada has had a female prime minister in Kim Campbell.
As we have noted in the past, Canada had 5 female premiers from February 11, 2013 to January 24, 2014. By the end of April 2014, there were only 2 female premiers.
British Columbia Rita Johnston (Social Credit) April 2-November 5, 1991; Christy Clark (Liberal) March 14, 2011-July 18, 2017
Alberta Alison Redford (Progressive Conservative) October 7, 2011-March 23, 2014; Rachel Notley (NDP) May 24, 2015-April 30, 2019
Manitoba Heather Stefanson (Progressive Conservative) Premier-designate
Ontario Kathleen Wynne (Liberal) February 11, 2013-June 29, 2018
Quebec Pauline Marois (Parti Québécois) September 19, 2012-April 23, 2014
Prince Edward Island Catherine Callbeck (Liberal) January 25, 1993-October 9, 1996
Newfoundland and Labrador Kathy Dunderdale (Progressive Conservative) December 3, 2010-January 24, 2014
Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia — None
Yukon Pat Duncan (Liberal) June 5, 2000-November 5, 2002
Northwest Territories Nellie Cournoyea (Nonpartisan*) November 14, 1991-November 22, 1995; Caroline Cochrane (Nonpartisan*) October 24, 2019-Incumbent
Nunavut Eva Aariak (Nonpartisan*) November 19, 2008-November 19, 2013
Federal Kim Campbell (Progressive Conservative) June 25, 1993-November 4, 1993
* each member is nonpartisan in a consensus government
Notley and Andrea Horvath (Ontario NDP) have the best chance of reaching this plateau.
photo credits: CBC News; Manitoba Progressive Conservatives
Comments