Tory MLA slams party’s leadership candidate

WINNIPEG — A Progressive Conservative MLA didn’t hold back her opinion about Tory leadership hopeful Wally Daudrich during question period Friday.

Kathleen Cook, the member for Roblin and PC health critic, was responding to Premier Wab Kinew, who asked if she supports the controversial candidate “who opposes a woman’s right to choose.”

Daudrich, who is challenging Fort Whyte MLA Obby Khan to lead the party, is anti-abortion. Daudrich opposes the NDP government’s decision to provide free prescription birth control, saying at the March 19 PC leadership debate that he opposes providing free contraception that allows vulnerable women “to be more sexually active.”

On Friday, the premier dodged Cook’s questions about his government’s homeless strategy to ask for her stance on Daudrich’s platform regarding reproductive rights.

“I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to thoroughly denounce Wally Daudrich and most of his outrageous and offensive comments,” Cook told the chamber.

“He doesn’t stand for me.”

The Churchill lodge owner who also owns a home in Morden has suggested that turning polar bears loose in downtown Winnipeg would solve its homelessness crisis.

“Frankly, I don’t give the man a second thought,” Cook replied.

“Maybe the premier should stop being so obsessed with Wally Daudrich and turn his attention to the very real homelessness problems we have in our city,” she said.

During Friday morning’s proceedings, Cook questioned the premier about the pace of his government’s strategy to combat homelessness.

It has reportedly housed just 12 of an estimated 700 Manitobans living in encampments, said Cook, who asked Kinew if there is a plan to prevent homeless encampments from growing this spring.

The premier dodged the question before leaving the chamber for a call with Prime Minister Mark Carney and the first ministers about the U.S. trade war.

Following question period, Cook said it’s “very troubling” that rather than answer a serious question, the premier deflected by raising the issue of the PC leadership race.

“It’s concerning to me that the NDP continue to try to use the leadership race and Mr. Daudrich’s comments as a distraction and to avoid answering very serious questions like the one I asked today,” the MLA said.

“As far as Mr. Daudrich’s comments go, I fundamentally disagree with his views on birth control and on homelessness,” she said. “He’s entitled to his views. I do not share them.”

Daudrich was asked to respond to Cook’s comments about him.

“Well, as far as the leadership goes, we will mark her down as undecided,” he said in an email Friday afternoon.

The Manitoba PC party will announce a new leader on April 26.

Daudrich has said that he will seek the PC nomination in the Tory stronghold of Spruce Woods to replace Grant Jackson. Jackson, who was the PC education critic, announced Monday he’s running in the April 28 federal election for the Conservatives in Brandon-Souris. A date for a provincial byelection to replace Jackson has not been announced. A byelection must be called within six months of a legislature seat becoming vacant.

Cook was asked if she has any concerns about denouncing Daudrich, who could be elected as a caucus colleague or her party’s new leader.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it but, as I said, I fundamentally disagree with those views that he’s expressed.”

» Winnipeg Free Press