Wab Kinew makes history as Manitoba NDP projected to form majority government

globalnews.ca:

Manitoba voters made history Tuesday night.

After seven years of Progressive Conservative governments under premiers Brian Pallister and Heather Stefanson, Global News projects the Manitoba NDP will be back at the helm of a majority government.

Leader Wab Kinew, who is projected to be re-elected in his own riding of Fort Rouge, is set to become the first premier of First Nations descent in a Canadian province. He called the result a victory for all Manitobans.

A musician, broadcast journalist, and university administrator prior to his entry into politics, Kinew moved to Winnipeg as a child from Onigaming First Nation in Ontario.

Kinew was first elected as an MLA in 2016, and became NDP leader in 2017. His party’s result Tuesday night is a significant improvement over his first provincial election as leader, a dominant performance by his PC opposition that saw the NDP with only 25 per cent of seats in the legislature.

“My dear sweet Manitoba, look at what we have done here tonight,” Kinew said in his victory speech Tuesday.

“A lot of people in the big cities, they look down on us here in Manitoba. ‘Fly-over country’, they said. ‘Winterpeg, Man-it’s-cold-out,’ they said… but look at what little old Manitoba did tonight.

“Manitoba did something more progressive than any of those big cities ever did. We elected a strong team of New Democrats to fix healthcare and make your life more affordable.”

We started our campaign believing in you – the people of Manitoba.

And in return, so many of you put your faith in us. You came out to support us – some for the very first time. You made calls & knocked doors. You voted.

From the bottom of my heart – Thank you. Merci. Miigwech. pic.twitter.com/HMzIbnbUc7

— Wab Kinew (@WabKinew) <a