Former Tache mayor wants apology for ‘reckless behaviour’ at rec centre promise

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This article was published 14/10/2023 (563 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Former Tache mayor Justin Bohemier says current Tache Mayor Armand Poirier was being reckless when he met with NDP leader Wab Kinew during his election promise press conference to give an extra $5 million towards a new recreation centre in Lorette.

“That’s an elected position where you hope they can work with any government that’s in power, so to me I looked at this and I went, this is basically an advertisement for one political party – which I’m OK with, the picture it is what it is – but the line underneath the picture is basically a quote from out mayor telling us basically who to vote for, and if we vote for this person this is kind of our reward,” explained Bohemier.

He wants council to address this and a printed apology in the press and on the RM’s website.

The advertisement that ran in The Carillon the week before the election showed a photo of the mayor and Coun. Dawn Braden with Kinew and Dawson Trail NDP candidate Chris Wiebe, and quoted Poirier from the press conference saying, “If the people of Manitoba choose an NDP government, the Tache centre project will not be compromised and will proceed as planned. (This) would mean a significant tax savings to the people of Tache.”

Kinew and his NDP party ended up winning a majority government, but Wiebe lost to incumbent Progressive Conservative MLA Bob Lagasse in Dawson Trail, which represents Tache in the legislature.

“This is very dangerous waters, it’s blatantly endorsing one side. So now we’ve got an odd situation I guess where the MLA is PC, he endorsed an NDP, NDP’s in power. I’m all for getting money from the provincial government and the federal government, but for the mayor to be in there meddling in that I don’t appreciate it and I don’t see the point of it,” said Bohemier.

When asked for comment, Poirier responded via email:

“I am miffed at his accusations. Evidently, he does not understand that in my role as Mayor (which by the way I take very seriously) it is my duty to greet guests of the R.M. of Taché. And, that certainly includes Mr. Kinew and/or any other person(s). While Mr. Bohemier accuses me of being reckless, I might add that I would have been doubly reckless to snub or ignore Mr. Kinew on his stop in Lorette while campaigning for his election to become Premier of Manitoba.

“I am very proud to have had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Kinew. Subsequently, he assured me our municipal project to construct a multi-million dollar project in the Lorette would not be imperiled, if he assumed power, and furthermore, he committed funds to ensure the full completion of the project. I’m very proud of the fact that I was given the opportunity to meet with Mr. Kinew and build and alliance with him,” wrote Poirier.

Bohemier said if the NDP were going to make the promise anyway, the mayor did not need to be there. He added that an apology would be the “classy thing to do.”

“Because he’s got to work with out MLA still for our area, and now it’s going to be a bit awkward to go to that office and try to work with our MLA. It might not work out in our favour as much as he might have hoped or planned,” said Bohemier.

At a council meeting Oct. 10, the recreation centre’s final design was approved with an estimated cost of $28.5 million. Federal and provincial grants now cover about $8 million of that, before anymore promised potential provincial dollars.