COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Goofball politics

Question period at the Manitoba legislature, or any legislature in Canada for that matter, is a heated affair. The issues that are debated are important and sometimes emotional. Combined with the fact that the whole exercise has become more theatrical, words are sometimes spoken that are not always well thought out and that would not be considered appropriate by viewing members of the public.

Added to this dynamic is the fact that not everyone’s words are measured equally. Ministers of the Crown set policy for their department so their comments are scrutinized more carefully. The premier, in every province, establishes the direction for the government and by extension the province. The premier is also expected to set the tone in debate and to work to bring people together as much as possible. That is not always easy when topics divide the public or politicians, but it is part of the responsibility that a premier takes on as leader of a province.

That is why it was especially disappointing to hear Premier Wab Kinew call those Manitobans concerned about the recent actions of his Minister of Families “goofballs”. As a reminder, the NDP Minister of Families upset many Manitobans this summer when she mocked an ASL interpreter for the deaf and then more recently posted comments following the assassination of Charlie Kirk that stated she has no empathy for his murder along with other hateful comments.

The combination of these two events resulted in thousands of Manitobans demanding the Minister of Families be removed from cabinet. In fact, hundreds of these emails were presented to the premier last Wednesday at the same time that a previously planned protest by Manitobans demanding her removal was scheduled to take place at the legislature.

At this point, the premier could have simply acknowledged the thousands of Manitobans who expressed their concerns and explained why he chose to keep the minister in cabinet, as is his right to do so.

Instead, he chastised those who called for the minister’s removal and then went further and called them all “goofballs”. Naturally, this has started up a whole new round of messages from frustrated and now insulted Manitobans who really just wanted their views respectfully heard. And ultimately, they are comments that are beneath the dignity of the office of premier.

The day after insulting Manitobans, the premier was asked by CBC radio whether he regretted the remarks that perhaps simply came in the heat of the moment. The premier doubled down and said he did not regret insulting Manitobans. Remarkably, later in the day he told other media that as Manitobans we need to come together regardless of our differences.

Politics is emotionally charged at times. And everyone says things they later regret. What is particularly concerning here is that Premier Kinew knew these questions were coming, seemed to pick his insulting words deliberately, and then doubled down on them in the days after.

The premier is not wrong in expressing his hope for one Manitoba. The problem is that it appears to be nothing more than a rhetorical phrase that Premier Wab Kinew uses from time to time while never passing up an opportunity to spew divisive comments at those he disagrees with.

In a time of great division, Premier Wab Kinew’s comments are not only unhelpful, they are not what is needed from any leader at this time in our history.