Selinger has 'advantage' in leadership vote: analyst

Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger holds a news conference at Manitoba's Legislative Building in Winnipeg, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2014. (David Lipnowski / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

WINNIPEG -- Manitoba's governing New Democrats are wrestling with a political puzzle -- how to hold a leadership race in which one candidate is the premier who appears intent on staying put during the campaign.

Premier Greg Selinger "absolutely has an advantage" over potential opponents, political scientist Royce Koop from the University of Manitoba said Wednesday.

"He has the power of the purse, as the Americans say. He can spend government money in such a way as to assist his leadership campaign.

"On the one hand, it's a bit much to expect a premier to resign every time he is challenged for the party leadership ... but on the other hand, there certainly will be an advantage to the premier in this race."

Selinger has been facing an open revolt from senior party members after leading the party to low polling numbers not seen in more than a decade. He ran into opposition over his decision last year to raise the provincial sales tax -- something he specifically said he would not do during the last election campaign.

Five cabinet ministers publicly challenged his leadership and resigned last week. On the weekend, Selinger called on the NDP executive to organize a leadership contest -- not a review -- at the party's annual convention in March.

That means his opponents can no longer hope that he would leave on his own if support in a review were low. Instead, they will probably have to put up a leadership candidate of their own to run against him.

Party officials are still working out details of the race, but Selinger said Wednesday he intends on staying on as premier until the vote.

"This has always been the way it's been done: leaders have stayed on and done their job, making sure we have a stable government performing for the needs of Manitobans," he told CTV.

Selinger was finance minister when he first ran for the NDP leadership in 2009. He and his two competitors resigned their cabinet portfolios on an interim basis. Andrew Swan stepped down from the justice portfolio and Steve Ashton was replaced as emergency measures minister.

At the time, departing premier Gary Doer said having ministers temporarily resign ensured "a level playing field."

The leadership challenge comes as Selinger prepares for a throne speech Nov. 20 that will outline the government's agenda for the coming year and open a two-week fall sitting of the legislature.

The NDP executive has scheduled an emergency meeting Saturday to start sorting out details of a leadership vote.

Under the party's constitution, the party is not bound to accept the premier's call for a full leadership contest at the annual convention. The provincial council can call a separate convention on leadership at any time, as can a majority of the party's 57 constituency associations.