Dougald Lamont, Leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party

Full interview: Dougald Lamont Nicole Dube sits down for a one-on-one conversation with Dougald Lamont, leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party about his vision for Manitoba.

Before getting involved with politics, Dougald Lamont worked as a writer, editor, and policy analyst for over 25 years, in the private and public sectors.

Lamont was born in 1969 at St. Boniface Hospital. He is the third of four children and was raised in Winnipeg by his mother Judy and his late father Frank.

He attended École Sacré Coeur, River Heights Junior High and St. John’s Ravenscourt. He then moved on to the University of Manitoba where he received two degrees in English Literature. He’s been married to his wife Cecilia since 1993 and has three girls and a boy.

Before winning a seat in the legislature last year, Lamont spent years writing speeches and platforms for others. He also held communications jobs, worked as a freelance writer, and owned his own digital ad agency.

Lamont was a co-chair in a 2014 mayoral campaign by Robert-Falcon Ouellette. He was also the communications director for Ouellette when he ran for the federal Liberals in Winnipeg Centre, taking the riding from NDP incumbent Pat Martin.

Lamont won the provincial Liberal leadership in 2017, by beating out two opponents who had the advantage of already holding legislative seats. He won a seat of his own by winning a byelection in St. Boniface, which had been NDP for 19 years.

His win, gave the Liberals enough seats for official status in the legislature for the first time in two decades.

Lamont’s Liberals are facing some evident challenges in the race for leadership. The most recent filings with Elections Manitoba show the Liberals have less money in the bank than the Tories, NDP and even the seatless Green party.

In his bid for provincial leadership, Lamont has made his party’s environment plan the cornerstone of his campaign,

Lamont said his “green growth and renewal” plan is the boldest and most ambitious of any party.

His plan includes: adopting a provincial carbon tax, positioning the province as a leader in low-carbon and no-new-carbon fuels, and establishing 500 square kilometres of new wilderness – with the goal of making Manitoba carbon neutral by 2030.

-With files from Steve Lambert/The Canadian Press