Manitoba Opposition leader sorry for gun gesture in legislature

Obby Khan speaks during a news conference at the Manitoba Legislative Building on Aug. 22, 2025. (CTV News Winnipeg)

WINNIPEG — Manitoba’s Opposition Progressive Conservative leader apologized Thursday for making a gesture in question period that mimicked shooting himself in the head.

Obby Khan made the motion Wednesday while Education Minister Tracy Schmidt was answering a question. Khan, seated, turned to a colleague, pointed two fingers toward his head and motioned as if he was pulling a trigger.

The action was caught by cameras that livestream legislature proceedings and show Khan appearing to repeat the motion seconds later.

Members of the governing NDP complained soon after, and Khan issued a brief apology.

Legislature Speaker Tom Lindsey rebuked Khan in the chamber Thursday and asked for a second apology.

“I discovered that the gestures complained of were egregious and offensive,” Lindsey said.

“The footage shows (Khan) making a gesture depicting gun violence and acts of self-harm.”

Schmidt said Khan’s actions were alarming, given the current political climate and because students were in the public gallery at the time.

“I can tell you how deeply disturbed I was about it, and the thoughts that I had when I went home last night — what we’re all thinking about with political violence. It’s absolutely unacceptable.”

Khan apologized again Thursday and told reporters he acted out of frustration with the way question period was going.

“I apologize, unequivocally apologize, for my childish behaviour and gestures yesterday in the chamber,” he said.

“There’s nothing I can say that justifies that type of action or gesture. It was a childish gesture that was made in frustration.”

Lindsey warned legislature members at the opening of the fall sitting last week that they should behave better. He denounced heckling and yelling, as his predecessors have done, and threatened to temporarily remove politicians from the chamber if their bad behaviour persists.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 9, 2025.

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press