Meet the Tuxedo byelection candidates during the final stretch of the campaign

The candidates in the Tuxedo byelection CTV's Jeff Keele looks ahead to the Tuxedo byelection and the candidates running for a seat in the Manitoba legislature.

Tuesday a new MLA will be voted into the Manitoba legislature in the constituency of Tuxedo.

The seat has sat vacant since former premier Heather Stefanson resigned from her legislature position in late April.

Tuxedo has always been in the control of the Progressive Conservatives and has been the seat for two premiers.

Gary Filmon first won the seat in 1981 and held on to it until 2000 Stefanson was voted in and took over.

Despite being a PC stronghold, the NDP nearly took it over in the 2023 election when Larissa Ashdown lost to Stefanson by just 268 votes.

Now, with the upcoming byelection, the PCs will try to once again hold on to the seat, while the NDP is hoping to build off their most recent performance and take it over the top.

The Manitoba Liberals and the Manitoba Green Party are also trying to pull off upset wins in the area.

Advance voting is already underway and polls will open on June 18, 2024.

Below is the list of the four candidates running in the byelection.

Manitoba Progressive Conservatives – Lawrence Pinsky

Family lawyer Lawrence Pinsky is working to keep Tuxedo blue as he takes on the political life.

"I'm running because I want to implement proven change," Pinsky said in an interview with CTV News Friday.

He said his main focus is working on Manitoba's economy, calling it "laboured and troubled."

"(I) also want to work on a bunch of other areas – health-care, crime. We need somebody who's innovative and who can get the job done and that's what I'm here to do."

While speaking with Tuxedo residents, Pinsky said he has heard a lot of sad stories about how people have been struggling in the current economic climate and if he gets a seat in the legislature, he hopes to be part of the change for the better.

When asked about the close race in the 2023 election, Pinsky said he isn't worried about that, noting he is new to politics.

"I'm not a party animal. I'm new to this and I can tell you I have full confidence in the people of Tuxedo."

Manitoba NDP – Carla Compton

This will be Carla Compton's second time running in Tuxedo. The registered nurse ran in the 2019 election, ending in third place behind Stefanson and Liberal Marc Brandson.

She said running in politics feels like a "natural next step" for her and her need to help people.

"I went in to become a nurse because I want to help people. I see day in and day out how the cuts from the PCs impacted my patients as well as my colleagues," said Compton.

While she knows the province needs nurses like her to be on the front lines of the health-care system, she added the province also needs people who have been in the system to be at the table to help when decisions are being made about health-care.

She said she has been hearing from constituents that they are ready for and want change in Tuxedo and she feels she is the person to bring that change.

"We are connecting with as many people as we can to let them know we value the input from the citizens of Tuxedo and we want to represent them."

Manitoba Liberal Party – Jamie Pfau

Jamie Pfau – a foster parent advocate – could be the second seat in the legislature for the Liberals after the party was reduced to one in the last election.

She said she has seen firsthand the gaps that can come from policies made by government and wants to be there to ensure those gaps can be filled.

"I had a front-row seat into seeing the negative outcome of folks who do fall through those cracks. So that led me to become an outspoken advocate in terms of just protecting our vulnerable populations," said Pfau.

On top of being an advocate, Pfau is also a small business owner, operating a short-term rental space in Lac du Bonnet.

Compared to a general election, Pfau said byelections are strictly about the candidates, and she feels she is the top one on the ballot and can break up the PC stronghold.

"Truly, I do feel that residents in Tuxedo maybe are underestimated in terms of they aren't always going to vote on party lines, they're going to vote on what is good for them and the community."

Manitoba Green Party – Janine Gibson

Janine Gibson, the leader of the Green Party, is no stranger to the political realm as she has run in elections at the federal and provincial levels since 2004.

This will be her first time running in Tuxedo. She has previously run in Wolseley, Steinbach, and La Verendrye at the provincial level. Federally, she has run for the Greens in the riding of Provencher.

She said her political history and having a Green seat in the legislature would help with government accountability.

"I could be a conscience that will ensure the people are heard and the bureaucracy won't slow down things," said Gibson.

She said more help is needed to address the mental health crisis throughout Manitoba, and thinks her party's policies can help make change right now.

She also noted that the residents of Tuxedo are smart, educated people, and they understand now is the time to have a candidate who is focused on the climate emergency and can be the voice for them on that matter.