Winnipeg Free Press

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TOP NEWS CITY EDITOR: SHANE MINKIN 204- 697- 7292 I CITY. DESK@ FREEPRESS. MB. CA I WINNIPEGFREEPRESS. COM MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2015 A 3 D ELEGATES in five far- flung provincial constituencies will be able to cast their NDP leadership ballots without having to attend the party's convention in Winnipeg in March. The decision Sunday at a special meeting of the NDP's provincial council reversed an earlier stand taken by the party's executive and leadership selection committee. NDP president Ellen Olfert said the party has yet to decide between a mailin ballot option or some form of electronic voting for the constituencies, which include Swan River, Thompson, The Pas, Flin Flon and Kewatinook. " We're going to look at both and see which one is the most feasible and which can be done in the amount of time that we've got," Olfert said Sunday. The governing NDP will select a leader at its annual convention March 6- 8. Thompson MLA Steve Ashton and Seine River MLA Theresa Oswald, both former cabinet ministers, are challenging Premier Greg Selinger for the job. Ashton, who has strong support in the province's north, was thrilled with the decision. " It's a huge victory for fairness, a huge victory, to my mind, for democracy," he said after the provincial council meeting, which was conducted by teleconference. While acknowledging the new procedure could benefit his campaign, he said the more important consideration is it was the right thing to do democratically. " I do believe one of the fundamental elements of being united as a party is making sure that we have a full opportunity for people to participate," Ashton said. The NDP's provincial council is the party's governing body between annual conventions. It includes representatives from each of the province's 57 electoral districts, party executive members and others. More than 120 New Democrats participated in Sunday's special meeting, which was called after the party brass received a petition signed by more than 20 council members to discuss the remote- voting issue. Many New Democrats objected to the rule that delegates be required to attend the meeting in person to select the leader. The leadership contest is expected to draw a much bigger crowd than a normal annual convention. In 2009, when Selinger defeated Ashton at a special leadership convention in Winnipeg to succeed Gary Doer as premier, in- person voting was allowed in certain remote locations. It was feared this time around without some special provision being made to accommodate northerners, many delegates would not be able to cast a ballot due to cost or other reasons. At a campaign announcement Sunday, Oswald said she welcomed the provincial council's decision. " When you have more people engaged and having more access, there's a greater possibility of a terrific outcome. The more participation you can have, the better," she said. " There's been some discussion about warring factions in the campaign and so on. I just got back from a really great tour of the north... Norway House, The Pas, Swan River... and talking to a lot of people," Oswald said. " What I can tell you is that members of the NDP who are engaged are very optimistic. They feel the members are going to get to decide this issue." " I'm pleased that our members in the north, who face extraordinary travel costs and time off from their jobs to attend convention, have the option of a mail- in ballot for the leadership portion of our annual convention," Selinger said Sunday. " I supported this position at last week's executive meeting, and I supported that position in the emergency meeting today. " It is also clear that for future conventions the party must examine making convention more inclusive to members hampered by distance, cost and mobility issues." larry. kusch@ freepress. mb. ca - with files from Alexandra Paul Remote voting for NDP race Special meeting overturns previous decision on ballots By Larry Kusch THERESA OSWALD called racism " our provincial shame" on the campaign trail Sunday, becoming the latest to respond to the black eye Maclean's magazine dealt Winnipeg by calling it the most racist city in the country. In a campaign announcement about programs aimed at making university and college education more affordable, Oswald reserved her harshest criticism for comments attributed to Conservative Leader Brian Pallister in response to the magazine piece. " I want to say I'm quite troubled by the leader of the Opposition Mr. Pallister's comments that I read where he took issue about whether or not racism exists here in our province. Absolutely it does. It's a provincial shame for all of us and we have to find a way to work together and find our way out," Oswald said. " If we don't acknowledge racism exists in our city and our province, we don't have a hope of coming together to fix it." Pallister rejected the assertion by the Toronto- based Maclean's Friday. " I would object to that observation... it's not my experience," Pallister said, noting the province has hosted people from around the world throughout its history. " We here in Winnipeg and Manitoba understand what it's like to extend our arms to people from all ethnic backgrounds and racial backgrounds as well," the Conservative leader said. Oswald's comments came during a campaign announcement on the University of Manitoba Fort Garry campus, where she faced cameras with 18 university students lined up behind her. Health studies student Dale Kujanpaa, 21, told reporters, " My hopes and dreams can't become a reality unless we have a government and a premier that makes post- secondary support a major priority." Oswald wants to expand interest- free student loans to part- time students. Part- time students make up one in four enrolled in university and college, but up to now, the option of no- interest loans has been available only to fulltime students. She said she would restore multi- year funding agreements with post- secondary institutions to stabilize budget planning. " Last year we removed that from legislation," she said, calling the decision " an error." Oswald pledged to work with universities to make textbooks and other education resources more affordable and to expand Access grants for underrepresented groups including northerners, single parents, aboriginal people, refugees and people with disabilities. She said if she were elected NDP leader and became premier, the city's rapid transit would be guaranteed provincial funding for the U- Pass student transit proposal. alexandra. paul@ freepress. mb. ca GOOD FOR ASHTON: DAN LETT A4 MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS NDP leadership candidate Theresa Oswald announces plans to make post- secondary education more affordable Sunday. Steve Ashton Racism is Manitoba's ' shame,' Oswald declares By Alexandra Paul A_ 03_ Jan- 26- 15_ FP_ 01. indd A3 1/ 25/ 15 7: 58: 50 PM ;