Manitoba NDP's Erin Selby to take shot at federal politics
Manitoba MLA Erin Selby is set to announce a run at federal politics.
CBC News has learned the former provincial NDP cabinet minister is expected to make an official announcement on Friday, saying she will run in the Saint Boniface—Saint Vital riding.
Selby, who currently represents the NDP in the Southdale constituency, was the province's health minister before resigning from cabinet last year.
Her relationship with Premier Greg Selinger soured when she was part of a group of five MLAs who resigned their cabinet seats in November 2014, citing "turmoil" and "grave concerns" about not being able to speak their minds in government.
The current MP for the riding, Shelly Glover, announced in April that she wouldn't seek re-election.
It was expected Selby would make the jump to the federal level after several St. Boniface residents received phone calls last month.
They were polled on how they felt about the two confirmed federal candidates in the riding – Liberal candidate Dan Vandal and Conservative candidate Francois Catellier – as well as Selby.
'Terrible news for Dan Vandal'
Political scientist Chris Adams said he was initially surprised to hear Erin Selby would run in Saint Boniface—Saint Vital but said after thinking about it, it made sense to him.
Adams said Selby would face a difficult road to re-election in her own provincial seat, and a jump to federal politics might be a better move for the former cabinet minister.
"This would be terrible news for Dan Vandal," Adams said.
Adams said Selby is more likely to pull votes from the Liberals over the Conservatives, but "historically, the NDP has not shown itself strong in the federal riding of Saint Boniface—Saint Vital. The NDP has really been an also-ran type candidate, much like the Liberals in Transcona," said Adams.
Adams said Selby will have a very difficult time winning the riding given her late entry into the race. Vandal is well known in the riding, especially in the area around Old St. Boniface.
"It's a bit of a gamble because she's right now coming from the outside into this election. She hasn't really been campaigning, knocking on doors in the same way Dan Vandal has, and she doesn't have the profile Conservatives do with out-going [MP] Shelly Glover," said Adams.
Adams speculated perhaps Selby agreed to take a run federally in anticipation of a national NDP win.
That could mean, win or lose, the promise of a plum job in the federal government for the former health minister, he said.
