Pride organizer considering Manitoba NDP leadership bid

A woman who gained national prominence for organizing a pride parade in Manitoba's so-called Bible Belt is eyeing a jump into the political arena.

Michelle McHale says she is considering whether to run for the leadership of the Manitoba New Democratic Party, which is trying to rebuild after a devastating election loss.

• Thousands take part in the 1st Pride parade in Steinbach, Man.

"I'm still having conversations with family and friends about it and contemplating many different things, but, yes, I am considering it," McHale told The Canadian Press on Wednesday.

"I feel that in terms of my passion and the way I'd like to see the world or communities evolve, [it] fits with [the NDP's] belief system and I think that my skill set would serve the party well in terms of team-building ... and building bridges."

McHale has never held public office, but has experience in labour and social justice movements linked to the NDP.

She is a staff representative with the United Food and Commercial Workers union and sits on the executive of the Manitoba Federation of Labour.

She helped organize a pride parade last summer in Steinbach, a conservative community with a deep religious tradition southeast of Winnipeg. She also, along with her partner, filed a human rights complaint against the area's school division earlier this year over its policy of not discussing same-sex marriage in elementary and middle schools.

• Same-sex couple files human rights complaint against Hanover School Division
• Steinbach-area mom shocked that school division prohibits conversations around sexual orientation

McHale, who has since moved to Winnipeg, becomes the first of what could be many to publicly mull a run for the top job of a party that was, until recently, a political dynasty.

The NDP took office in 1999 and remained consistently popular with voters until 2013, when then-premier Greg Selinger raised the provincial sales tax. Five of his top cabinet ministers challenged his leadership the following year and he barely survived a convention vote. The party was ousted by the Progressive Conservatives in the provincial election last April.

Selinger stepped down as leader and has been replaced by Flor Marcelino on an interim basis. The NDP is planning a leadership convention next fall.

Kinew 'open' to running for leader

Wab Kinew, an author and indigenous rights activist who was first elected in April, is not ruling out a leadership bid.

"A lot of people have approached me about running for the leadership. What I would say is that I'm open to it, but I'm also looking at who other candidates might be, because I'm very much open to supporting somebody that could take the party in a good direction," Kinew said Wednesday.

Kinew said McHale and Nahanni Fontaine, another recently elected New Democrat, are both people he could support.

"I think I'd really want to have an in-depth conversation both with the potential candidates themselves, but also other people in the party to see how they're viewed, and to see what level of support they might get."

Kinew said it's important that the next leader heal divisions caused by the leadership crisis.

That sentiment was echoed by Paul Thomas, professor emeritus of political studies at the University of Manitoba.

"There still is residual bitterness within the party ... so that's a hurdle the party has to overcome as it seeks to rebuild its status as a real contender," Thomas said.

"It's not a prize to be leader of the official Opposition in Manitoba, and we don't often have one-term governments almost never so that it means you're going to spend a lot of time rebuilding the party."