
Last New Democrat in Manitoba blames Trump for party's collapse
Leah Gazan, re-elected in Winnipeg Centre, will be the NDP's only Manitoba MP after incumbents Leila Dance (Elmwood-Transcona) and Niki Ashton (Churchill-Keewatinook Aski) were upset by Tory and Liberal candidates, respectively.
'We lost a lot of good people here in Manitoba,' Gazan said Tuesday, when the New Democrats were projected to hold seven of Canada's 343 seats, down from 24 when the election was called March 23.
AARON EPP / FREE PRESS
Winnipeg Centre MP Leah Gazan greets supporters at her headquarters after being declared the winner shortly before 11 p.m. Monday.
Support for the NDP plummeted to single percentage points in some Manitoba ridings.
The last time the party won only one Manitoba seat was the 1993 election amid a Liberal landslide. The NDP then won four of Manitoba's 14 seats in 1997.
It will need to undergo an overhaul after placing fourth behind the projected Liberal minority government, the Tories and the Bloc Québécois.
Gazan did not indicate if there is a potential candidate she supports to replace Jagmeet Singh as leader. She believes the U.S. political situation, including President Donald Trump's tariffs and annexation threats, swayed voters away from her party.
'I think what's going on down south impacted the other two NDP seats,' she said, referring to the strongholds that were lost. 'It impacted my riding.'
Three seats changed hands in Manitoba. The Conservatives won seven, gaining Elmwood-Transcona but losing Winnipeg West, where incumbent Marty Morantz was defeated by Liberal Doug Eyolfson. The Liberals won six seats, a gain of two.
Before the campaign, the Tories had seven seats, the Liberals had four and the NDP had three.
The federal standing is in contrast to provincial politics, in which the NDP has a majority government.
'The NDP didn't lose seats mainly to the Liberals. The NDP lost seats to the very party that many people were trying to keep out.'–Leah Gazan
Before the election, some observers thought an NDP collapse would help the Liberals the most. The Tories benefited as well.
'What strategic voting resulted in is 12 extra Conservative seats,' Gazan said, referring to the national total. 'The NDP didn't lose seats mainly to the Liberals. The NDP lost seats to the very party that many people were trying to keep out.'
The New Democrats had 11 per cent of the popular vote in Manitoba — down from 23 per cent in the 2021 election — with some polls left to report preliminary results. Tory (46.3 per cent) and Liberal (40.8 per cent) support climbed.
Gazan edged Liberal Rahul Walia by 4.2 percentage points in Winnipeg Centre. Her vote share fell by almost 11 percentage points compared with 2021.
She attributed her win to a 'solid' ground game and her work with community organizations in two earlier terms.
'I think the community chose to vote for and re-elect somebody that they knew, and somebody, I've heard at the door, that they trust to have their back,' she said.
Liberal support surged in Elmwood-Transcona, where the NDP's Dance lost to Tory candidate Colin Reynolds by 7.1 percentage points in a rematch of a September byelection, which she won by 4.2 percentage points to become a first-time MP.
Liberal candidate Ian MacIntyre scored 22.4 per cent of Monday's vote, up from 4.8 per cent in the byelection.
'By the Liberal number going up and my number coming down, I think that's where it is,' Dance said. 'I think if we had been strategically voting in the riding, people would have strategically voted towards the NDP because the NDP has historically held the seat here, if it was 'anybody but Conservatives.''
Ruth Bonneville / Free Press
Liberal candidte for St. Boniface-St. Vital riding Ginette Lavack celebrates her victory with constituents at Fort Gibralter Monday.
Reynolds did not respond to a request for comment, mirroring his strategy throughout the campaign and last year's byelection.
Dance felt positive about her campaign. She said it was 'extremely draining' to compete in two elections in less than a year.
After taking time off, she expects to return to work in the non-profit sector.
'I'm grateful for the opportunity that I had, even though it was a short time,' she said.
Conservative incumbent Raquel Dancho, re-elected in Kildonan-St. Paul, said it's 'early days' for a vote analysis, but her door-knocking suggested she had 'overwhelming' support from tradespeople and young families.
'I would say, anecdotally, it certainly looks like some of the demographic that has voted NDP in the past, or would be expected to vote NDP, came our way,' she said.
Dancho had 47.5 per cent of the riding's vote, up almost six percentage points from 2021. She defeated Liberal candidate Thomas Naaykens by less than three percentage points and New Democrat Emily Clark by 40 points, as NDP support plummeted in the riding.
Elmwood-Transcona was a 'big upset' that poll aggregators did not predict, Dancho said.
During Elections
Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election.
'That may be an indication that, certainly, there's been a massive demographic shift between parties, and that the Conservative party is, in fact, representing many working Canadians, and it's great to see,' Dancho said.
Liberal candidate Rebecca Chartrand had a 15.9-point lead over Ashton, the MP for Churchill-Keewatinook Aski since 2008, with most polls reporting. Ashton defeated Chartrand by three percentage points in 2015.
Chartrand said voters wanted change.
'People in the north have felt forgotten in some regards,' she said. 'What I consistently heard is this riding needs to be a huge part of the strategy as we start to re-envision what Canada looks like economically.'
Ginette Lavack, who kept St. Boniface-St. Vital for the Liberals, will be another new face in Ottawa, taking over from Dan Vandal, who did not seek re-election.
'I'm very excited to get to work,' she said.
Lavack received almost 60 per cent of the riding's vote, up from Vandal's share of 43.8 per cent in 2021.
'It doesn't surprise me the numbers overall would be up by comparison to 2021 because (Monday's) turnout was significantly higher,' she said.
Liberal incumbents were relieved after opinion polls a few months ago suggested the Tories were set for a big win in the next election.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS
Conservative candidate for Kildonan-St. Paul, Raquel Dancho, speaks to supporters at her election headquarters on Monday.
The Grits' comeback was triggered by a leadership change — swapping prime minister Justin Trudeau for Mark Carney — and Trump's rhetoric.
One should never give up hope in politics, said Kevin Lamoureux, who was re-elected in Winnipeg North, the riding he has held since 2010.
'We've won more seats than we had in the previous Parliament,' he said. 'People recognized Mark Carney as the best person to be able to deal with Canada's economy and Donald Trump.'
Lamoureux believes a lot of the 'progressive vote,' including the NDP vote, unified behind the Liberals.
The NDP could be relied upon again to prop up a Liberal minority government, as it did under Trudeau.
'I'm hoping the NDP will see the merit of working closely with the government, but also I think it's important that we work with members of all political parties who are prepared to put Canada first,' Lamoureux said.
Dancho had nothing but praise for Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who lost his Ottawa-area seat while guiding the party to its highest projected vote share since 1988. She declined to say if she thinks he should stay on as leader.
'Pierre Poilievre is the hardest-working person I've ever met in my life. He inspired millions of people with a message of hope and change,' she said.
Holding the Liberals to a minority and gaining seats were positive outcomes for the Conservatives, she said.
University of Winnipeg political science Prof. Malcolm Bird said eventual riding-by-riding analyses will help determine where NDP support went.
'I think more of it went to Mr. Poilievre than people think,' he said.
Bird said it's not the end of the NDP, but it's time for the party to rethink its tactics and behaviour.
'I do think that this is an inflection point or milestone or something where they need to consider what they're doing, who they are and who is their leader,' he said.
chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca
Chris KitchingReporter
Chris Kitching is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He began his newspaper career in 2001, with stops in Winnipeg, Toronto and London, England, along the way. After returning to Winnipeg, he joined the Free Press in 2021, and now covers a little bit of everything for the newspaper. Read more about Chris.
Every piece of reporting Chris produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Global News
16 minutes ago
- Global News
Métis Nation-Saskatchewan declares wildfire state of emergency
The ongoing wildfire season has continued to force hundreds from their homes, with many still calling hotels in cities like Saskatoon, Regina, and Prince Albert a safe haven for now. But with areas like Beauval and Île-à-la-Crosse under escalating threat, Métis Nation-Saskatchewan has made the call to issue a state of emergency for several northern communities. 'Traditional territories are being impacted greatly, from harvesting and sustenance use and traditional medicines and so on,' said Métis Nation-Saskatchewan Self-Government and Self-Determination Minister Brennan Merasty. 'It is our constitution in Section 35 rights that are being tackled and we need to address these immediately.' Merasty said the goal of the declaration is to trigger conversations with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) and the provincial government. He added traditional land use needs to be considered of value to decision makers when developing policy, and hopes the Métis Nation can be a part of the discussion. Story continues below advertisement 'How does the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan get to come in to be in this space to contribute and provide other solutions based off our traditional land users, traditional knowledge and, of course, our community relationships?' Merasty said. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The opposition NDP continues to be critical of the province's response to these wildfires. Some communities have had to plan to head as far south as Swift Current or even out of the province, an issue pressed by Athabasca MLA Leroy Laliberte. 'If there was a plan in place and if this government would have supported the local initiatives that were being brought forward, I don't think we would've been in scramble mode,' said Laliberte. In a statement, the provincial government said, 'Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC), like the SPSA, attempts to locate evacuees to the nearest communities where accommodations such as hotels are available. Unfortunately, hotels rooms may be sold-out in these communities, requiring evacuees to be located to other communities further away. Notably, Saskatchewan has accommodated evacuees from its neighbouring provinces in the past, including Manitoba this wildfire season. 'We understand the challenges faced by evacuees and organizations like MLTC facilitating these evacuation efforts and commend them for their ongoing work. 'The continuing hyper-politicization of these devastating wildfires by the NDP is disappointing, but not surprising.' For Métis Nation-Saskatchewan, the stress of uncertainty is making these matters urgent, and that by declaring a state of emergency, talks can be pushed forward. Story continues below advertisement 'We hope to trigger the conversation with the province and see how we can work at this collaboratively and bring our knowledge and expertise to the table and make these actions a reality,' Merasty said.


Toronto Sun
an hour ago
- Toronto Sun
LILLEY: Doug Ford defends sticking close to Liberal PM Mark Carney
Ford says most voters want elected officials to work together, not fight with each other. Get the latest from Brian Lilley straight to your inbox SASKATOON, SASK. - June 2, 2025 -- Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford hold a press conference after the first ministers' meeting at TCU Place. Photo taken in Saskatoon, Sask. on Monday, June 2, 2025. (Michelle Berg /Postmedia News) Damn the critics, Ontario Premier Doug Ford is defending his decision to speak in favour of new Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney. Ford says that 'some right-wing radicals' might take issue with the Premier of the country's largest province working with the just elected PM, but most voters don't see it that way, he says. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Ford hosted premiers from across the country at the Deerhurst Resort, not far from his cottage in Ontario's Muskoka region. Ford said that he and Carney, and some other premiers, stayed up around the fire until after midnight on Monday chatting about how to fix the problems of the nations. According to a couple of sources, all them were decked out in Ford Nation hoodies as they stood around the campfire. 'That's where you get the work done. You have heart-to-heart conversations one-on-one,' Ford said. 'I have a lot of respect for Prime Minister Carney, a very bright individual, a very smart business person. We share the same values. We have to run the government like a business, and we're going to get things done no matter if it's bail reform or dealing with President Trump on the trade deal.' Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Ford said that he has more confidence in the new Prime Minister than he did in the last one. That's not a comment that is unique to him; in conversations public and private, premiers such as Alberta's Danielle Smith, Saskatchewan's Scott Moe or Nova Scotia's Tim Houston have said the same. Voters who wanted Poilievre to win the last election want to blast Ford, but Carney is seen as a breath of fresh air by the premiers. Sure, the bar was lowered by Justin Trudeau so much that showing up on time for a scheduled meeting is seen as a positive, but that is where we are. Recommended video Speaking with one official at the meeting of the premiers on Tuesday, they described how Trudeau would show up 45 minutes late to meetings with the premiers, lecture them and then not pay attention to their issues. Carney is not only on time but several premiers say that he's listening to them and looking for solutions. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Ford answered those critics who said the meetings between the premiers and with the PM could have been conducted virtually over Skype or Zoom. 'It's all about relationships. Business is about relationships. Work is about relationships. And nothing's better than looking someone square in the eyes and reading them,' Ford said. There's something to be said for that, being able to see someone face to face gives you a sense of whether you can trust what they said in a way that is different than a phone call or online conference call. Premiers are also able to speak more candidly when they know that it's just them in the room and that a staffer isn't lurking in the background recording everything that is said. That matters. Asked if the meetings in Huntsville will lead to a deal or if he thinks one is possible, Ford went off on Trump signing a deal with Japan. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Industry groups representing booze makers on both sides of the border say it's time to put American products back on Canadian shelves. What say you? Sales of U.S. spirits in Canada plunge 66%, industry groups say | Toronto Sun — Brian Lilley (@brianlilley) July 22, 2025 'Let's put it in perspective, Japan buys $79 billion of products off the U.S. We buy $359 billion of products,' Ford said. 'We're their largest customer, they need to start, Donald Trump needs to start respecting his largest customer.' Ford went on to talk about onshoring production to Canada and diversifying our markets away from the United States. That last part may sound good, but history will tell you it is wishful thinking. Pierre Trudeau talked about diversifying away from the United States in the 70s and 80s and nothing came of it. Successive governments have tried, none more than Stephen Harper's government who signed trade deals with dozens of countries in trying to diversify Canada's economy. Canada now has trade deals with 51 different countries, and the majority of our exports still go to the Americans. Mark Carney likes to talk about diversifying our trade, even talks of closer ties with the European Union where 10 of 27 countries still haven't ratified our trade deal with them almost a decade after it was signed. Doug Ford clearly has a lot of faith in Mark Carney to deal with these issues; the public will only have that kind of faith in Carney if he starts delivering — and delivering soon. Sports Golf Canada Canada Toronto & GTA


Vancouver Sun
2 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
'We have to toughen up': Premiers expect Ottawa to table bail reform legislation this fall
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canadians can expect his government to table bail reform legislation in the fall, and premiers will be holding him to his word. At the closing press conference of the Council of the Federation on Wednesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who is ending his term as chair, said Carney heard from premiers that they need 'real bail reform that keeps criminals behind bars and keeps our communities safe.' 'We will be holding him accountable on bail reform,' insisted Ford. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Carney vowed in the last election, which saw the Liberals elected to a fourth term, to 'toughen the Criminal Code and make bail laws stricter for violent and organized crime, home invasions, car stealings and human trafficking,' especially for repeat offenders. The need to restrict access to bail to curb car theft and home invasions has been raised consistently by premiers and police chiefs, particularly in Ontario, but Liberals have truly made it a priority after they lost seats in the Greater Toronto Area due to crime issues. Carney spent Monday evening and part of the day Tuesday with the premiers during their summer retreat in Ontario's cottage country. He said last week bail reform would be one of the elements on the agenda and that legislation on it would be coming in the fall. Ford said Wednesday that while he has 'a great deal of respect' for Carney and believes the prime minister is going to 'get it done,' the federal government's last attempt at bail reform was 'kind of pokey-pokey' and he wants a 'full-fledged bail reform' this time around. In 2019, former Justice Minister David Lametti passed Bill C-75, which was meant to address delays in the criminal justice system and help reduce the overrepresentation of Indigenous and vulnerable populations, including people with addictions, in prisons. Three years later, Lametti passed Bill C-5, which removed mandatory minimum sentences for certain offences related to firearms and drugs, and allowed for more conditional sentences, and established alternative measures for simple drug possession offences. Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives have vowed to repeal both laws, which they say have contributed to a 'catch-and-release' bail system which lets criminals back on the streets. Lametti, a close friend of Carney since university, is now acting as his principal secretary. In an attempt to respond to the criticism, the federal government presented some amendments to the Criminal Code's bail regime, that were passed in 2024, to address serious repeat violent offenders and address risks posed by intimate partner violence. But the premiers said they want to see mandatory minimum sentences restored and much stiffer penalties for repeat offenders and criminals involved in drug trafficking. 'We have to toughen up,' said Ford. 'We can't release people the next day after they kick people's doors in, put guns to people's head, terrorize the neighbourhood, terrorize families … and then they go to some weak-kneed judge that lets them out.' 'We need mandatory sentences. You steal cars, you break into people's homes, there has to be a penalty, or they just keep repeating and repeating the offence,' Ford added. 'People are just fed up. I've never seen people more frustrated, ever.' Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe insisted on the need to 'greatly stiffen the sentence' for criminals who are bringing in 'poisonous drugs into our communities across Canada.' 'Drugs are very much the scourge of many of the social problems … that we're having,' he said Wednesday. 'It has changed over the last decade, and we need to change the Criminal Court of Canada to address the changes that we're seeing in our communities.' 'If there was a Criminal Code of Saskatchewan, we would have made those changes already,' he said. British Columbia Premier David Eby said he wants to make sure that any future bail reform from the federal government will act further to prevent intimate partner violence. 'It's been an ongoing piece of work for us, but at the end of the day, in terms of the criminal justice system, we do look to the federal government for assistance,' he said. New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt said she was 'encouraged' to hear from Carney that his government is working on that piece on legislation now and that it is 'in the works.' She said is was also her hope that legislative changes be introduced in the fall session. 'The ball is in the federal government's court.' National Post calevesque@ Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here .