Newspaperman may be MLA next year
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, April 29, 2015
By Marcie Harrison
Crossroads This Week
At a well-attended nomination meeting held at Strathclair Arena on Saturday, April 25, Shoal Lake businessman Greg Nesbitt was elected as the candidate for the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba in Riding Mountain for next year’s provincial election. Nesbitt, who has published newspapers in the area since 1977, defeated Rob Gillan of Onanole and Duane Klimack of Silverton.
A total of 1,634 party members were eligible to vote for who they wanted to represent the PC party in the election, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 19, 2016. Current MLA Leanne Rowat announced last fall that she would not seek re-election.
In his acceptance speech, Nesbitt paid tribute to his team of supporters who worked alongside him since day one of his campaign.
“A person can’t win a nomination like this without a team, and my team has been so dedicated and so helpful since the day I announced my candidacy.”
He also congratulated his two opponents on their effort.
“First of all I want to congratulate Duane and Rob on their campaigns. They both worked hard and like me, believe in the Progressive Conservative goals for Manitoba.”
Nesbitt’s speech dealt with fiscal responsibility, economic development, health care, government red tape and the higher PST and income tax rates in Manitoba compared to Saskatchewan.
“There’s no substitute for hard work and common sense,” he said. “It’s small businesses, family farms – people like you and me taking the initiative to get things done - that built this great province.”
Nesbitt said it’s this hard-working, get-it-done attitude that a Progressive Conservative government will bring to Manitoba.
“In the words of [PC leader] Brian Pallister, ‘A change is coming in Manitoba,’ and I certainly want to be part of the Pallister team to help effect that change for the good of all Manitobans.”
Pallister addressed party members while the votes were being counted. He reinforced the need to work together to return the party to power after 16 years of NDP rule in the province.
