WINNIPEG -- Manitoba's Progressive Conservative government gave little indication Monday on how soon it would call a byelection and provide the first test of Tory popularity since the party's decisive electoral victory last April.
Kevin Chief, arguably the most popular member of the Opposition NDP caucus, formally resigned his Point Douglas legislature seat Monday, almost four weeks after announcing his plan to leave politics and spend more time with his family.
Premier Brian Pallister would not commit to calling a byelection in time to fill the seat before the legislature resumes March 1. He would only say the vote will be held sometime within six months, as required under law.
"The constituents of Point Douglas can be assured their voices will be heard and respected with a byelection held within six months," Pallister said in an emailed statement.
The government used to have up to one year to fill a vacant seat, and the former NDP government took almost a full year to fill ridings such as Morris in 2014 and The Pas in 2015. Pallister's government passed a law to reduce the maximum to six months shortly after taking office.
Point Douglas, a low-income area in inner-city Winnipeg, has only voted NDP. It was held for 21 years by former legislature speaker George Hickes before he resigned and Chief replaced him in 2011. Chief easily retained the seat in last year's election, even as other NDP strongholds such as Thompson and Brandon East swung to the Tories.
Chief, who developed a strong reputation for staying in touch with his constituents, scored the highest popular vote percentage of any New Democrat at 58 per cent. He garnered almost three times as many votes as his closest competitor, Liberal Althea Guiboche.
The Tories ran a candidate who lived in Brandon, Marsha Street, who finished third close behind Guiboche.
