Former Blue Bombers squaring off in Manitoba provincial election

A political rematch is taking place in a suburban Winnipeg constituency between two former Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

“It is this riding that has a couple really interesting characters that are pretty well known to a lot of Winnipeggers,” said Mary Agnes Welch with Probe Research.

The race in Fort Whyte is seen as a battle pitting PC candidate Obby Khan against Liberal candidate Willard Reaves.

“It’s time to do it. It’s time to start representing the people,” Reaves said.

Khan is the incumbent. He won a March 2022 byelection, which was called after former Premier Brian Pallister departed.

Khan is confident he can make it two in a row, in part because of the time he’s spent as an MLA.

“Eighteen months working in the community, working with community centres, getting funding into our riding and I am making Fort Whyte better,” he said.

That byelection was no runaway for Khan in the Tory stronghold.

Reaves came second and was within 197 votes. He has lived in the constituency for 38 years.

“He’s been living in the riding for four years. The only thing he had going for him is the name of the PC Party. This is a PC stronghold, but people are getting fed up,” Reaves said.

However, Welch says Khan will likely fair better this time around.

She said byelection results don’t always translate to general elections, adding that Liberals are down in the polls and Khan is the incumbent who the Tories have placed a large spotlight on during the campaign.

“I think Obby Khan doesn’t have a ton to worry about and that’s why you’ve seen him be the face of a lot of the central campaign messaging,” Welch said.

Khan is taking nothing for granted.

“You take anything for granted what happens in any aspect of life, whether it be football or politics, you lose,” he said. “So we’re working hard.”

Reaves said not to count him out.

“I go face-to-face talking to people, I don’t hire people to go and knock on doors for me, I do it myself. This is my second time around,” he said.

Trudy Schroeder is also running in the riding as the NDP candidate.