Manitoba's newest political party right-of-centre setting sights on next election

The Manitoba Legislature in Winnipeg. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

A new party on Manitoba's political playing field is identifying itself as a grassroots right-of-centre party.

Kevin Friesen is the interim leader of the Keystone Party of Manitoba, which is looking to register with Elections Canada as an official party and have candidates running in the next provincial election.

He said the party differentiates itself from other parties due to its 'bottom-up' model

"This is a true grassroots party where the membership actually is going to say what this party is about," Friesen said.

"What this really does, we think, is creates a totally prolific new attitude and leadership, and perhaps it changes the whole way that a premier or leader of an opposition or even leader of a party is to lead his or her team in Parliament."

Friesen said while the party is not against vaccines, it is against vaccine mandates.

He said on the political spectrum, the party falls right-of-centre.

"I guess we feel that a lot of the parties in Manitoba are so far left that we can't see them anymore," he said. "I would say we're further right than the parties you see right now, but we're a centre party."

According to Elections Manitoba, parties that do not hold seats in the legislature before an election must submit a petition signed by at least 2,500 people who were eligible to vote in the most recent general election.

Once registered with Elections Canada, Friesen said it will be up to the party members to choose a leader.

-With files from CTV News Winnipeg's Michael D'Alimonte.