'We're going to set our sights high': New Keystone Party of Manitoba officially launches

The Keystone Party of Manitoba officially launched on Friday and named its first leader.

Kevin Friesen – a local farmer and the party's first leader – kicked off the launch saying the party will put people above politicians.

"It's about time that government truly represented its grassroots members and actively engaged them in governing," said Friesen.

He said now that the party has been launched, the next steps include building its membership, developing constituency associations, and finding candidates to run in the next election.

"Members need time for their associations to select a governing body, to elect representatives to the regional level and run a candidate selection process. But then comes the keystone difference; the local association has the final word on the selection of the candidate to represent them."

He added the candidate will also report to the association, not the party and not the party leader.

Friesen said a major divide has developed in Manitoba over the past few years.

"What is really sad, is we let something as simple as a mask drive a wedge between us and those we call family and friends. We must rise above this division and get back to who we are, get back to who we were, back to being Manitobans."

Friesen said the plan is to run 57 candidates in the next election but said it is up to the constituent associations and not the party that decides this.

"It might be a bit of a pipe dream to think that we are going to form a majority government in our next (election) but we have seen some strange things over the last three years. We're going to set our sights high and we would for sure like to be an official party. That would be my goal today."

He added he would run in the constituency of Turtle Mountain if members think he is the best person to represent them.