Ashton all smiles despite losing bid for premier

RECORD PHOTO BY AUSTIN GRABISH

Former Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Steve Ashton lost his bid to be premier, but wasn’t dwelling on the loss while talking to reporters just minutes after the announcement was made.

By Austin Grabish, The Selkirk Record
 

He may have come in last at the NDP’s leadership race, but Steve Ashton could have easily influenced the more than 500 delegates who were originally behind him and left at the helm of choosing Manitoba’s next premier.

But the former infrastructure and transportation minister told delegates who voted for him to sway with whoever they thought would be the best for the troubled party.

Ashton lost his bid to be premier after the first ballot at the NDP leadership convention in Winnipeg on Sunday.

He garnered just 502 votes while Theresa Oswald took in 575; Premier Greg Selinger finished in the lead with 612 votes.

Selinger’s win was a close call to say the least. He had a slim 33-vote win in the second ballot.

He was up against former Jobs and Economy Minister Theresa Oswald.

But not all of the 502 delegates who voted for Ashton in the first ballot participated in the second round of voting leaving questions as to who did and did not vote.

In total the second ballot was short 209 votes meaning many delegates either left the convention after Ashton fell short or they watched from the sidelines and did not vote.

It is also possible errors were made on mail-in ballots.

But only five ballots were considered spoiled in the second round of voting.

Ashton wasn’t dwelling on the loss when speaking to reporters just moments after the news of the fist ballot arrived.

The MLA for Thompson has lost a leadership race before. He fought against Selinger in the NDP’s 2009 leadership race.

He said he was shooting for gold but got bronze this time.

“But you know what it felt good to be able to have the opportunity to talk to people across the province and there’s one thing I hope that our campaign’s done -- that is start the process of healing within the party. Start the process of uniting the party,” Ashton said.

The former high-ranking minister said he never once spoke negatively about either Selinger or Oswald during the leadership race.

Ashton wasn’t part of the gang of five who publicly called on Selinger to resign last year and he told delegates he keeps party matters internal.

But Ashton campaigned rigorously against Selinger and Oswald in recent months.

The New Democrat who joined the party when he was just 17-years-old told delegates the NDP needs to be reunited and fast.

"We gotta reconnect with Manitobans,” Ashton said.

He promised to bring back the seven MLAs who have been ousted from provincial caucus, and said although delegates on the floor may be wearing different shirts they would come out united.

"We are the party that wants to change the world for the better,” Ashton said.

-- First published in the Selkirk Record print edition March 12, 2015 p.12