Kevin Klein Makes Second Run For Mayor

In the last civic election for an open seat for mayor, the race attracted a number of politicians with experience to the job, including present Mayor Scott Gillingham who had been a long time councillor in Winnipeg. That was 2022. One of the candidates to run back then was former city councillor, former Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Kevin Klein. 

Fresh off a loss from the defeat that swept nearly every PC from the city of Winnipeg with Wab Kinew's majority victory, he probably thought his record in city and provincial politics would be welcome in city hall as a counter other governments. He finished third. Glen Murray, the former mayor of Winnipeg and provincial politician in Ontario finished second. 

Party politics affiliation is not a thing. The NDP used to run way back with somewhat of a banner but most people in the city don't want it. That is not to say that political leanings are not relevant. While there have been left wing politicians elected to council, there has never really been a full left wing mayor. Over the decades the mayors job has been won by supporters of Liberals and Progressive Conservatives. So not surprisingly, the 2022 election had two conservatives and one liberal at the top and one progressive trailing.

The mayors race attracts perennial candidates. Some of the people seem to be there to pump their tires every four years. They don't seem to run for other elected offices...only the mayor's office will do. There is nothing wrong with that. Nick Ternette used to run as a protest candidate but he also was an activist in every living moment of his life. Being active in politics every four years is not generally going to get you into office.

There are some people who live very public lives in business, community and politics. It isn't a recipe for electoral success but is a good basis for an electoral run. On this account, Kevin Klein has stayed in the public eye. Following the election, he purchased the Winnipeg Sun and two other newspapers from PostMedia when certainly they would have been closed by that American owned company. To that end, I commend him.

I have written how important local ownership is for media and what is good about the Sun and what is bad. I have repeatedly said how important sports is to the heart of the community. It is a unifier in a way that few things are. If you cover the Jets and Bombers independently, you will find an audience. The Sun also has a local journalism initiative reporter to cover local news. That's the Trudeau program for reporters which might be a good question for Klein running. 

Klein has gathered pretty much every conservative in Manitoba for his editorial content. It is his paper, his ink so he can do what he wants with his paper. But it will generate interest in how he would be as mayor with Wab Kinew as premier and Mark Carney as prime minister. He has advocated for deals with the U.S. on trade but what does he bring to the table with inter-governmental relationships? The big question will be on business. When Michael Bloomberg ran for mayor and won in New York, he put his substantial business in a blind trust.

In interviews, Klein has said he waited to announce because he was assessing a health care issue. Having determined it would not impede, he announced his candidacy. This may come up as an issue again. He would not be the first elected official to die in office who may have had underlying health issues. One councillor passed away since the last election. His health condition prior was a mystery.

The strength of incumbency cannot be denied. The last mayor to be defeated in office was in 1956 when Winnipeg was not nearly as big nor covered areas such as St. Boniface, St. James and Transcona. Mayor races are largely decided in heavier turnout areas like River Heights. They tend to like their candidates moderate. Probably doesn't make PCs or NDP very happy.

It will be quite the campaign to convince voters in places like River Heights who to vote for in the next election. However, they probably won't go for a firebrand of either the right or the left.