Vandal signs on to help Lamont in St. B

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This article was published 18/04/2018 (2192 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MANITOBA Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont is getting some high-profile help as he seeks a seat in the provincial legislature in the forthcoming St. Boniface byelection.

Dan Vandal, member of Parliament for Saint Boniface-Saint Vital, said he will serve as Lamont’s honorary co-chairman, provide “strategic advice” to the Lamont campaign and help out with door-knocking (as his schedule allows).

“(Lamont) brings intelligence (and) common-sense leadership. He’s bilingual, and I think he’ll be a fine rep for St. Boniface,” Vandal said of Lamont, who was elected the provincial party leader last fall.

The St. Boniface constituency has been without an MLA since former NDP premier Greg Selinger resigned his seat in March. Premier Brian Pallister has yet to call a byelection, but according to provincial law, he must do so by July 31. If he waits until then, the byelection would be held Aug. 28.

The Liberals will hold their nomination meeting April 26. Lamont is, so far, the only declared candidate.

A byelection win would give the Grits four seats — and official party status — in the Manitoba legislature. With party status comes more funding for staff at the legislature and the ability to ask more questions in the house.

Two candidates are in the running for the NDP nomination in St. Boniface: Lauralee Gooding and Blandine Tona. (Simon Normandeau recently withdrew his candidacy.) The NDP is holding its nomination meeting April 29.

Mamadou Ka, who lost to Selinger in St. Boniface in the 2016 election, has expressed interest in representing the Progressive Conservatives once again. The PCs have yet to announce a nomination meeting date.