SUN EXCLUSIVE: Lazy Bear owner enters Tory leadership race, because party ‘has lost its way’

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A Churchill adventure tourism business owner known for Arctic crawler ATVs, a hand-built guest lodge and a multimillion-dollar sightseeing boat, is once again pivoting from polar bears to political candidacy.

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Longtime conservative and Churchill riding candidate Wally Daudrich, owner of Lazy Bear Expeditions, has entered the Manitoba Progressive Conservative Party leadership race. He joins Fort Whyte MLA Obby Kahn.

“Freedom,” said Daudrich when asked why he wants to run. “The PC party has lost its way and has become the de facto Liberal party of Manitoba.”

Government should be as efficient as possible, said Daudrich, who has spoken to the Winnipeg Sun in the past about running a successful northern business with dozens of employees and millions of dollars in annual expenses.

“A wasted government dollar is a wasted opportunity,” he said. “The less government the better.”

When asked about improving health-care system access and wait times, Daudrich said if he becomes premier he would reduce waste. He plans to tap party membership for ideas instead of applying top-down prescriptions to solve problems.

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“I believe there is wisdom in a multitude of councillors,” he said. “That’s a Biblical admonition, but it’s applicable to everyone.”

As far as revitalizing the PC party, Daudrich said he is interested in building unity. He is stepping down from the party board of directors and is making arrangements for operating his business to run for the leadership.

“I have lived in almost every region of Manitoba,” he said, mentioning his training in theology.

On the crime file, Daudrich said he takes the matter seriously. He is upset by recent arsons in and around Thompson. He is very concerned about crime in Winnipeg and how mental illness exacerbates social problems.

“That goes back to the rank and file members, of which I have been,” he said, noting Manitoba needs to build a large jail to keep serial perpetrators off the street. “We are a vehicle to the solutions.”

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Daudrich said the provincial government, as in institution, has overextended itself and is doing a “lousy job.” He said he has a cynical view of government.

“What I’ve seen in the past few decades, maybe with a few exceptions, is that I would rather be ruled by the first 10 people in the phone book than some of the leadership we’ve had,” he said. “In my business, I always listen to my clients.”

Daudrich doubled down on the idea of cultivating party unity. He views the Manitoba PC party as a bus travelling down the road with a dysfunctional operator.

“We would stop at the bus stop, but when people are ready to get on, somebody hammered on the gas and left those people behind,” he said, adding the party is composed of farmers, ranchers, miners, business people, health-care workers, union members, and “big money — major players” in Winnipeg. “Let’s go back and pick up those (ordinary) people.”

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Daudrich said he is disappointed with how former PC leadership candidate Shelly Glover was allegedly treated in her run against Heather Stephenson — who became premier by 363 votes in 2021. Some members of the party allege Glover was thwarted in her effort through vote counting and other irregularities.

“I was there,” said Daudrich of party election night at a Winnipeg hotel. “And as soon as those people came out of the lobby from where the counting was happening I heard all the stories — from three different corroborating sources.

“But, you know what else? I am very loyal. I am with this party and I want to see this party succeed and become the next government here in Manitoba.”

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