Obby Khan could be a good leader for the Progressive Conservative party of Manitoba.
Given his retail political skill set, the Fort Whyte MLA might even be a great leader for a party that desperately needs inspirational, competent leadership.
But before Khan can save the PC party from a decade or more in opposition, he’s going to have to resolve his role in the 2023 general election campaign.
RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS FILES
Obby Khan was the poster boy for the Tories’ pledge to enhance parental rights.
Khan was a central figure in the Tory pledge to enhance “parental rights,” a term that is thinly veiled code for a toxic anti-LGBTTQ+ movement. Khan was literally the poster boy for the party’s pledge to enhance parental rights, as he was featured in all kinds of campaign ads.
Parental rights, and the party’s decision to proudly campaign on not using taxpayer money to search the Prairie Green Landfill for the bodies of murdered Indigenous women, made this among the most toxic political campaigns in Canadian history.
History will show the Tories got thrashed in the election. Since then, party executives and other current and former members of the PC caucus have apologized for both campaign policies.
Khan, however, has steered well clear of expressing any kind of regret.
One might think that throwing his hat in the ring for the leadership would be a perfect opportunity to have his say on last fall’s controversial campaign, and move concerns about his role in it from “active interest” to “asked and answered.”
However, even as he was doing the rounds of news organizations to publicize his leadership bid this week, he declined to talk more about last fall’s election campaign and his controversial role in it.
“I will be addressing those as we go forward,” Khan told The Canadian Press. “I think right now, the focus is on working and looking forward on how we can bring ideas (and) energy to a new generation of Manitobans.”
A request for an interview with Khan Wednesday was declined by his campaign.
It should be noted that Khan has had other opportunities prior to his leadership announcement to set the record straight.
In the spring, NDP MLA Logan Oxenham — who identifies as transgender — introduced a private member’s bill to declare March 31 a day to recognize two-spirit and transgender Manitobans as part of the International Transgender Day of Visibility.
When the voting was over, nine Tories voted in favour of the bill. However, four PC MLAs voted against and an alarming eight attended and abstained, or were not in attendance and were recorded as abstained. Those abstentions fuelled concern the PCs were still the party of parental rights.
Khan was among those not in attendance.
In preparation for a column about the Tory record on that vote, I tried to interview him. He declined, but shared some thoughts via email.
Khan claimed he could not attend or vote by video link (a thing since the pandemic first arrived) because he was at a doctor’s appointment. Khan then said if he had been in attendance, he would have voted in favour of Oxenham’s bill.
But he also said more, claiming that he had “made his position clear in the past” on LGBTTQ+ issues.
“I will continue to advocate for equal rights for everyone. A day of recognition for two-spirit and transgender Manitobans that is aligned with and exists alongside federal and international days of recognition is a good thing and I support that,” he said.
“All Manitobans have equal rights to be safe, cared for, respected and valued. I support the inclusion and dignity of two-spirit and transgender Manitobans that was laid out in Bill 208.”
Notwithstanding those assertions, Khan’s support for the LGBTTQ+ community isn’t easily confirmed.
After he was unveiled as the Tory poster boy for parental rights, Khan consistently refused to answer questions about whether his party would remove rights and protections from transgendered youth as the “parental-rights” movement seeks.
There was also nothing in Hansard showing that Khan participated in debate over Oxenham’s bill or question period. The latter is notable because NDP MLAs and cabinet ministers — realizing that Khan was potential leadership material — repeatedly tried to goad him into apologizing and disowning the parental-rights movement.
Khan has attended past Pride Day celebrations and, in June, expressed his support for this year’s edition in an Instagram post with language nearly identical to the email he sent to me. (It’s worth noting that he was pilloried in the comments section for claiming to support Pride right after skipping the vote on the Oxenham bill.)
However, what he has not done is fully explain his role in last year’s campaign messaging or apologize to anyone for carrying the parental-rights banner into the election.
It is often said that serving as the leader of the Official Opposition is tantamount to applying for the job of premier. If that’s the case, and Khan wins the Tory leadership, then Manitobans have a right to know which Obby they might be voting for.
Is he “parental-rights” Obby, or “I support the inclusion and dignity of two-spirit and transgender Manitobans” Obby?
He certainly can’t be both.
dan.lett@winnipegfreepress.com
Dan Lett
Columnist
Dan Lett is a columnist for the Free Press, providing opinion and commentary on politics in Winnipeg and beyond. Born and raised in Toronto, Dan joined the Free Press in 1986. Read more about Dan.
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