Transcona’s city councillor has his eyes on Ottawa.
On Friday, Russ Wyatt posed a question to constituents on Facebook: should he run for the open MP seat in Elmwood-Transcona?
Daniel Blaikie vacated the position in February, taking on the role of senior adviser to Premier Wab Kinew. The federal government has yet to announce a byelection date.
MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES
Coun. Russ Wyatt (Transcona) is considering a bid for federal politics for either the NDP or Conservatives.
Wyatt became Transcona’s city councillor in 2022. He first served in the city hall role from 2002 through 2018. He’s now weighing whether he should pursue politics at the federal level for either the Conservatives or the New Democrats.
He didn’t express worry over being perceived as “wishy washy,” despite one Facebook user’s comment.
“I think I’m being quite honest,” said Wyatt, 54. “I wanted to be a little more open and frank with residents in terms of my thinking, in terms of the two parties.”
In his Facebook post, Wyatt detailed his feelings about the federal parties — he likes the NDP’s domestic policies but believes they’ve been affected by “WOKE nonsense.” He aligns with the Conservatives’ international views and foreign policy.
Either way, he plans to decide if he’ll pursue federal politics by Monday, he said, adding he’ll share his decision on Facebook.
“I wanted to hear the feedback,” Wyatt explained. “I felt (this) was a democratic way to do it.”
By Saturday evening, he’d received mixed reviews. Some constituents called for him to remain a city councillor; others said they’d vote for him federally.
Many decried his musings of becoming an NDP or a Conservative politician.
Transcona is typically a safe riding for the NDP, noted Christopher Adams, a political commentator and the rector of St. Paul’s College at the University of Manitoba.
The open seat will likely draw many prominent NDP and Conservative players, Adams forecasted.
Lawrence Toet was MP for Elmwood-Transcona from 2011 to 2015. He lost to Blaikie in 2015 by 61 votes. Toet is again door-knocking in the area, said Adams, who lives in Transcona.
Even if Wyatt decides to try federal politics, there is no guarantee he’ll be nominated, Adams said. Card-carrying party members must vote for a candidate before they run for an election.
“Russ Wyatt represents what he wants to represent — he’s never towed a party line,” Adams said. “He really is a maverick.”
Political parties require their elected officials to follow the leader and policies of the group, Adams continued. During a federal election, speaking off script is a “liability.”
“Russ Wyatt — he’s been his own politician for so long, I just can’t see it happening, to be honest,” said Royce Koop, a University of Manitoba political studies professor. “He’s used to doing his own thing.”
Still, Wyatt is popular and draws people to the ballot box, both Adams and Koop said.
“If there’s an open nomination contest for either party, I would say he’s in a strong position to win it,” Koop said.
Historically, New Democrat members vote for people who’ve spent time in the party. Conservatives are more likely to recruit their elected officials, Koop said.
The two parties may seem incredibly different, but the choice between the two makes sense to Koop — those are the area’s two competitors. Transcona has grown its suburbia, which is typically Conservative, Adams added.
Both political studies professors called it uncommon for a politician to publicize their ruminations about running, especially without one political party nailed down.
Wyatt said people, including him, don’t agree on everything within a party. He’s searching for the group aligning most with his values.
“I believe politics without principles is basically a sin,” Wyatt said. “I have my own core… principles as a Canadian.”
Those principles emphasize community, he noted.
Wyatt plans to remain a city councillor unless he pursues federal politics and is nominated by a party.
gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com
Gabrielle Piché
Reporter
Gabby is a big fan of people, writing and learning. She graduated from Red River College’s Creative Communications program in the spring of 2020.