The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Manitoba's Tories hope a politically-savvy lawyer and champion curler can lead the party to better fortunes. Over the weekend, the Official Opposition chose rookie MLA Hugh McFadyen, 38, as its new leader. "It's been a long campaign," McFadyen was quoted as saying by the Winnipeg Free Press. "We worked very hard. I think our party has come out of this very strong." As expected, McFadyen Ð who replaces outgoing leader Stuart Murray Ð won the membership vote handily. He received two-thirds of all ballots, with Springfield MLA Ron Schuler and former Neepawa mayor Ken Waddell a distant second and third. According to the Free Press, McFadyen has worked as a lawyer in London, a senior political advisor to Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz, and as chief of staff to former premier Gary Filmon. In addition, he was a world junior silver medallist curler and Olympic trials qualifier, the newspaper reported. The Progressive Conservatives currently hold 20 of the province's 57 seats. The governing NDP hold 35 while the Liberals have two.
