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.
Stuart Murray What do you think of Manitoba's coming Canadian Museum for Human Rights? Many critics think it involves too much taxpayer money, but it is a Crown corporation. It is also the first national museum outside Ottawa, and has received considerable support from the Harper government, which will even pay the yearly operating costs of nearly $22 million. The museum also has considerable support in Manitoba, with the provincial government, the City of Winnipeg, native organizations and many wealthy individuals contributing a lot of cash to make it happen. The feds have the first say in who will be CEO. They selected former Manitoba PC leader Stuart Murray. This comes on the heels of the selection of Gary Doer as Ambassador to the US, so there was little criticism from the NDP and Liberals over Ottawa's choice. There was a lot of support from community leaders, even though Stuart's human rights record is thin. Seven years ago, Murray and his caucus voted against an NDP bill that gave homosexuals the right to adopt and other rights. Although Stuart personally supported the rights of gays and lesbians, his caucus did not, and it would have been political suicide for him as leader to oppose his own party. Many homosexual leaders and their supporters were upset at Murray's appointment, and even made headlines with their opposition, basing it mainly on his vote in 2002. But they really have no reason to be upset, as Stuart will certainly meet with them and be very fair. Murray, who did not seek this appointment but was approached about it only two weeks prior, is a decent person whom I have known for many years, even before he became PC leader. He was always active in the Conservative party, but not as a mover and shaker. Stuart was heavily involved in the arts and business, and was head of the Domo gas organization established by his father-in-law. He became better known when he chaired the World Junior hockey championships in Winnipeg, and to a lot of people's surprise was acclaimed PC leader in 2000. Stuart had never run for office, but when the leadership contest was announced, he called me and asked for my support. I was supporting Darren Prazniuk, a former Filmon cabinet minister, and told him so. I also mentioned that I was surprised he was running, but he was determined and had a lot of support. The rules and the upfront money needed made Prazniuk drop out, and Stuart became head of a badly fractured party. He tried his best, and I found him to be a good leader. But after losing the next election to Doer, he was not given another chance. At the leadership review vote in 2005, I voted for him, but there were only 55 per cent of us behind him. He resigned, leaving his Kirkfield Park seat the next year to become president and CEO of the St. Boniface Hospital and Research Foundation, where he did a great job, even convincing his in-laws to make a $1 million-plus donation. In his new role as a different CEO, with a more difficult job, Murray brings his business and political experience, plus his friendly personality. He should do well. Good luck, Stuart! Other things? How about political scandals? In the 1999 election, the Filmon team was plagued by a vote-rigging scandal engineered by trusted employees. With the public inquiry resulting in several resignations, Filmon was never believed in the '99 campaign, even though his economic plan was sound and, as it turned out, could have been very successful. Recently it was revealed that after the '99 campaign, the NDP had used cheque swaps and falsified 14 election statements, claiming expenses they never had. The party got an illegal rebate of $76,000, which three years later, when it was declared illegal, they were allowed to pay back with no penalties or disclosure. The auditor who uncovered the scheme was fired. The PCs are claiming now that the rebate scheme was a common practice for the NDP in previous elections but they were never investigated , and the illegal rebates have never been returned. The PCs, a former NDP official agent, the Liberals, a constitutional law professor and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation are all calling for a public inquiry, which the NDP is refusing. Could this have been one of the reasons Doer left office? What goes around, comes around. This will certainly be an issue in the next provincial election. Roger's Right Corner runs Wednesdays.
