Flin Flon MLA Clarence Pettersen admits holding onto the NDP nomination could be difficult as party members prepare to choose between him and a union-endorsed challenger.
Flin Flon NDP Association members start casting ballots this week in a nomination race that pits the first-term incumbent against retired union health and safety representative Tom Lindsey.
“Definitely it could be tough,” Pettersen said. “I’m in it to win, of course, and we’ll just take it one day at a time.”
Pettersen said the system is a democracy that allows challengers, but added that in many ways he did not expect the nomination to be disputed.
He said some unionized party supporters felt he should have backed Thompson MLA Steve Ashton in the NDP leadership campaign earlier this year. He instead endorsed Winnipeg MLA Theresa Oswald.
Pettersen faced further criticism from some party members over his decision to publicly call on Premier Greg Selinger to resign. Selinger went on to win the NDP leadership race and remain premier.
Pettersen said he is proud of his record as MLA, which he said includes over $150 million in ongoing or planned infrastructure projects for the riding since he was elected in 2011.
He said the past year has been “a tough year” for him with a couple of cancer operations and a bout of pneumonia, so he has not sold as many party memberships as he would have liked.
Pettersen said he thinks Lindsey has sold more memberships than him but agreed that the seller of a membership is not assured the buyer’s endorsement.
Pettersen, a retired teacher, acknowledged the NDP is not polling well and said he is confident he can again win the Flin Flon constituency.
“If people feel that Tom can win this constituency, then I guess vote for him,” he said. “But if you feel that I have a better chance of winning, well then vote for me.
Lindsey, naturally, prefers the first option.
“I believe I’m a better candidate than Clarence is for the NDP,” said Lindsey. “I’m not going to say anything bad about Clarence. He’s done the job as he thought it needed to be done. I believe I’ll do it a little differently because I have a strong background in representing people and people of the North.”
Lindsey’s resume includes time as the health and safety representative for USW Local 7106, the largest union at Hudbay.
He said he has experience representing working people throughout the province through the Manitoba Federation of Labour and his involvement with a provincial advisory committee on mine regulations, among other initiatives.
Lindsey also mentioned his time on a community advisory committee that oversaw a study on potential health impacts of smelter-borne metals in the Flin Flon area.
“What [this experience] does, I believe, is gives me experience representing people, and really that’s what the MLA does, he represents people of the riding,” he said. “So I understand representing people and making sure that their concerns and voices are heard in the bigger picture.”
Lindsey said he has received a “very positive” response while out door-knocking and meeting voters.
“There’s lots of people [who] have ideas out there, so it’s even more than just me telling people what my bright ideas are – it’s listening to what their bright ideas are,” he said. “And lots of people have ideas, not just complaints.”
Lindsey’s campaign has the endorsement of USW Local 7106.
“Tom has a proven track record in looking after not just our members’ issues, but looking out for interest of communities as well,” said Tom Davie, president of the union.
The NDP plans to mail out ballots to party members today, Wednesday. Party headquarters must receive the ballots back by Dec. 10. On Dec. 11, the votes will be tabulated and announced.
