Brian Pallister will be leaving his role as Manitoba's premier, but in the meantime, he is also leaving many questions unanswered.

Standing outside of the Dome Building in Brandon, Manitoba on Tuesday in front of media, Premier Brian Pallister is announcing he is not seeking re-election. He says is its the "right time" for his family, party, and Manitoba for him to step aside. 

"I don't think there's a better time than now for me to step aside so I make that decision today. I believe both decisions are the right ones," Pallister says.

He will be leaving the role but did not give an exact date when, saying he is leaving this position at the mid-point of the mandate, which is mid-September. He remains as premier until then. The next election in in two years.

Pallister did not say if he would continue to serve as MLA to Fort Whyte until 2023. Pallister did not say who would fill his role as Premier. Manitoba's Progressive Conservative Party will need to seek a new leader in his departure. Kelvin Goertzen is currently serving as Deputy Premier. 

Tom Wiebe, President of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba, is thanking Pallister for his service.

"In the coming days, I will convene a meeting of our party executive council to determine rules for a leadership election. As per our party constitution, the leadership election will be by all party members on a one member, one vote basis," Wiebe's statement says.

Tearing up, Pallister says "it has never ever been about doing the easy things, as you well know, but it is always been about doing the right things."

He says his government has been "scandal-free.' Pallister has recently faced serious criticisms after making and sticking by, comments on Indigenous/settler relations, among other comments and actions drawing criticism throughout the pandemic. He has recently released a statement saying he misspoke. 

Pallister says he worries about making sure he builds leaders, not having followers, and is confident in his party. The twenty-second premier says he will be spending time with his family.

He would not take questions from the media.

 

Pallister's full official statement is below:

“I have informed my caucus colleagues that I will not be seeking re-election as a member of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly.

After almost 10 years as the MLA for Fort Whyte, and more than five years as our province’s premier, I believe now is the time for a new leader and premier to take our province forward.
 
The honour of my life has been serving as your premier.
 
Manitobans have gifted me with the great privilege of leading our province with the two largest back-to-back majority governments Manitoba has seen in over a century.
 
Our team entered office facing enormous challenges from the very beginning. We charted bold new directions to fix the finances repair our services, and rebuild the economy of Manitoba.
 
We introduced the first balanced budget in 11 years, while creating the largest ongoing per person investment in health care, education, and family services of any province.
 
We did this while lowering the tax burden on every working person and family, more than any other province, to keep making life affordable for Manitobans.
 
Most important of all, we did what we said what we would do. We are a clean government with integrity. I am most proud of that.
 
Together, Manitobans faced an extraordinary challenge like no other this past year and a half of this pandemic. Our government had to make difficult, unprecedented decisions each and every day; decisions to keep people safe, protect our hospitals and the health teams who work in them, and support businesses, communities and individuals. 
 
But now, through our collective efforts, Manitoba is poised to recover stronger than ever. Our vaccination rates lead the country. Our job growth leads the country. Today, Manitoba is incredibly well-positioned to springboard into a stronger economic future with even greater social progress. 
 
That is why I believe this is the right time for me personally to turn the page and allow a new leader and premier to go that next step and lead Manitoba into a new chapter of progress.
 
I have been honoured and proud to serve with a dedicated team in government.
 
I am incredibly optimistic about our future as a province.
 
I want to thank the people of Portage la Prairie who gave me my start in politics almost 30 years ago, and the people of south-central Manitoba who chose me three times as their Member of Parliament.
 
I want to thank the fine people of Fort Whyte who elected me three times as their MLA.
 
I got into politics to fight for the survival of my community when it was facing severe economic challenges.
 
This has been the guiding principle of all my time in public life: to fight against the things that make life worse for people, and fight for the things that make life better for people.
 
For me, it has never been about doing the easy things. It was always about doing the right things.
 
That is how I endeavoured to serve as Manitoba’s 22nd premier.
 
I have served in public life almost continuously since 1992. It was a difficult decision we made then to enter public life when we had just been blessed with our first child. And it is a difficult decision we are making to leave public life, especially where there is always so much more to do.
 
But both were the right decisions. Then and now.
 
But now, it is time to move on and spend that extra precious time I missed over many years, with my family.
 
I want to thank Esther, Quinn and Shawn for their love and support each day, over all these years.
 
To every Manitoban, I wish you the very best in all you aspire to be. Your hopes and dreams will always be close to me.
 
I love Manitoba. I love Canada. We live in a country and province of endless opportunities.
 
That is why I say to you: the only thing better than today in Manitoba, is tomorrow in Manitoba. Thank you.”

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