Early election coming? Manitobans don't want campaign during province's 150th birthday party, Pallister says

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister hinted once againon Friday he will call an election a year earlier than he has toand he suggested Manitobans would rather celebrate next year than go to the polls.

At a brand launch event ahead of the province's 150th birthday next year,Pallisterwas asked about campaigning in the midst of 2020 celebrations.

"I've actually had a lot of Manitobans tell me they don't want us to combine political stuff with our party, so I've heard from Manitobans already that they would prefer that 2020 was the year we celebrate something other than politics, that we celebrate something that unites us, doesn'tnecessarily divide us,"he told reporters during the launch at The Met in downtown Winnipeg Friday afternoon.

Pallister didn't explicitly say that means the election will be called this year, but notedthat he's heard the feedback.

"I think it's a great idea to put our province ahead of politics," he said.

The premier added that he expectsto hear from Manitobansagainst the idea of an early election, too.

'United in celebration' for Manitoba's 150th

Manitoba has a fixed election date of Oct. 6, 2020, but Pallister hasn't ruled out an election earlier than that. He's previously describedthe 2020legislated deadline to drop the writas nothing more than a "drop-dead date."

Pallistersaid Friday thatdiscussing whether an election might happen in 2019 is simply "spec-election," a term he's floatedoften when media hasquestioned him about the next election date.

He said his energies are focused on the threat of flooding in theRed River Valley and passing his party's legislative agenda.

The premier was at the event where the logo, theme and website were unveiled by the Manitoba 150 host committee, led by former Manitoba Progressive Conservative Party leaderStuart Murray.

The theme for the 150th birthday events will be "united in celebration," Murray said.

Events will focus on "commemorating Manitoba's past, celebratingthe present, and looking forward to Manitoba's future, while also honouring the thousands ofyears that First Nations have called this land their traditional territories and the hundreds of years that the Mtis have called Manitoba home," he said in a release.

Celebrations will include a community foundation legacy program, a concertand a community caravan that will range across the province, with up to$5 million in funding from the Manitoba government.

The province was created by the Manitoba Act, whichreceived royal assent on May 12, 1870.

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