Manitoba Liberal Party wins 3 seats, but loses official party status

The Manitoba Liberalssecured three seats in Tuesday's provincial election one short of the number needed to maintain official party status in the legislature.

"We ran a campaign we can be proud of and we can hold our heads high," Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said in a speech to supporters Tuesday night as results came in.

"You can put in the best work of your life, and sometimes that's not enough. That's life, and that's politics."

Brian Pallister's Progressive Conservatives will form their second consecutive majority government.

Dougald Lamont speaks to supporters:

'You can put in the best work of your life, and sometimes that's not enough'

5 years ago

Duration 3:16

Manitoba Liberal leader Dougald Lamont will hold his seat in Winnipeg's St. Boniface riding.

The Manitoba Liberals entered this election with four seats enoughforparty status. The party won three seats in the 2016 provincial election, but Lamont picked up the St. Bonifaceseat for the party in a 2018 byelection.

Official party statusbrings funding, research staff, and a guaranteed presence in question period and on committees.

• See theManitoba election results here

Lamont held on to his seat, defeating theNDP'sLaurissa Sims, PC candidate Megan Hoskins, Green candidate Jaclyn Jeansonand Manitoba Forward candidate Simone Fortier in St. Boniface.

In another Liberal stronghold, River Heights incumbent Jon Gerrard held on to his seat for the Liberals, defeatingSusan Boulter of the PCs, New Democrat Jonathan Niemczakand Green candidate Nathan Zahn.

Cindy Lamoureux, who won theBurrows seat for the Liberals in 2016, ran this time inTyndall Park, where she won.

The Liberals lost their only seat in northern Manitoba, though, whenJudy Klassenwho wonKeewatinook for the party in 2016leftprovincial politics to run in the upcoming federal election for with theLiberals in Churchill-Keewatinook Aski.

That seat went to NDPcandidateIan Bushie, who took an early lead over Liberal Jason Harper and PC candidate Arnold Flett.

The Manitoba Liberal platform

In the lead up to the election, the provincial Liberals pledged $1.4 billion in annual spending in the first year to repair services neglected by previous governments.

The Liberalleader suggested Sundaynew initiatives under his leadership, such as increasedhealth care spending, road work and child care, would push the economy's growth rate higher than1.5 per cent a year.

Lamont said the party wouldspend $1.084 billion more thancurrent spending on infrastructure, a minimum income for Manitobans and new capital for businesses and entrepreneurs.

The Liberals said they wouldearmark $20.8 million to fight the ongoing meth crisis. Itpeggedthe cost of an addictions hotline at$2.5 million the first year,$9.2 million to reinstate the special drugs program, and $45 million to build more seniors' housing units.

In the platform, the party also pledgedto spend$20 million per year to address climate change and make Manitoba carbon neutral by 2030. In the next fiscal year, the party vows$10 million in 2020-21 to upgrade sewage treatment facilities in Winnipeg, and a commitment to restore the 50-50 funding agreement with transit systems.