Manitoba political staffer reaches out to LGBT in NDP leadership race

Manitoba political staffer Rachel Morgan has reached out to the provinces LGBT community, urging them to get NDP memberships ahead of a leadership race.

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MLAs Theresa Oswald and Steve Ashton are taking on current Premier Greg Selinger to lead the provincial NDP party, and Morgan petitioned the LGBT community to get a membership and vote for Oswald.

In a portion of the email, Morgan wrote:

"Ive never asked anyone to join the party before and I only do so now because its so terribly important. Please believe me when I say, Im uncomfortable asking friends to join a political party. I prefer to keep politics out of friendships. But theres a good reason for breaking that rule at this time.

As you likely know, the NDP is holding a leadership convention in early March. Delegates will be selected from each riding to attend the convention to vote for one of three candidates: Greg Selinger, Steve Ashton or Theresa Oswald. I have worked with all three, but Im supporting Theresa to be the next leader of the NDP and the next premier of Manitoba.

Under our election laws, Manitoba must have a general election by the spring of 2016. Its vitally important to prevent Brian Pallister and the Tories from forming the next government. You may already be familiar with Pallisters promise to cut half a billion dollars from the provincial budget. Thats a significant chunk from a $14-billion budget.

On a personal level, I fear for the GLBT community. You may have heard that the Tories voted against the anti-bullying legislation that also permits students to form Gay-Straight Alliances. They also voted against enshrining gender identity in the human rights code. A few years back, they voted against equal marriage. Recently, they nominated James Teitsma, a former religious lobbyist with an organization that opposes abortion and same-sex marriage to run in the Radisson constituency in east Winnipeg."

Morgan works as a press secretary for the cabinet, but she said she wrote the email to her friends in the community on her own initiative and with her own choice of wording.

Morgan is one of many who are trying to drum up memberships before Tuesdays deadline.

The move didnt sit right with Manitobas PC caucus.

The caucus issued a statement Tuesday, saying, Progressive Conservatives are focused on offering a better future for all Manitobans and find it unfortunate the NDP continues to engage in divisive and negative campaigning.They are self-serving and will say anything to hold onto power.

Rainbow Resource Centre executive director MikeTutthillsaid the centre isn't endorsing any particular candidate.

"There are members of the community working in all the other campaigns in this regard," saidTutthill.

Oswald said she had no idea the letter had been sent.

The NDP leadership will be voted on on March 8.