Manitoba Progressive Conservatives choose Obby Khan as new party leader
The Manitoba Progressive Conservatives have chosen Fort Whyte MLA Obby Khan as their new leader in a closely contested race. Khan emerged victorious over Wally Daudrich, a hotel and ecotourism business owner from Churchill, in a vote conducted through mail-in ballots. Khan secured 2,198 points in the weighted ballot, narrowly defeating Daudrich’s 2,163 points, giving him 50.4 per cent of the available points.
The leadership contest was initiated following the resignation of former Manitoba premier Heather Stefanson, after her PCs lost the fall 2023 provincial election to Wab Kinew’s NDP. In the interim, Lac du Bonnet MLA Wayne Ewasko served as the party’s leader, leading up to the selection of a new permanent leader through a six-month long contest.
Khan, who first entered the Manitoba Legislature through a 2022 byelection, was endorsed by 10 out of 20 members of the PC caucus. Throughout the campaign, he positioned himself as the candidate best suited to lead the opposition party due to his existing seat in the legislature. Despite making few policy announcements, Khan pledged to pursue more public-private partnerships in the healthcare system and allocate an undisclosed portion of provincial sales tax revenue to municipalities.
Notably, Khan’s victory marks a significant milestone as he becomes the first Muslim and first Canadian of South Asian descent to lead the Manitoba Progressive Conservatives. On the other hand, Daudrich, who plans to run in the upcoming Manitoba byelection in Spruce Woods, did not receive any endorsements from PC caucus members. He campaigned on a platform of conservatism, even suggesting the removal of the word “progressive” from the party’s name.
With the Progressive Conservatives currently holding 20 seats in the 57-seat Manitoba Legislature, while the NDP has 34 seats, Khan faces the challenge of leading the party to greater success. A total of 10,999 PC members were eligible to vote in the 2025 leadership race, with 7,108 members casting their ballots. This marked a decrease from the 2021 leadership race, where Stefanson triumphed over Glover with a higher voter turnout.
Overall, Khan’s emergence as the new leader of the Manitoba Progressive Conservatives signals a new chapter for the party, as they seek to regain momentum and establish a stronger presence in the provincial political landscape.
