Manitoba party leaders square off in live, hour-long televised debate

Manitoba's three main party leaders squared off over health care, the cost of living and other issues during a one-hour televised leaders debate Thursday night in advance of the Oct. 3 provincial election.

Manitoba's three main party leaders squared off over health care, the cost of living and other issues during a one-hour televised leaders debate Thursday night in advance of the Oct. 3 provincial election.

NDP Leader Wab Kinew, whose party is leading in opinion polls, was a frequent target of the other two leaders.

Progressive Conservative Leader Heather Stefanson, aiming to lead her party to a third consecutive term, accused Kinew of promising $3 billion in new spending, which she said would require a hike in the provincial sales tax. The former NDP government raised the tax in 2013 and was voted out in the next election.

Kinew flatly denied the accusation.

"I will never raise the PST," he said.

Stefanson used her first opportunity to direct a question at Kinew to ask him why he has promised to search the Prairie Green Landfill north of Winnipeg, where the remains of two Indigenous women -- Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran -- are believed to be.

A feasibility study said a search of the landfill is possible, although it would have no guarantee of success and searchers would face hazards from asbestos and other toxic material.