At Manitoba Stronger Together, our mission is to foster transparency and provide Manitobans with the information they need to make informed decisions. Today, we want to update you on the proposed leadership event we planned to host featuring Wally Daudrich and Obby Khan, the two candidates running for leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba.
Details About the Proposed Event
We invited both candidates to participate in a professionally moderated, 2-1/2 hour leadership discussion hosted by MST. The event was designed to provide a fair, non-partisan platform for each candidate to present their vision for Manitoba and answer substantive policy questions.
Open to the public, the event would have been an invaluable opportunity for voters to evaluate the candidates side by side in a controlled and professional format.
On January 9, 2025, MST sent formal invitations to both the Wally Daudrich and Obby Khan campaigns. Below, you will find the original emails sent to each campaign for complete transparency.
Invitation Email Sent to Each Campaign January 9, 2024:
Dear XXXXXX and Team;
We are reaching out to invite you to a special leadership event hosted by Manitoba Stronger Together (MST). Building on the success of our individual interviews with both candidates, we are proposing a groundbreaking live Zoom event that will feature both leadership candidates together in a professionally moderated and controlled format.
This event is an unparalleled opportunity to reach a broad audience across Manitoba, including members of MST and the general public. Our goal is to create a forum that emphasizes professionalism, fairness, and accessibility, allowing Manitobans to make an informed decision in the Progressive Conservative Party leadership race.
Proposed Details of the Event
Date: Tuesday, February 4, 2025 Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM Central Format: Professionally moderated discussion featuring both candidates
We have sent this identical email to each of the two candidates, at the same time.
Event Format and Procedures
The event will follow a structured and highly controlled format, inspired by the best practices. The format will ensure fairness, professionalism, and clarity, with no interruptions or unproductive arguing.
Moderator: The event will be moderated by Ken Drysdale, who has demonstrated a fair, non-partisan approach during our previous interviews with each candidate.
Speaking Time:
Each candidate will have 2 minutes to respond to the main question.
After both candidates have responded, each will have 1 minute for a rebuttal or follow-up comment.
If a clarification is necessary, the moderator may allow an additional 30 seconds per candidate.
Moderated Discussion: Candidates will respond to identical questions, and the moderator will facilitate discussions without allowing interruptions or cross-talk.
Solicited Questions: Audience questions will not be taken live. However, MST will solicit questions in advance from Manitobans. A curated selection of these questions will be reviewed and presented by the moderator to ensure they are relevant and appropriate.
Transcripts and Videos: The event will be recorded, captioned, and transcribed. These resources will be made available to the public after the event to maximize accessibility.
This structured and respectful format will prevent any candidate from dominating the discussion and ensure the audience can focus on the substance of your vision for Manitoba.
Policy Areas to Be Addressed
The discussion will include topics of critical interest to Manitobans, with questions focused on both leadership within the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba and broader provincial issues. The policy areas will include:
PC Party Operations and Reform:
Strategies for strengthening the party and engaging grassroots members.
Plans to unify the party and rebuild trust with members and the public.
Vision for attracting new members and diversifying the party base.
Economic Policies:
Approaches to addressing affordability and supporting economic growth.
Plans for fostering a competitive environment for small businesses.
Agricultural policies and support for rural communities and farmers.
Social and Community Issues:
Plans to address healthcare challenges and improve access to services.
Policies on education, youth engagement, and workforce development.
Measures to ensure community safety and security.
Environmental and Infrastructure Development:
Balancing environmental stewardship with economic development.
Infrastructure priorities and improving regional connectivity.
Governance and Accountability:
Vision for strengthening government accountability and transparency.
Ensuring diverse voices are represented in decision-making processes.
This comprehensive discussion is designed to give Manitobans insight into your vision and priorities for the province while providing a fair platform for both candidates.
Why This Event Matters
This event represents a historic first—a chance for Manitobans to see the candidates side-by-side in a meaningful and controlled discussion. Both of you have spoken about “expanding the tent” and reaching voters who may not have previously participated in the political process. This event provides a unique opportunity to connect with those individuals.
We believe this event will reach an audience far beyond MST’s membership and engage Manitobans who are eager to learn more about the leadership candidates and their platforms.
Next Steps
If you are interested in participating or would like to meet to discuss this event further, we would be happy to arrange a meeting. Please let us know your availability.
This is a unique opportunity for both candidates to engage Manitobans in a way that has never been done before. We look forward to your response and hope to work together to make this event a reality.
Warm regards,Ken DrysdaleManitoba Stronger Together
(204) 898 6803
Responses from the Campaigns
Wally Daudrich Campaign: The Daudrich campaign officially responded, confirming their willingness to participate in the event. We were impressed with their prompt and professional response and appreciated their commitment to engaging with Manitobans in this format.
Obby Khan Campaign: To date, the Khan campaign has not responded to the initial invitation or our subsequent follow-up communications.
On January 13, 2025, we sent a follow-up email to the Obby Khan campaign to confirm their participation. This email also went unanswered.
MST then reached out to Obby Khan directly, and while we had the opportunity to speak with him, he declined to commit to the event.
Decision to Cancel the Event
Due to the lack of participation from the Obby Khan campaign, we were unable to proceed with the event. A side-by-side discussion requires the participation of both candidates to maintain fairness and provide voters with a balanced opportunity to evaluate their choices.
While we are disappointed that the event could not take place, we remain committed to providing our membership with valuable resources to make informed decisions.
Here are the copies of two emails sent to the campaigns this morning cancelling the event:
Email from MST January 18, 2025 Cancelling Event:
To the Daudrich Campaign
Subject: Update on the Leadership Event
Dear XXX,
I regret to inform you that we are cancelling the proposed Manitoba Stronger Together (MST) leadership event featuring Wally Daudrich and Obby Khan. Unfortunately, despite multiple attempts to secure participation from the Obby Khan campaign, including direct conversations with Obby and follow-up emails to his team, we were unable to obtain their agreement to take part.
We even offered alternative dates to accommodate their schedule, but we did not receive any response from the campaign team. As this event relied on the participation of both candidates to provide voters with a balanced and informative experience, we have made the difficult decision to cancel it.
I want to express my heartfelt thanks to Wally and your team for your willingness to participate. I still believe that this event would have been an invaluable opportunity for members to evaluate the two candidates side by side, answering substantive questions in a fair and open forum.
We appreciate your continued commitment to engaging with Manitobans and hope for future opportunities to showcase Wally’s vision for the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba.
Thank you again for your support. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Best regards,
Ken Drysdale
Manitoba Stronger Together
204 898 6803
To the Obby Khan Campaign
Subject: Update on the Leadership Event
Dear XXX,
I am writing to inform you that we are cancelling the proposed Manitoba Stronger Together (MST) leadership event that was to feature Obby Khan and Wally Daudrich. Unfortunately, as we were unable to secure participation from your campaign, we cannot proceed with the event.
Despite speaking directly with Obby and following up with your team through multiple emails, we did not receive a response regarding participation. We even offered alternative dates to accommodate your schedule but were unable to finalize arrangements.
This event was designed to provide Manitobans with an informative and professional opportunity to hear directly from both candidates in a fair and open forum. While we are disappointed that we could not bring this to fruition, we hope there will be other opportunities in the future for meaningful dialogue.
In the spirit of full transparency, we will make this information available to our membership for their consideration.
Thank you for considering our invitation. Should you wish to discuss this further, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Best regards,
Ken Drysdale
Manitoba Stronger Together
204 898 6803
Previously Conducted Candidate Interviews
As a reminder, MST has already conducted separate, in-depth interviews with each candidate.
These interviews were highly successful and gave members a chance to hear directly from both Wally Daudrich and Obby Khan about their platforms and visions for Manitoba.
You can watch the interviews here:
Interview with Wally Daudrich:
Click Image to View Video on Rumble Interview with Obby Khan:
Click Image to View Video on Rumble
We encourage all members to watch these interviews and consider them when evaluating the candidates and their platforms.
Transparency and Accountability
In the spirit of full transparency, we are providing this information so our members are aware of the efforts made to facilitate this event and the responses (or lack thereof) from both campaigns.
We understand that this information may be relevant to your voting decisions and felt it important to share.
We remind you that MST is a non-partisan group. We are providing this information in a fair and factual manner. It is up to the members to decide whether or not this information is releavant to them in making their voting decision in the upcoming PC Party of Manitoba leadership race.
Contact the Candidates
If you wish to share your thoughts with the candidates on this matter, we encourage you to reach out to them directly using their official email addresses below. As always, we kindly remind everyone to maintain a professional, respectful, and courteous tone in all communications:
Wally Daudrich Campaign: Info@Wally4Leader.ca
Obby Khan Campaign: obbyforleader@gmail.com
For more information about how you can vote for the leadership of the PC Party, please visit the following link:
Remember, in order to vote, you have to be a PC Party of Manitoba Member, and at least 14 years of age, and the cut off for new membership applications is February 28, 2025.
Cost is: $20.00
Thank you for your continued engagement and support of Manitoba Stronger Together. If you have any questions or would like further details about our efforts, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Together, we remain committed to fostering transparency, accountability, and informed decision-making in Manitoba.
Best regards,
Manitoba Stronger Together
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