Thread by @bkives

Stefanson’s leadership campaign launch shows she has a lot of support among caucus.

MLAs Schuler, Johnston, Johnson, Helwer, Reyes, Cullen, Guillemard, Friesen, Morley-Lecomte, Micklefield, Smith, Teitsma, Lagasse, Smook and Guenter among others. #mbpoli

She starts her PC leadership launch with a treaty land acknowledgement.

Stefanson says she has resigned from her position as health minister.

She says after the pandemic, it’s a time to listen and to heal.

She is surrounded by about 18 colleagues and her immediate family.

She says if elected party leader, Bill 64 “will be done.”

By that, she means the party won’t proceed with it.

And the government - and the province.

She says she is proud to have led Manitoba’s health response during the latter part of the pandemic.

“This is not about me. This is about what we can all do together.”

Stefanson asked where she has been during the past few months.

She says her colleagues know she’s been working behind the scenes.

Stefanson asked about lack of visibility on St. B crisis.

She thanks health care workers for their work.

She won’t mandate all MLAs get vaccinated. Says she encourages them to do so.

No mandatory vaccinations for health care workers or school employees, either, Stefanson says, but she says she thinks public health will consider the latter.

I asked how she jibes being proud of her role as health minister when 57 COVID ICU patients were sent out of province during the third wave.

She says those decisions were made at a clinical level.

I pointed out those decisions were made because the province lacked capacity.

She said capacity will be reviewed and improved.