Konrad Narth Named Interim Leader of Manitoba PCs After Obby Khan Resigns

Manitoba’s Progressive Conservatives have chosen Konrad Narth as interim party leader after Obby Khan resigned from the post just one day before lawmakers returned to the legislature.

Narth, the MLA for La Verendrye in the province’s southeast, spoke with reporters briefly after a closed-door caucus meeting. He said the party is united and will select a new leader at a later date.

Narth’s appointment comes just hours after Khan’s Sept. 28 resignation.

Khan fought back tears as he announced to reporters his plan to sit as an Independent in response to what he described as the “internal fighting” that has erupted within the party he has led since last spring.

“I want nothing more than to keep fighting for the people of this province and for a better Manitoba, but I will not fight my own party or caucus,” Khan said at his legislature office on Sept. 28.

He said that despite securing a clear two-to-one victory in the Sept. 25 confidence vote, a minority of members—whom he accused of lacking “moral integrity”—have continued to work to undermine his leadership.

Khan said he has no desire to “spend the next chapter fighting my own party” in the months ahead, saying the focus should be on holding Manitoba’s NDP government accountable.

“Leadership is not measured only by whether you can hold on to a title. It is measured by what you are willing to compromise to keep it,” he said. “I will not sacrifice my principles to keep this title.”

Khan’s departure leaves the PCs with 19 seats in the 57-seat legislature. Premier Wab Kinew’s NDP has 34 seats, the Liberal Party has one, and there are also three Independents, including Khan.

Kinew’s office declined to comment on Khan’s resignation.

Party Turmoil

The Progressive Conservative caucus and party have been facing significant headwinds as polling shows Kinew maintaining robust support while Khan’s approval numbers decline.

Khan said 13 members voted in favour of his leadership and six voted against it. One person was absent.

“Afterwards, members spoke about coming together, moving forward,” Khan said. “I was prepared to do exactly that with every single member, including those who voted against me.”

He said he learned over the weekend that certain caucus members, dissatisfied with the outcome of the vote, planned to meet in secret to “subvert the democratic will of our caucus.” Khan said this cemented his decision to end the fighting by stepping down.

The PC Party Board is expected to meet to establish the process for a permanent leadership race in the days ahead.

Khan won leadership of the party after a tight race last April against longtime party board member Wally Daudrich.

Daudrich garnered 53 more votes than Khan in the mail-in ballot election, but the party’s newly implemented electoral district points system placed Khan ahead with 50.4 percent of the total points, while Daudrich secured 49.6 percent, according to results posted to the party’s website.

Khan faced internal dissent last June after agreeing to help speed passage of the NDP government’s free trade bill. He said the tariff fight with the United States took precedence over differing party viewpoints.

Khan, the MLA for Fort Whyte, is an ​​entrepreneur and former professional Canadian Football League centre who played nine seasons, first with the Ottawa Renegades and then with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Calgary Stampeders.

He entered politics in 2022 when he ran for the PCs in the Fort Whyte by-election, beating out Liberal candidate Willard Reaves, another former CFL player.

The next provincial election in Manitoba is slated for October 2027.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.