NDP MP Daniel Blaikie stepping down to work for Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew

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NDP MP Daniel Blaikie will be leaving federal politics to advise Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew.

Mr. Blaikie, who represents the federal riding of Elmwood-Transcona in Manitoba, said Wednesday he will step down as of the end of March after nearly a decade on Parliament Hill.

He will serve as a senior adviser on intergovernmental affairs to Mr. Kinew, who became the first Indigenous premier of Manitoba since the 1880s in an election this past fall.

Mr. Blaikie, first elected in October, 2015, said it has “been an honour to be a part of the federal NDP caucus.” He held a number of positions during his time with the federal party, including serving as caucus chair. He is currently the NDP’s critic on finance, employment and work force development and democratic reform.

“Now, I have the privilege of joining Premier Kinew’s team in Manitoba,” Mr. Blaikie said in a statement.

Mr. Kinew said that Mr. Blaikie’s decision is a “win for Manitoba.”

“He’ll help us build relationships with other governments, with a special focus on deepening the relationship with the federal government to get what the best for Manitobans,” Mr. Kinew said.

Mr. Blaikie’s announcement took place shortly after he was asked to apologize for using “repulsive, vulgar” and unparliamentary” language about the Conservatives, according to MP Mark Strahl. “I would like, through you, to ask him to withdraw those repulsive remarks,” Mr. Strahl said to House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus.

Mr. Fergus said he did not hear the remarks made by Mr. Blaikie. The Manitoba MP then stood up to respond.

Mr. Blaikie said he did, in the “course of expressing concerns for the tongue of certain Conservative members that I feared would get stuck in the backside of their leader” that he did use unparliamentary language.

Mr. Blaikie comes from a political family. He is the son of Bill Blaikie, who served as an NDP MP and member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. Rebecca Blaikie, his sister, previously served as the president of the federal NDP and as its treasurer.

Mr. Blaikie previously worked as a ministerial assistant in the former Manitoba NDP government of Gary Doer.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Wednesday that he wished Mr. Blaikie well as he continues to “champion NDP values and policies like fairness for workers and real accountability to ensure wealthy corporations and CEOs are paying what they owe.”

“I know his family will be very happy to have him closer to home as he continues to take on this important work in his new role,” Mr. Singh said.