NDP members pick Transcona BIZ head as candidate for Elmwood-Transcona byelection

The federal NDP will fight a byelection in Elmwood-Transcona with a business leader as its candidate, rather than a member of the Blaikie family.

Party members voted Wednesday night to select Leila Dance as the next NDP candidate for Elmwood-Transcona, succeeding Daniel Blaikie, who held the seat for nearly a decade, and his late father Bill, an MP for almost 30 years before that.

Dance, the executive director of the Transcona BIZ, fought back tears as she addressed the crowd at Holy Eucharist Parish Centre after winning the contested nomination. Around 100 people cast their ballot. 

"I really hope that I can represent you how you need me to represent you. And I promise to be a strong voice for you in Ottawa so the NDP can keep this seat — we're not giving it up; we're going to keep it; it's ours." 

"The blue can take their ball and go home," she added with a smile, alluding to the upcoming byelection challenge from the Conservatives. 

The seat was left vacant after Daniel Blaikie resigned earlier this year for a role advising the government of Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew.

A date for the byelection hasn't been called.

Family synonymous with Elmwood-Transcona

The riding of Elmwood-Transcona has predominantly belonged to the NDP, and specifically the Blaikie family, from the beginning.

Bill Blaikie was first elected in 1979, as the member of Parliament for Winnipeg-Birds Hill. After that electoral district was dissolved in 1987, Blaikie won four elections in the new seat of Winnipeg-Transcona, and two more after it was renamed Elmwood-Transcona in 2004.

He resigned in 2008 and a year later began a brief foray into provincial politics.

Bill died in 2022.

His son, Daniel Blaikie, took over as MP in 2015. 

The Conservatives only held the seat from 2011 to 2015, but the party is currently riding high in polls across the country and hoping to carry that momentum into a byelection victory in Elmwood-Transcona.

Neither the Conservatives or governing Liberals have named their candidate. 

Daniel Blaikie said Dance is already known throughout the community. She's grown up in the area, advocated for businesses and worked at various non-profits including the Children's Wish Foundation and ALS Society of Manitoba. 

He drew parallels between Dance's burgeoning political career with that of NDP MP Taylor Bachrach, who earned voters' trust after the resignation of a well-known NDP MP in Nathan Cullen. 

"Taylor wasn't as well known when he started, but he's well known now and he's doing fantastic work in Ottawa," Blaikie said.

"I have every confidence that it won't be long after Leila gets into the House of Commons that her name is on the tip of people's tongue."

Dance said she's gone through struggles herself as a single mother. She knows she's not alone, she said.

"I think we're all struggling right now with the cost of living and I'm hoping that we can do something and help make it affordable for all Canadians," Dance said.

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh will attend Dance's campaign office opening on Saturday. 

Dance was vying for the nomination against Leilani Villarba, the executive director of the Chalmers Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation.