A new grassroots political party is appealing to voters troubled by the pandemic policies such as the COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates, and the lockdowns, according to Kevin Friesen, leader of the Keystone Party of Manitoba..On Friday at Winnipeg’s Vimy Ridge Park, Friesen spoke to about 35 people to hear Friesen introduce the Keystone Party..The Keystone Party says they believe in individual rights, want to abolish human rights tribunals, and oppose all COVID-19 pandemic restrictions..Friesen said he sees an opening for another provincial political party for voters unhappy with the Progressive Conservatives, New Democrats, and Liberals..“We fully recognize that a major division has occurred over the past couple of years among Manitobans,” said Friesen..Friesen suggested the Manitoba government created the division between neighbours, business partners, family members, and spouses with their mask and vaccine mandates policies..“Some of us were willing to be flexible when it came to lockdowns and mandates, but some weren’t,” said Friesen. .“Some thought it was OK to force a medical decision on them for very personal choices, but let me be clear: The Keystone Party is not OK with dictating those choices for Manitobans.”.Elections Manitoba officially recognized Keystone earlier in July when Friesen submitted the 2,500 signatures required to become a provincial political party..Keystone will operate decentralized with individual riding associations picking their candidates and policies, according to Friesen..“For too long, we have let our elected representatives assimilate to a predetermined agenda that does not serve the membership. It just serves the whims of the leader. That archaic model will end,” said Friesen. .I am “not a dictator, but a team player,” said Friesen..The goal for the 2023 provincial election is to have Keystone candidates in all 57 Manitoba ridings..Friesen does not expect Keystone to form the government in 2023, but stranger things have happened..“It might be a bit of [a] pipe dream to think that we’re going to form a majority government in the next [election], but we’ve seen some strange things happen over the last three years,” said Friesen..“We’re going to set our sights high, but we’d for sure like to be an official party … that would be my goal today.”.Premier Heather Stefanson does not expect Keystone to steal conservative voters from the PCs but thinks it is great for new parties to start up..“That’s what’s so great about our country … people have the right to set up those parties,” said Stefanson to reporters at True North Square in Winnipeg..Joy Onyschak of Winnipeg is happy to support a party that believes in medical freedom..“This party gives me hope. Right now our family doesn’t have a lot of hope for our province, a lot of hope for politics or politicians,” said Onyschak at Vimy Ridge Park..Patrick Allard said that more voices are needed in the legislature because there is no opposition. Allard was charged with violating public health orders twice during COVID-19 lockdowns..“We need more voices in [the] legislature here in Manitoba. There doesn’t seem to be any opposition whatsoever,” said Allard..Friesen said Keystone does not think the party will attract people with extremist political views and is open to everyone who believes in the party’s principles..“We are not the extreme right-wing people. We are not the extreme left-wing people,” said Friesen..“We are people of Manitoba who want to do best for Manitoba and the only reason we’re here is because the system, we feel, is broken.”.Friesen is a farmer from the town of Manitou.
A new grassroots political party is appealing to voters troubled by the pandemic policies such as the COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates, and the lockdowns, according to Kevin Friesen, leader of the Keystone Party of Manitoba..On Friday at Winnipeg’s Vimy Ridge Park, Friesen spoke to about 35 people to hear Friesen introduce the Keystone Party..The Keystone Party says they believe in individual rights, want to abolish human rights tribunals, and oppose all COVID-19 pandemic restrictions..Friesen said he sees an opening for another provincial political party for voters unhappy with the Progressive Conservatives, New Democrats, and Liberals..“We fully recognize that a major division has occurred over the past couple of years among Manitobans,” said Friesen..Friesen suggested the Manitoba government created the division between neighbours, business partners, family members, and spouses with their mask and vaccine mandates policies..“Some of us were willing to be flexible when it came to lockdowns and mandates, but some weren’t,” said Friesen. .“Some thought it was OK to force a medical decision on them for very personal choices, but let me be clear: The Keystone Party is not OK with dictating those choices for Manitobans.”.Elections Manitoba officially recognized Keystone earlier in July when Friesen submitted the 2,500 signatures required to become a provincial political party..Keystone will operate decentralized with individual riding associations picking their candidates and policies, according to Friesen..“For too long, we have let our elected representatives assimilate to a predetermined agenda that does not serve the membership. It just serves the whims of the leader. That archaic model will end,” said Friesen. .I am “not a dictator, but a team player,” said Friesen..The goal for the 2023 provincial election is to have Keystone candidates in all 57 Manitoba ridings..Friesen does not expect Keystone to form the government in 2023, but stranger things have happened..“It might be a bit of [a] pipe dream to think that we’re going to form a majority government in the next [election], but we’ve seen some strange things happen over the last three years,” said Friesen..“We’re going to set our sights high, but we’d for sure like to be an official party … that would be my goal today.”.Premier Heather Stefanson does not expect Keystone to steal conservative voters from the PCs but thinks it is great for new parties to start up..“That’s what’s so great about our country … people have the right to set up those parties,” said Stefanson to reporters at True North Square in Winnipeg..Joy Onyschak of Winnipeg is happy to support a party that believes in medical freedom..“This party gives me hope. Right now our family doesn’t have a lot of hope for our province, a lot of hope for politics or politicians,” said Onyschak at Vimy Ridge Park..Patrick Allard said that more voices are needed in the legislature because there is no opposition. Allard was charged with violating public health orders twice during COVID-19 lockdowns..“We need more voices in [the] legislature here in Manitoba. There doesn’t seem to be any opposition whatsoever,” said Allard..Friesen said Keystone does not think the party will attract people with extremist political views and is open to everyone who believes in the party’s principles..“We are not the extreme right-wing people. We are not the extreme left-wing people,” said Friesen..“We are people of Manitoba who want to do best for Manitoba and the only reason we’re here is because the system, we feel, is broken.”.Friesen is a farmer from the town of Manitou.
