Manitoba premier accused of breaking conflict of interest laws by taking Bombers charters to Grey Cup [Video]

Manitoba’s premier is being accused by a democracy advocate of breaking provincial conflict of interest laws when he took a plane chartered by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to the Grey Cup in 2023 and 2024. 

The same trips were also offered to Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham, who declined and chose to fly commercial, a spokesperson said.

Under the province’s Conflict of Interest Act, “travel on a non-commercial chartered or private aircraft” must be approved by the ethics commissioner. 

There is no public disclosure record indicating that happened for either trip.

A spokesperson for Wab Kinew said the premier went “above and beyond all requirements” by paying the Bombers $8,000 out of pocket for the trip to Hamilton in 2023.

That doesn’t satisfy a democracy watchdog, who argues it doesn’t matter if Kinew paid for the flight — taking the charter plane gave him access to an exclusive perk not available …