Stuart Murray - Provincial Politician

Provincial Politician

After eleven years in power, the Manitoba Progressive Conservatives were defeated by Gary Doer's New Democratic Party in the 1999 election. Gary Filmon, the party's leader since 1983, stepped down in 2000.

Murray soon emerged as the party establishment's preferred choice to succeed Filmon as leader. Darren Praznik considered running against him, but withdrew several months before the convention because of fundraising difficulties. Murray was acclaimed as party leader in November 2000, and won a by-election in Kirkfield Park shortly thereafter. On December 5, he was sworn in as leader of the opposition. He criticized the New Democratic Party's 2001 budget for increased government spending, and called for significant tax cuts. He also argued the NDP was too close to provincial labour unions. Murray held progressive views on some social issues, and supported the principle of gay adoption rights late 2001.

Murray was criticized for hiring Taras Sokolyk as an advisor in 2002 without informing his caucus. Sokolyk had previously been implicated in a vote-manipulation scheme involving the Independent Native Voice party, and was largely discredited as a political figure. Murray later spoke at a Winnipeg rally held in support of the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Murray led the Progressive Conservatives in the 2003 provincial election. His health strategy called for the government to purchase more surgeries and diagnostic services at private clinics, with the intent of reducing waiting times. He also promised to reintroduce workfare laws and to cancel the planned University College of the North, using the savings for tax cuts. Murray argued that provincial laws were skewed in favour of labour unions, and considered introducing right-to-work legislation. His most radical proposal was to eliminate the taxation powers of local school boards.

Gary Doer's NDP government was re-elected, and Murray's Conservatives slipped to 36.31% of the popular vote and 20 seats in the 57-member legislature. This was the party's worst showing since 1953. The NDP made historic inroads in south-end Winnipeg, while the Progressive Conservative Party's support was largely concentrated in the rural south of the province. A post-election editorial in the Winnipeg Free Press described Murray as "pleasant and even-tempered" but noted that he "did not make a deep impression on the public either by his work in the legislature or in the election campaign".

Murray continued as party leader after the election. He recommended adopting Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) for determining Manitoba's budget, and called for provincial whistleblower protection legislation. He endorsed the new Conservative Party of Canada in 2004, and campaigned on behalf of Steven Fletcher in the 2004 federal election. Despite concerns about Murray's leadership, the Manitoba Progressive Conservatives voted overwhelmingly against a leadership review in November 2004.

In early 2004-05, Manitoba's labour-managed Crocus Investment Fund stopped trading and was forced into receivership after reports that it had misled shareholders and overstated the values of its assets. Doer's government was accused of improper oversight of the fund due to its ties to labour interests, and the resulting scandal initially threatened to damage the NDP's credibility. Instead, it grew to encompass the Progressive Conservatives as well. Murray acknowledged that the Progressive Conservatives had received reports of irregularities at Crocus as early as 2002, but refrained from criticism after assurances from party advisers that the fund was in proper order. These admissions may have prevented Murray from exploiting the scandal to his party's advantage; the NDP's popularity increased over the PCs increased in the summer of 2005.

On November 5, 2005, a leadership review motion at the Progressive Conservative Party's annual general meeting received 55% support from delegates. Murray acknowledged the vote as disappointing, and called for a leadership convention to be held in light of the close result. He announced on November 14 that he would not be a candidate to succeed himself, and that he would return to the private sector after a new leader was selected.

Murray continued to lead the Progressive Conservatives in the legislature until the new leader was chosen. In late November 2005, he said that he would be willing to accept private MRI clinics in the province. He did not attend the Progressive Conservative leadership convention in April 2006, which chose Hugh McFadyen as his successor.