Which way will Selinger go?

JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Enlarge Image

Premier Greg Selinger

Premier Greg Selinger appears to have temporarily stamped out the fire that's been raging over his leadership.

His five dissident ministers have been silenced -- for now -- by their resignations from cabinet and their speedy replacement.

Selinger and his remaining supporters are soldiering on with the tasks of government, making spending and policy announcements. The Nov. 20 throne speech will, no doubt, be full of language that the NDP government means business.

In their view, they've got until April 2016 to right the ship, despite engine problems, leaks and a captain who saw a mutiny by what many once considered his closest crew mates.

Left unresolved is where five former high-ranking ministers -- Erin Selby, Andrew Swan, Stan Struthers, Theresa Oswald and Jennifer Howard -- will sit in the legislative assembly when the throne speech is presented. Will he remove them from the NDP caucus as he did with Christine Melnick, another discordant MLA? Will they suffer the indignity of sitting as independents on the other side of the floor, next to the Opposition Progressive Conservatives and the lone Liberal MLA? Will they be allowed by Selinger to run again in the next election to represent the NDP? Or do any of them have other plans, such as running as NDP candidates in the next federal election? Or retiring from politics altogether?

Whatever happens in the days ahead, it's also clear Selinger isn't completely safe. He may have pulled the knife from his back, but the wound is far from healed. And others, too, could soon unsheathe their own weapons.

Here's what's in store for him:

Visit link:
Which way will Selinger go?