La Verendrye MLA reflects on 2024
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Konrad Narth had plenty of relevant knowledge and experience when he stepped into his seat in the Manitoba Legislature representing La Verendrye for the first time.
He’d been involved in municipal politics for some time, had attended youth parliament as a teenager and was an avid follower of provincial politics.
But he admits when he entered the legislature as an MLA in fall of 2023, there was still much to learn.
“I thought I had a very good understanding of the processes and procedures,” he said. “I didn’t understand or realize the strategy that goes behind orders of legislature.”
Narth said having veteran MLAs present helped ease the transition.
“I’m lucky enough to surround the Steinbach constituency which is represented by one of our most veteran MLAs who’s held nearly every senior role of government,” he said of Kelvin Goertzen. “He and other veteran MLAs hold a lot of that institutional knowledge which is important to know.”
Narth has earned several responsibilities, getting the critic portfolio for infrastructure in summer of 2024 and more recently being appointed as critic for labour and immigration.
Because his municipal experience includes a focus on infrastructure, it’s something Narth said he enjoys at the provincial level as well.
“Infrastructure is something that is front and centre to all the rural communities,” he said.
The provincial Tories are also in the midst of their leadership race, where MLA Obby Khan is facing off against Churchill hotelier Wally Daudrich. A new leader will be named on April 26.
Narth supports Khan in the race but said he’s pleased to see a clean campaign.
“I’m seeing that the party is growing more united with each month of our leadership race and each month of the Wab Kinew NDP government,” he said. “Both are running a very clean, friendly race, that is focussed on uniting the party and uniting the conservative supporters instead of dividing on different topics.”
Narth said all MLAs, regardless of political stripe can find common ground.
“I think we all at the end of the day, whether we be Conservative or NDP, want to see the services of the province progress, the province as a whole prosper,” he said.
Narth also has priorities for the year ahead including a focus on highways in his constituency such as Highway 210 south of Woodridge, Highway 302 south of La Broquerie and Highway 201 east of Highway 59. It also includes continued advocacy for education investment such as the necessary school investment in Grunthal that was derailed by the NDP.