Former Winnipeg Blue Bomber Willard Reaves running for Manitoba Liberal Party leadership
Posted September 7, 2025 4:40 pm.
Last Updated September 8, 2025 9:28 am.
Former Winnipeg Blue Bomber turned politician Willard Reaves announced Sunday that he’s officially throwing his hat in the ring for leadership of the Manitoba Liberal Party.
“The people of Manitoba need to be represented better,” said Reaves. “Plain and simple. They’ll get great representation from this man here (referring to himself) I promise that. We got to build the party step by step; that’s the only way we can do it.”
“He has the desire; he has the experience at this point in a number of fields,” said Dr. Jon Gerrard, former leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party. “ I just think that Willard is the best candidate for the Liberal Party, and the best leader for the Liberal Party and the province.”
Reaves previously ran in the 2022 byelection, and the 2023 provincial election in the Fort Whyte district and lost both times, but says he’s learned from his experience. He says focus is on fixing healthcare, and homelessness.
“Long waits, 16-20 hours of wait times in hospitals, mental health, this has to be addressed, we can’t keep ignoring this,” said Reaves. “Homelessness, we cannot keep ignoring this. All we’re doing is ignoring things that should be automatic for us.”
Reaves told media during a press conference that he intends to build the party up to having candidates running for all 57 seats in the next provincial election, more than two years away. Thus far, he has identified 12. As for the Liberal leadership race in Manitoba, the Liberals will hold an election on Oct. 25th, at this time Reaves is the only candidate.
“It’s always great to have competition, but right now I have no idea who would be running against me,” said Reaves. But I hope they come out and start running.”
