On Wednesday, Stefanson announced $ 7.5 million in funding for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet to help complete a $ 30 million expansion. “Our government is proud to support Manitoba’s vibrant arts and culture sector as we emerge from this pandemic,” she said Wednesday in her first new funding commitment since the end of the Fort Whyte campaign blackout in the new government announcements. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s board is chaired by Don Leitch, who is Stefanson’s deputy minister, secretary of the county cabinet and Manitoba’s most powerful civil servant. Former caretaker Prime Minister Kelvin Goertzen has appointed Leitch as executive secretary on October 31, the day after Stefanson’s victory in the Progressive Conservative Party leadership race. Stefanson officially premiered on November 2. Leitch, who previously served as an official under former Prime Minister Gary Filmon, replaces David McLaughlin, who was appointed former Prime Minister Brian Pallister to power. The official has a wide range of powers, including overseeing the Manitoba public service. Don Leitch, who appears here on the Royal Winnipeg Ballet website, says he has withdrawn from the funding decision. (Royal Winnipeg Ballet)
Stefanson’s office said Leitch first asked for a contribution to the expansion of Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s campus when the ballet applied two years ago. Following his reappointment as executive secretary, Leitch declared a conflict of interest in the government, Stefanson’s office said. “In this statement, he stated that he was involved with requests from both the federal and provincial governments for contributions to the RWB modernization project,” Stephenson’s office said. The prime minister’s office said the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s request “was in line with government funding for other major works”, including the Qaumajuq expansion of the Winnipeg Art Gallery, the Leaf project in Assiniboine Park and the new building of the Western Canadian Aviation Museum in Richardson International Airport. “This formula includes federal and state governments providing contributions to match private sector donations,” the prime minister’s office said. University of Manitoba political scientist Paul Thomas has said that Leitz has an honorable reputation and decades of distinguished service inside and outside government. Thomas also said that because of Leitch’s long-standing relationship with the Progressive Conservative Party, he should not exert too much influence. “He is one of the employees who has come from a party background,” Thomas said. “It’s so close to Stephenson and the center of its sphere of influence that I’m not sure how many lobbies it should lobby for.” Manitoba Liberal leader Dougald Lamont has said that Leitch should not be on any board. “RWB is a very valuable organization that deserves funding. However, this is true for many art organizations and artists who have received nothing from this government, at least $ 7.5 million,” Lamont said. “This is a major problem with the Manitoba government under computers. It’s a government of a clique. ». The NDP expressed a similar sentiment. “Any kind of conflict – even the perception of one – erodes the Manitobans’ confidence that state funding will be spent fairly,” said public relations critic Malaya Marcelino. The expansion of the ballet campus includes a new student living center and infrastructure improvements to all of the organization’s facilities. Ballet has already built a new $ 15 million student dormitory. He sold his old house, which owned a plot of land that is now part of the True North Square development. Royal Winnipeg Ballet CEO André Lewis praised Leitch for his support. “As an organization, we appreciate Don’s support of RWB along with many other organizations throughout his career,” Lewis said.

Premier commits $ 7.5 million to arts organization chaired by Deputy Minister

Manitoba Prime Minister Heather Stephenson pledged earlier this week to provide $ 7.5 million to an arts organization chaired by her deputy minister. 2:07