
Progressive Conservative Party leader Brian Pallister (CHRISD.CA FILE)
Progressive Conservative Party leader Brian Pallister defended his recent purchase of a $2 million Wellington Crescent property on Monday.
In a news conference held at the Manitoba legislature, Pallister reiterated that he came from a humble background and worked hard to build his family’s success.
The purchase has been criticized by some over the last week after it was made public. Critics have contrasted Pallister’s extravagant taste to the modest home of NDP leader and Premier Greg Selinger in St. Boniface.
Social media has even gone as far to label Pallister the “Manitoba Mitt” — a comparison to former U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his apparent disconnection with the middle class.
According to WinnipegRealtors, the riverside home — purchased in October — is 9,000-square-feet and includes a basketball court, a seven-car garage and a loft.
“I have a strong track record in money management. I have worked for years to help Manitobans become financially successful and have shown through that success that I can manage effectively the province’s finances,” Pallister said. “The Greg Selinger government is driving Manitobans down into a canyon of debt, trenched through a decade of incompetence. Manitobans can do better and I want to lead them to better times.”