Manitoba Liberals pick former Blue Bomber Willard Reaves as deputy leader

A former Winnipeg Blue Bomber is filling a new spot on the roster of the Manitoba Liberal Party.

Willard Reaves, a star candidate for the party, is the new deputy leader of the Manitoba Liberals, Cindy Lamoureux, the interim party leader, announced Tuesday at a news conference.

Lamoureuxsaid Reaves' new position is an opportunity to build up the party, which was relegated to one seat in the recent provincial election.

Reaves will serve in a volunteer capacity. He'll work to sign up new members, fundraise, convey the party's ideas to Manitobans and represent the Liberals at public events.

"I plan on assisting Cindy and the party in building a strong, very prosperousLiberal Party that will serve the people and serve them well," Reaves said. "I look forward to this endeavour immensely."

In a 2022 byelection, Reaves came within 200 votes of takingFort Whyte, a Tory stronghold, from the then-governing party.

He also ran in the same seat in the recent election, but the vote differential between Reaves and PC MLA Obby Khan had widened.

Before entering politics, Reaves was astar Blue Bomber running back in the 1980swho went on to work in the provincial justice department and in retail.

Reaves' new position within the Liberals is another example of Lamoureux, the MLA for Tyndall Park, building up the profile of other people in the party.

Past election candidates have been attending some public events alongside Lamoureux, or on her behalf. She has referred to them as her "caucus of candidates," borrowing an idea from former leader SharonCarstairs, who led a resurgence of the party in the 1980s from one seat to 20.

"We are a small party right now, but we are building up, and through having a deputy leader, through having a very strong and competent board at the Manitoba Liberal Party and through our caucus of candidates, we're hoping to still represent Manitobans across the province," Lamoureux said.

Neither Lamoureux nor Reaves say they have decided if they'll run for party leadership.