NDP candidate Wab Kinew launches campaign in Winnipeg

NDP candidate Wab Kinewofficially launched his campaign in Winnipeg Sunday.

The hip hop artist and former CBC broadcaster is hoping to win the hearts and minds of voters in the Fort Rouge constituency this spring in the Manitoba provincial election.

"This is a remarkable constituency. It's extraordinarily diverse," Kinewsaid at his campaign headquarters.

"I've been humbled to talk to people and hear about the challenges of being a senior citizen living on a fixed income ... from people who are well off and don't have too many complaints about their lot in life, but still feel passionately that we need justice for newcomers, indigenous people and people from the LGBTIQ and two-spirited community."

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Kinew is an advocate for First Nations rights andtheassociate vice-president of indigenous affairs at the University of Winnipeg.

He was born in Kenora, Ont.Hisfather was a residential school survivor who instilledthe values ofAnishinabe culture and language in him, Kinewsaid.

"When we embrace and build on our diversity, we will be even stronger and more prosperous going forward,"NDP Leader GregSelingertold the crowd atKinew'scampaign kick off Sunday."There is no barrier to people being able to achieve what they want when we have a profound respect for the humanity, their culture, their background and their lived experience."

Kinewsaid the weeks that followed his candidacy announcement brought on a period of intense personal reflection that hasgiven him insight into why the NDP plan is right for Manitobans.

"Government investments should put more of an emphasis on peoplerather than on corporation, and that's the NDP plan for jobs," Kinew said, adding Manitoba's health-care system has improved leaps and bounds since 1999 when the NDP waselected to govern.

"Manitobans can get the health-care services they needclose to homeand when they need it, and we need to protect that," Kinew said. "That doesn't happen by accident. That happens only when there is a government in place that cares about people and that asks high-income earners and corporations to pay some of the share."

Years-old misogynistic and homophobic lyrics and tweets ofKinew'swere put under the microscope earlier this month.Kinewacknowledged in his 2015 bookThe Reason You Walkthat heregretted makingoffensive remarks in the past and apologizes for any harm they have done.

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Voters head to the polls April 19.