(LifeSiteNews) – An anti-woke man vying to lead Manitoba’s Progressive Conservative Party has alleged that the current New Democratic government in his province used “lawfare” tactics to go after his personal business in a “a pre-emptive strike” against his leadership campaign.
According to Wally Daudrich, he claimed that the government of New Democratic Party Premier Wab Kinew has been using “dirty politics” and the law to “weaponize” an attack on his polar bear tourism business.
Daudrich is the only other candidate besides MLA Obby Khan, a former pro football player who is vying to become the leader of Manitoba’s Progressive Conservatives on April 26. Daudrich has sold no less than 7,500 memberships thus far, exceeding Khan’s total.
However, according to Daudrich in a Western Standard report, permits for polar bear expeditions for his Lazy Bear Lodge and Expeditions in Churchill have been rescinded while permits for his two other competitors have not.
Only 20 permits were issued between three companies for 2025 polar bear viewing tours in the north of the province.
Daudrich said that a letter dated February 27 from Maria Arlt, director of the Wildlife Branch of Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures, blindsided him after it read that his tundra buggies permits had been revoked.
According to Daudrich, Arlt’s letter said that the area for the polar bears was a “sensitive tundra ecosystem” and that there were “safety risks” if multiple tour vehicles were present.
“Those other companies together have 18 permits, many more than what would be needed to maintain their business presence,” he was quoted by the Western Standard as saying.
“But they’re taking away only the two I have.”
He said that “bureaucracy is being weaponized by Wab Kinew against me.”
Daudrich claimed this amounts to “dirty politics” as well as “a pre-emptive strike,” the likes of “lawfare imported from the United States” that he said was like the failed lawsuits used to try and take down President Donald Trump.
He noted that Kinew “knows full well what he’s doing,” adding that it is “no accident.”
“There was no call to us saying, ‘Yeah, we’re considering cutting back permits.’ What they’re trying to do is cut us off below the kneecaps because we’ve got a 2025 fall season almost full,” he said.
Daudrich, who was a vocal opponent of COVID mandates, has been an advocate for both religious freedom as well as parental rights and has stated he wants wokeness taken out of the province’s school system.
Daudrich to sue Kinew government for loss of income
As a result of permits being revoked, thousands of Daudrich’s tour bookings have been impacted, saying that business amounts to about $10 million per season.
He noted the hypocrisy of the Kinew government taking U.S. “liquor off the shelves” while “he wants to cancel permits.”
“If we’re dealing with the threat of tariffs with the U.S., why would we want to destroy a business that’s bringing in U.S. money and foreign money from other countries into Manitoba?” he noted.
Daudrich said that he is looking to put out a statement of claim as well as a “request for a judicial review” and a “request for an injunction.”
“I’m going to be suing the province for loss of income,” he noted, adding that he is not going to be “intimidated by this.”
“It just helps me to double down on what I’m doing,” he added.
When it comes to the NDP government of Kinew, since taking office it has passed a law prohibiting pro-life activism outside of abortion mills, a move that also drew the ire of Campaign Life Coalition and other groups.
LifeSiteNews has reported extensively on how it is a radical pro-abortion administration that also promotes and supports pro-gender-bending ideology.
