Politicians who harp on Klein’s history with Nygard do so at their own peril

Kevin Klein has entered Winnipeg's mayoral race, prompting his chief opponent, Mayor Scott Gillingham, to bring up Klein's past association with convicted sex offender Peter Nygard. Klein worked for Nygard for a few months in 2012 and another couple of weeks in 2014, but has consistently maintained he was unaware of Nygard's criminal activities at the time. However, there is no independent evidence to prove either Klein's knowledge of Nygard's behavior or lack thereof.

The Nygard issue has been raised before, during Klein's previous mayoral campaign in 2022 and when he was a provincial MLA. Now, as he launches yet another mayoral bid, repeating the same accusation without any new evidence could backfire on Gillingham and his supporters. Klein is not above criticism, but his record as a city councillor and provincial cabinet minister should be thoroughly examined.

It's essential to distinguish between questioning someone's past and implying they were complicit in their associates' crimes based on weak evidence.

Political opponents take swipes at each other, but if they overplay their hand, the court of public opinion can punish them harshly. The Progressive Conservatives' relentless focus on Premier Wab Kinew's criminal past serves as a cautionary tale. Voters have heard it repeatedly, and it ultimately distracted from the real issues.

Klein, as an underdog in this race, will need to prove he's the better choice for mayor and withstand scrutiny over his past. If his opponents continue to focus solely on the Nygard issue, they risk having the opposite effect of what they intended.