‘I think it’s election interference’: CUPE’s newspaper ad sparks investigation

City election officials in Winnipeg have launched an investigation into a newspaper ad placed by the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 500, which claimed that certain organizations endorsed Mayor Scott Gillingham's re-election campaign. The ad, published in Tuesday's Free Press, listed the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg and a "Chamber of Commerce" as having endorsed the incumbent candidate.

Both the UFFW and the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce denied any endorsement and claimed they had not supported any mayoral candidate. Kevin Klein, a candidate who lost to Gillingham, filed a complaint to the city, calling the ad "election interference" and suggesting it could create a conflict of interest. CUPE representatives have apologized for the mistake and emphasized that the union will continue to advocate for working Manitobans.