WINNIPEG — The insults and accusations are flying in the Manitoba legislature.

The governing New Democrats have accused Opposition Progressive Conservative Leader Obby Khan of using bigoted and transphobic language, after he criticized Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara this week.

The NDP accuse Khan of uttering the phrase “whatever you are” to Asagwara, who is non-binary.

Khan says he was telling the NDP to repeat whatever they were saying outside the chamber, where comments would not be protected by parliamentary privilege from potential libel.

The Tories have launched accusations of their own, alleging two cabinet ministers used the phrase “poor immigrant story” to refer to Khan’s life.

NDP house leader Nahanni Fontaine denied the accusation and said she never uses the word “immigrant”.

Legislature speaker Tom Lindsey has tried to maintain order and cautioned politicians to tone things down, but Khan says Lindsey has been letting the NDP get away with bad behaviour.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 18, 2026

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press