A Manitoba lawmaker’s pledge to back a convicted sex offender’s bail with his seven-figure savings has ignited a political firestorm, with senior government ministers openly attacking the leader of the opposition and condemning the Progressive Conservative party’s defence of one of its veteran elected officials.
In a video posted to social media over the weekend, deputy premier and Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara condemned both Obby Khan’s leadership and the PC party’s moral compass.
“The PC party of Manitoba is morally bankrupt – full stop,” Asagwara said in the video. “This is someone who was a former educator who took advantage of one of her students and harmed them, abused them sexually, one of the most disgusting and egregious things a person could do.”
Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara condemned both Obby Khan’s leadership and defence of Greg Nesbitt on social media over the weekend.
“Obby Khan, actually came out in defence of Greg Nesbitt, his MLA, saying that he did what anybody would do for their niece of nephew,” Asagwara added. “No, we would not. There are many, many good people out there who recognize that protecting a sexual predator, someone who preys on children, isn’t the move you make.”
The intense political backlash over the weekend was triggered by a Free Press investigation published on Friday, which revealed Nesbitt, the PC MLA for Riding Mountain and former cabinet minister, opened his financial books to the court.
Nesbitt declared a fully paid-off home and more than $1 million in savings and investments, swearing under oath that he was willing to pay whatever amount a judge deemed appropriate to secure the bail for his niece, Chasity Findlay. The court ultimately set the surety at $7,500.
Findlay, a former high school teacher, was sentenced in September 2024 to five years in federal prison for sexual interference and sexual assault stemming from a relationship with a 15-year-old student. Findlay was twice his age at the time. She is scheduled to argue her appeal in court on Monday.
In the social media post, Asagwara went on to tie Nesbitt’s decision to the party’s fitness to govern, noting that Nesbitt sat at the cabinet table when his niece was initially arrested and allowed to keep her teaching certificate in good standing.
“It is so scary to think that the PCs were in government making these kinds of unethical decisions, and it raises a ton of questions,” Asagwara said.
Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine also weighed in on Instagram, calling Nesbitt’s financial backing a “grotesque abuse of power.”
“This is exactly why the system fails survivors, because those with power protect their own, even when it means trampling justice for the most vulnerable,” Fontaine wrote.
Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine called Nesbitt’s financial backing a ‘grotesque abuse of power.’
Targeting Khan’s defence of Nesbitt, she added: “And Obby Khan call this a ‘loving act’? What in the actual hell?!”
While Nesbitt called his financial backing a “private family matter,” Khan publicly defended his MLA on Friday, stating Nesbitt did “whatever any loving uncle, aunt or relative would do.”
The Free Press reached out to Khan’s office on Sunday for a response to the ministers’ comments and to clarify if Nesbitt’s standing within the PC caucus is under review. In a brief emailed statement, Khan declined to address the attacks or clarify Nesbitt’s political future.
“As this matter is before the courts it would be inappropriate to comment,” Khan stated.
The Tories have long touted their party as leaders in classroom safety.
It was the former Tory government that created the legal framework for Bill 35, establishing an independent commissioner of teacher professional conduct and an online registry for disciplined teachers. These initiatives were then adopted by the NDP after winning the 2023 provincial election and rolled out in January 2025.
The NDP’s harsh comments over the weekend comes after the PCs spent much of last week heavily criticizing the government over student safety. Tories blasted the province for botching its first pick for the commissioner, a story that dominated news headlines owing to the confusion over whether Bobbi Taillefer resigned or was fired for working remotely in Florida over the winter.
Education Minister Tracy Schmidt added her voice late Sunday, targeting both the Riding Mountain MLA and his leader.
“I’m appalled by the lack of ethical judgement shown by MLA Nesbitt in protecting a convicted child sex offender,” Schmidt said in an emailed statement. “I am also dismayed by PC Leader Obby Khan’s unconditional support of Nesbitt’s choices in this situation.”
Education Minister Tracy Schmidt voiced her dismay in an email regarding MLA Greg Nesbitt’s ‘lack of ethical judgement.’
When asked about the institutional failures spanning local school divisions and her department that allowed Findlay’s employment to continue, Schmidt teased impending government action.
“Our government takes these events extremely seriously, as we do in all situations involving the safety of students,” Schmidt said. “We will be taking significant steps to ensure it never happens again and will share more in the coming days.”
Schmidt noted her department has recently updated the online teacher registry to publicly show when an educator has surrendered their certificate and is barred from the classroom while a review is ongoing.
The education minister also noted the province has “ordered school divisions to ensure all teaching licenses and permits are valid and up to date and have provided support to schools to conduct audits of their safety protocols.”
Court records show the charges against Findlay stem from a relationship that began in 2015 when the victim, then a Grade 10 student, confessed he had feelings for his 30-year-old teacher. During the trial, the victim testified they had sex at least twice per week.
“We will be taking significant steps to ensure it never happens again.”
While Findlay’s legal defence claimed she was a victim of rape and extortion, the judge rejected her testimony as evasive and exaggerated.
Despite red flags appearing years before her criminal conviction, institutional safeguards repeatedly failed to intervene.
According to a 2021 statement of defence filed in a civil lawsuit, the Seine River School Division investigated the circulation of a topless photo of Findlay in early 2018. Rather than immediately turning the matter over to police or child protection services, the division claims it accepted her resignation.
Findlay subsequently transferred to the Rolling River School Division, which is located in Nesbitt’s riding. She remained employed there until her criminal arrest in late 2021, shortly after the civil suit was filed.
Findlay did not officially resign from Rolling River School Division until January 2024 — a month after her conviction.
Findlay’s teaching certificate remained in good standing until it was officially cancelled on July 30, 2025. This move came only after the Free Press informed the current NDP government that she was still certified despite being a convicted child predator.
Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca
Jeff Hamilton
Multimedia producer
Jeff Hamilton is a sports and investigative reporter. Jeff joined the Free Press newsroom in April 2015, and has been covering the local sports scene since graduating from Carleton University’s journalism program in 2012. Read more about Jeff.
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