Rookie Liberal Leader is 'confident' she can be premier

Liberal Leader Rana Bokhari said she's confident premier of Manitoba canbe her first elected office, but in a year-end interview with CBC Newsshe said her full election platform is not ready and she can't yetcommit to a timeline to balance the budget.

"We're just not there yetand I could lie about it, but I'm not going to," Bokhari said from the Liberal Party of Manitoba office on Broadway. "I'm telling everyone very honestly that we are just working on it."

It's time for new blood and now it's time for new people to come in- Rana BokhariLiberal Leader

This fall, the Liberals have presented numerous policy announcements, including funding for in vitro fertilization and turning post-secondary loans into grants.

Bokhari said while each individual announcement is costed-out, the full plan is not.

"We still have a few more announcements to make, so it would be a little bit irresponsible to give out a plan that's costed-out only 50 per cent or 20 per cent," she said. "I'm not in a position today and I'm not going to do it today and I'm probably not going to do it until we're closer to the election. But it's coming and I think Manitobans will feel it's a responsible, creative, good,stable plan."

• VIDEO: Bokhari says she's 'not uncomfortable' running deficit, and won't commit to a balanced budget timeline yet

Manitoba Liberal Leader Rana Bokhari on budgets

9 years ago

Duration 3:03

Manitoba Liberal Leader Rana Bokhari says she's 'not uncomfortable' running a deficit and won't commit to a balanced budget timeline yet.

At 38yearsold she's two decades younger than her NDP and PC counterparts, but she said that's an advantage and shows a generational shift in politics.

"It's time for new blood and now it's time for new people to come in," said the rookie politician.

The daughter of immigrants, Bokhari grew up on a farm in Anola and went on to become a lawyer living in the south end of Winnipeg.

As the elected leader of the Liberals without a seat in the legislature,Bokhariwatches debate from the public gallery.

River HeightsMLAJonGerrardcurrently holds the only Liberalseat in the Manitoba Legislature.IfBokhariwins her Fort Rouge constituency in April shesaid she will relocate there.

With three degrees and experience as a lawyer, she said even though she doesn't have legislative experience, she is prepared.

"So when it comes to [political] knowledge and it comes to experience that's not something that I'm even worried about, or not concerned about,because I've never claimed to know everything," she said. "I'm working 10 times harder than them to keep myself as briefed and as aware of everything that's going on."

• VIDEO: Bokhari says despite inexperience there's "no doubt" she can go toe-to-toe with Pallister and Selinger

Rana Bokhari confident against NDP, Tories

9 years ago

Duration 1:39

Manitoba Liberal Leader Rana Bokhari says despite inexperience there's "no doubt" she can go toe-to-toe with Pallister and Selinger.

In recent interviews, journalists have pressedBokhari for answers on ifshe'll balance the budget and when.

• VIDEO: Bokhari says she's learning the 'dance' with media, but she doesn't have a mistrust for journalists

Rana Bokhari on dealing with media

9 years ago

Duration 2:50

Manitoba Liberal Leader Rana Bokhari says she's learning the 'dance' with media, but she doesn't have a mistrust for journalists.

Bokhari said her team has a lot of work to do to come from one seat in the Manitoba Legislature to government, but a win is heronly measure of success.

"We are going to do everything in our power, and I have done everything in my power, to completely rebuild a party in less than two years and get us in a position that we could run an electionand I feel like I've done that very well."

• Watch the full year-end interview here:

The 2015 year-end interview with Rana Bokhari

9 years ago

Duration 19:37

Manitoba Liberal leader Rana Bokhari sits down with CBC's Chris Glover to talk about the past year in politics.