The provincial New Democratic Party elected Wab Kinew as their leader over the weekend.

It's something that doesn't surprise Brandon University Political Science Professor Kelly Saunders, who notes he was the front-runner for some time.

However, she's also disturbed, because he's been charged with some serious offences.

Wab Kinew (NDP website)

"And he seems to be playing a little fast and loose with what he's admitting to, and not admitting to about some of his behaviours and actions," she says. "And I think that's concerning. Now, the NDP will have to face the voters, and Mr. Kinew will have to answer for some of his past activities, and the ways he's been misleading, I would say, Manitobans about his past."

Saunders doesn't know how New Democrats will deal with that, given that Manitobans value trust and honesty in their leaders.

"And when they feel that they can no longer trust their leaders," she says, "As we saw with Mr. Selinger, as we've seen with some of the questions that have dogged our current premier over Costa Rica, and e-mail servers, when they feel that they can no longer trust and believe their leaders, that's when they are willing to park their votes with another party. So, for a party that is struggling to rebuild, that is a really steep hill for the NDP to climb."

Saunders says it's something that's affected her since the weekend.

"Are we willing to accept so little in our political leaders now," she says, "I mean, has politics become so disconnected from values and morality, and the kinds of communities that we want to build, and the things we try to teach our kids -- has politics become so removed from that, that we are willing to accept individuals that have committed, and exhibit, really disturbing behaviours."