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WINNIPEG — Indigenous activist, author and politician Wab Kinew will launch his bid for the leadership of the Manitoba New Democrats on Monday.

Kinew was first elected to the Manitoba legislature last year when the N-D-P were defeated after 17 years in power.

He says he wants to unite a party that has suffered from in fighting. Kinew says he has support from people on both sides of an internal power struggle in 2014, when then-premier Greg Selinger was challenged by five cabinet ministers.

Kinew ran into controversy last year when misogynistic and homophobic rap lyrics and social media messages from his past surfaced.

He says he has changed his ways and apologized, and will continue to own up to his actions.

The leadership will be decided in September.

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The only other candidate so far is Michelle McHale, a labour executive who joined the N-D-P a year ago and has not had any major endorsements.