A past Manitoba Progressive Conservative Party leadership contender is taking legal action against the province, two wildlife officials, and three NDP cabinet ministers for obstructing his ecotourism company’s operation of offroad polar bear viewing vehicles to the east of Churchill.
In a court filing on December 22, Lazy Bear Expeditions and owner Wally Daudrich requested Manitoba’s Court of King’s Bench to affirm their entitlement to two offroad vehicle permits and compel the province to issue those permits.
Daudrich is also seeking a declaration from the court that the individuals involved in the 2025 decision not to renew Lazy Bear’s permits from 2020 engaged in various wrongful actions, including misfeasance, negligence, bad faith, conspiracy, unlawful conduct, economic interference, and discrimination based on political beliefs.
The legal claim names the NDP ministers overseeing natural resources, business, and the environment as defendants, along with the wildlife branch director and conservation officer Ian Van Nest.
Daudrich alleges that the defendants were aware, or recklessly indifferent, to the fact that their decisions would harm Lazy Bear’s business, disrupt its international partnerships, and lead to substantial financial losses.
This lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal steps taken by Daudrich since February 27, 2025, when the province notified Lazy Bear that it could not operate polar bear viewing vehicles offroad in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area for the 2025-26 season.
While a decision on the review is pending, Daudrich’s injunction request to reinstate the vehicle permits was initially denied in April and again on appeal in June.
Daudrich contends in the new claim that the province withheld the offroad permits from Lazy Bear to protect the dominant market position of its competitors, Frontiers North Adventures and Great White Bear Tours, which collectively hold 18 permits.
He alleges that the province colluded with these competitors to undermine Lazy Bear’s competitiveness in the polar bear viewing market.
Daudrich asserts in the claim that he faced discrimination due to his perceived political affiliations and candidacy for the Manitoba PC leadership.
Apart from seeking the permit renewals, Daudrich is pursuing damages for financial losses, contract disruptions, supplier relationships, market share, vehicle costs, and reputational harm in 2025.
The allegations in the claim have not been tested in court, and no defense statement has been submitted.
The provincial public service and a government spokesperson declined to comment on the ongoing legal matter, citing the matter’s presence in court proceedings.
Daudrich has expressed his intentions to run as the PC candidate for Turtle Mountain in the upcoming provincial election.