Election 2015 - Priorities

Details

Published on Thursday, October 15, 2015

Banner Staff

The Neepawa Banner

The Neepawa Banner has been talking to the candidates about the issues that matter to local voters. This is the last topic before the election on October 19th. 

Question: If elected, what initiative would you most like to see accomplished? What do you think is the single most important issue facing this constituency? Anything else voters should know about yourself or your party?

 Name: Inky Mark

Party: Independent

Home: Dauphin

The most pressing issue in this riding is agriculture. Harper killed CWB and all support programs for agriculture. This means extra cost for farmers and communities across the board. Farmers are again at the whim of the multinational grain companies. Back to the future. 

Health care is another top of mind issue. Lack of doctors, nursing shortage, long distance travel for our aging population brings hardship. Ambulances should be free, a part of healthcare. We need a pharma care program for all.  Seniors will become the most impoverished if we don’t make policy changes. 

Seniors don’t need more tax credits, they need cash. I believe OAS and CPP should not be taxed and clawed back. I will look into and promote a guaranteed income program for all.

Name: Laverne Lewycky

Party: NDP

Home: Dauphin

The initiative that I would most like to see accomplished is improved communication and representation from the Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa riding to Ottawa. When I was a Member of Parliament previously, I had a Local Advisory Committee that kept me informed  concerning constituency issues, concerns and the allocation of grants for communities within the riding. Because an excellent level of communication was achieved, I would again establish a Constituency Advisory Council. 

 This Council would consist of four Constituency Advisory and Youth Committees, representing the four zones of the much expanded Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa riding, i.e. Dauphin, Swan River, Riding Mountain and Agassiz—the four provincial constituencies. In essence, a provincial partnership would be engendered within the federal riding. As required, ad hoc committees (generally having sunset clauses) would be struck on important issues such as: 1) the establishment of a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Commission for the First Nations; 2) reclaiming Riding Mountain National Park as a four-season park; 3) the re-establishment of the CWB single-desk marketing system; 4) saving Canada Post home delivery and rural postal outlet service; 5) retaining the CBC; 6) restoring the PFRA and agricultural research and scientists; 7) returning pension eligibility to age 65; 8) re-negotiating the Conservative Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP); 9) repealing the obnoxious Bill C51. 

 Having attended over 40 municipal council meetings across the huge, expanded riding in the last couple of months, I had the unparalleled opportunity of learning first-hand the current local municipal issues and concerns regarding infrastructure. I envision the federal government playing a constructive role in federal-provincial-municipal agreements in negotiations with our 36 ½ municipalities, 14 First Nations, 24 Hutterite colonies, two dozen Metis communities, youth, adults, seniors and various interest groups. The federal government must do more to bring about a sense of hope, peace and prosperity domestically. Every individual and family deserves to have a sense of security through adequate employment, housing, day care, health care, education and protection.  

Real change after almost 150 years of Conservatives and Liberals in power is now possible. The Conservatives do not deserve a “blue ribbon!” It is the right time for giving the Stephen Harper government the “pink slip” like he has done to so many Canadians. Nationally, the NDP are in the best position to replace the Harper government and give them their “pink slip”. We only need 35 more seats to form a majority government, whereas the Liberals need over 100 more seats. 

My first-hand knowledge of local issues, doctoral studies, previous parliamentary experience (including service in the Special Parliamentary Committee on the Participation of Visible Minorities in Canadian Society), work with First Nations, government consultant work, 40 some years of university teaching coupled with youth communication mentoring and church leadership are assets to be considered. As a person who is compassionate and competent, I believe I present the best choice for change in this constituency to address retirement security for seniors, educational and employment opportunities for young people, and infrastructure investment for municipalities--all of which would provide a rural stay option. 

 For health care, rural doctor care, pharmacare, child care, youth care, small business care, farm care, senior care, home care and palliative care we need Mul-CAIR and Lewycky in Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa! I invite you to mark your “X” at the very top of the ballot so that together we can achieve real change! Let’s reach for the top!

Name: Kate Storey

Party: Green Party of Canada

Home: Grandview

Manitoba wants jobs. We want to be able to employ our kids when they grow up, instead of seeing them leave for Alberta or wherever. We can create those jobs [by] adding value to the resources that we produce here. That requires investment, federal investment. We can create those jobs with infrastructure spending. We’ve talked about the one per cent GST, which would be given to the municipalities to address infrastructure needs. It’s all about jobs.

We’re looking at the economic damage that’s been caused by all this floodwater [in Manitoba]. All rivers run this way, so we have to slow that water down. [The government] has allowed and encouraged ditching and draining and straightening and removing of vegetation from rivers in the interest of the economy, and now we have this flood bank that completely overshadows any agricultural value those lands are producing. We have to get smart here. Start finding ways to slow the water down. Use nature or build wetlands, whatever you have to do, but start figuring it out, because we can’t pay these flooding bills. That’s what the Green Party is all about. We have to start preventing problems before they start. Start seeing the cause and effect. We need a government that makes decisions, not for political gain but based on the public good.

As for myself, I’m Kate Storey. I’m a farm woman. I have a medium sized farm near a small community. I’ve always been active in my community and I understand how invested in rural life people here are. I understand how beneficial our rural communities are to Canada. This is the best place in Canada to live, as far as I’m concerned.

Name: Robert Sopuck

Party: Conservative Party of Canada

Home:  Sandy Lake

In general, I would like to see more economic development throughout the entire constituency. In particular, I’d like to see more agricultural diversification and economic diversification. 

The single most important issue facing the constituency is economic development. We need to grow and develop our communities and expand the economy. 

We [the Conservative Party] are very strong defenders of rural Canada and I am very proud to be a rural Member of Parliament from Manitoba; part of a caucus with a very strong rural contingent that is always looking at issues from a rural point of view. 

Name: Ray Piché

Party: Liberal Party of Canada

Home:  Onanole

I would definitely like to see Riding Mountain National Park return to a four season park. With that being said, under the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada, that will become a reality. 

The single most important issue facing our constituency is lack of communication.  We need to have open and honest dialogue with all levels of government within this vast and diverse constituency. It is essential to form partnerships with all levels of governments to create jobs, to complete necessary infrastructure projects, to take care of our seniors, veterans , first nations and youth.   

The Liberal Party of Canada and I truly believe in the fairness for all Canadians. That is why our whole platform was created with the framework of our fairness program.  

If elected as the Member of Parliament, I will work hard for the citizens of Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa and bring their voice to Ottawa.