Manitoba Election 2016

Sharon Blady - Kirkfield Park

1. Why did you decide to run in the 2016 Manitoba election?

After growing up here and raising my kids in this neighbourhood, it has been an honour to work for my neighbours. Over the past 8 years we have together invested in our community in terms of funding for smaller class sizes, renovations and expansion projects for community clubs, daycares and churches and our ACCESS Centre, QuickCare Clinic and a variety of projects at the Grace Hospital. The most recent projects being the construction of the new MRI suite and Emergency Department at our beloved Grace to ensure even better care. Now is not the time for cuts.

2. What experience will you bring to complement your role as MLA?

My experiences as a single-mom, community activist, university educator, author, cancer survivor, domestic violence survivor, and as someone who lives with a mood disorder, have all shaped my work. These lived experiences have given me empathy, insight and the passion to continue to make Manitoba a better place. It has meant that I bring a balance of professional and compassionate skills. I have seen how smart strategic investment, rather than cuts and austerity, reap rewards beyond anything that can be measured by ‘return on investment’ – how does one place a dollar value on a higher quality of life, a child’s health and well-being, or the peace of mind associated with compassionate care.

3. Is there anything in particular you would like to change in our province? In your electoral division?

I would like to bring more investment to our neighbourhood to support the diversity of families that call our community home. We need to support both children and seniors, so that the ‘sandwich generation’ is able to reap the benefits of multi-generational connections, rather than feel the strain of multiple responsibilities. It is part of the reason that, as Minister of Health, I am working to improve Home Care system, so that it can better support families across the province. As the birthplace of Home Care, Manitoba remains a leader in this area, and we have been asked by the federal government to work with them to share our knowledge and experience with others across the country. While I appreciate the recognition of our work over 40 years, I would like to build an even stronger system and ensure that it remains publicly funded and accessible.

4. What key issue(s) / topic(s) would like to stand for in your role as MLA, and why is it important to you?

I believe in investing in people through early childhood education, smaller class sizes for early years, supportive schools with GSAs and safe spaces that protect our children from bullying. Those foundations, along with strong social supports, like PAX and Roots of Empathy, help our children and give them mental health and social tools that mean they can proceed to well-supported post-secondary and apprenticeship training to build their lives and careers here at home. By investing in healthcare, with a strong focus on prevention, we can continue to sustain the strongest economy in the country for ongoing success, by growing a healthy population that is able to rise to the opportunities that a thriving economy presents.

5. What is one thing in particular that you value about the electoral division that you wish to represent?

I value the friends, family and loved ones who live here. Everyday there are conversations with school classmates, friends of my parents, or teachers who have taught my children and me. I would like to continue to build on these relationships because it is this personal investment in the neighbourhood that makes me strive to always do better to work people.

6. Do you have any other comments regarding your candidacy?

There is a great deal at stake in this election for my neighbourhood and for this province, and I hope that people see the bigger picture and put things in perspective regarding what they may lose after April 19th. My commitment to my constituency is grounded in a lifetime of connection to this neighbourhood and the people here.