Election Battle Heats Up in Provencher By Marianne Curtis The last few weeks have been exciting as the federal government muddles its way through a number of scandals. These issues have surfaced locally as candidates hit the streets vying for votes in the upcoming by-election. On November 25, Provencher residents will head to the polls to elect a new member of parliament to replace recently retired Vic Toews. Four candidates have been pounding the pavement including Ted Falk (Conservative), Terry Hayward (Liberal), Natalie Courcelles Beaudry (NDP) and Janine Gibson (Green Party). At the door or in public, each candidate has faced a barrage of questions and concerns ranging from immigration, debt, justice, to overall transparency. It is no secret that Provencher has had a strong Conservative following in recent years. In the last Federal election, Vic Toews clobbered his opponents when he captured over 70 percent of the total votes cast despite the fact that only 62 percent of the 62,180 voters went to the polls. However, in light of recent issues coming from Ottawa the tide may be turning for voters as the Liberals gain popularity in the national polls and locally. Terry Hayward, Liberal candidate, said he wants Provencher residents to consider the by-election like a referendum. He believes that even though the federal election is still two years away, voters from our area have an opportunity to send a clear message. “We can make sure we have a clear voice in Ottawa. Our economy is not in good shape. We’ve seen mismanagement of debt, deficit financing and taxes keep going up here and there. It’s catching [up] to middle class families,” stated Hayward. “We also have to talk about transparency and openness. We are right in the middle of issues raised at the Senate. People are paying attention.” Conservative candidate Ted Falk is coming into the polls confident that the
successes of his predecessor will pave the way to a win despite the growing issues plaguing the federal conservatives. “This by-election is about continuing the strong record of jobs and growth in Provencher. It’s about keeping taxes low and keeping our streets and communities safe,” stated Falk. Even a visit by Federal leader Justin Trudeau failed to shake his confidence. “We’ve had many constituents tell us as we’ve travelled around the riding that they’re looking forward to again supporting the Conservative Government in this next byelection. NDP candidate Natalie Courcelles Beaudry is ready to put up a fight for bilingualism. “I am very aware of what is going on and
Cast Your Ballot
Provencher residents are encouraged to head to the polls in the first byelection called within the constituency in over 100 years. The day of the byelection is Monday, November 25, with advanced polls beginning on Friday, November 15, then continuing on Saturday, November 16 and Monday, November 18. Advanced polling stations for the by-election are open between 12 - 8 pm, on November 15, 16 and 18. Election Day polls open 8:30 am and close at 8:30 pm. Voters can also vote via a special mail-in ballot, which can be applied for online, downloaded from the Elections Canada website or picked up from the Returning Office. The last time a Provencher member of parliament was elected in a by-election was in 1889 when AlphonseAlfred-Clement Lariviere was elected to the House of Commons with 797 votes.
what people are looking for in Provencher and our Conservative government has not been representing the needs of all Manitobans nor the needs of the province,” said the former assistant to Dawson Trail MLA Ron Lemiuex. “I feel that the federal NDP have the best intentions at heart, and Provencher, which is historically francophone, should be represented by a francophone.” A contender in several previous elections, Green Party Candidate Janine Gibson has also seen a consistent growth in support coming from the area. “It is important the Provencher voters elect someone that will respect them as well as the institution of Parliament,” stated Gibson. “I’m concerned that people are getting turned off by politics, that they feel isolated from it, that politicians are not being respectful of the institutions that they are part of and respectful of the everyday needs of people.” A recent Global research poll released October 21 showed that Falk led with 56 percent to 29 percent for Hayward of the Liberals, another strong showing for the party (they had 7 percent here in 2011). The NDP followed with just 9 percent, while the Greens were at 6 percent.
Right: Conservative candidate Ted Falk is the owner of a successful heavy construction company that employs more than 75 people. For the last 16 years, Ted has also served as President and Board Chair of the Steinbach Credit Union, the largest credit union in Manitoba with more than $4 billion in assets. Ted and his wife Irene have been married for 32 years and they have three adult children and five grandchildren.
Left: Natalie Courcelles Beaudry is a proud New Democrat dedicated to serving her community. Active in politics from a young age, she first got involved in 1999 and has worked for the Manitoba provincial NDP government for the last three years. As a proud francophone, Natalie has always been active in the fight to protect the unique francophone culture in Manitoba. Born and raised in Manitoba, Natalie lives in Lorette with her husband and three children.
Above: A public servant with the Government of Canada for more than three decades, Liberal Candidate Terry Hayward worked for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, as well as serving as a member of our Foreign Service in Washington, DC and Wellington, New Zealand, promoting Canada’s interests internationally. Terry and his wife live on a family farm in the RM of Springfield where they raised two sons and now enjoy the daily company of two grandchildren. Left: An author, educator and public speaker, Green Party Candidate Janine is an organic crop, livestock and process inspector, teaching and inspecting throughout Canada and the U.S. A Past President of Canadian Organic Growers and the Chair of the Steering Committee of the Organic Food Council of Manitoba-COG, Gibson was the recipient of the 2007 Manitoba EcoNetwork Environment Award and a Rural Community Food Champion recipient from Food Matters Manitoba. A mother and grandmother, Janine lives off grid, using solar and wind power, on a small mixed farm between Sarto and Pansy Manitoba.