Robinson seeks NDP nomination in Brandon West

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This article was published 21/07/2023 (1051 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A former United Church minister and family therapist is seeking the Manitoba NDP’s nomination for Brandon West in the next provincial election.

In a Thursday interview, Quentin Robinson said he was spurred to run by what he sees as an erosion of public services under the tenure of the current Progressive Conservative government.

Brandon West was held by the NDP from 1999 to 2007 by former cabinet minister Scott Smith, but has since been represented by two Tory MLAs, former Brandon mayor and Brandon-Souris MP Rick Borotsik from 2007 to 2011 and the soon-to-retire Reg Helwer from 2011 to present.

“I’m a strong believer in the common good,” Robinson said. “We know as individuals, we all have to be out there doing our best to make good lives for ourselves. But realistically, we live in a society in which we do much better when we pitch in to a common good for services that we couldn’t possibly provide ourselves like health care, like education, like social services.”

He said it seems to him that in Manitoba, there have been cuts in just about all those areas, which results in citizens struggling more.

“In just about every case, the best solution to funding problems is to make sure there’s a vibrant economy,” he said.

“In Manitoba, I think that’s going to be a big part of the path forward.”

One of Robinson’s passions is the environment and leading efforts against climate change. He’s co-chair of Knox United Church’s green team, is on the board of Sustainable Brandon and owns an electric car.

While climate change is a problem Manitoba will have to face, he said it also represents an opportunity. Manitoba doesn’t have as much oil as Alberta, but it has clean energy created by Manitoba Hydro and opportunities to do more with solar and wind power.

“There’s a lot of alternative energy opportunities for businesses and opportunities for mineral and metal extraction,” he said.

“That will be really needed in the new green economy as the whole world is turning to that direction and there’s a risk of us being left behind if we don’t step into that.”

On the current government’s climate record, Robinson said it has set its sights too low. For instance, he said Efficiency Manitoba is aiming to reduce Manitoba’s natural gas usage by just 0.75 per cent a year when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has set a 50 per cent reduction target by the year 2030.

Originally a farmer from Ontario, Robinson spent time working in oil exploration before becoming an ordained minister with the United Church.

That work eventually led him to move to MacGregor. While a minister, he said he spent a lot of time acting as a sort of informal therapist for his congregation.

That led him to eventually get a master’s degree and start a private practice in family therapy, from which he retired last year. These days, he’s enjoying his volunteer work and playing music.

Though Robinson moved to Brandon in 2016, he said his connection to the Wheat City extends back 15 years, when his kids moved to the city to go to Brandon University.

Robinson said he was vetted by the party and had his candidacy for the nomination has been approved, but the NDP declined to confirm that information on Thursday.

“As a rule we do not disclose which candidates we vet,” a spokesperson said by email. “We’re excited to talk to you about Brandon West in the near future!”

The Progressive Conservatives confirmed Thursday that former Brandon Police Service Chief Wayne Balcaen was nominated as their Brandon West candidate at a meeting held on Wednesday.

Balcaen became the only publicly announced candidate for the nomination in late June after he entered the race and former Brandon Riverbank general manager James Montgomery ended his campaign.

Robinson said he’s not daunted by the chance he’ll go up against someone who has already spent years in the public eye.

“Unless I’m mistaken, the advantage I have over Mr. Balcaen is that I actually live in Brandon West,” he said.

“He’s been parachuted in from Brandon East and so in a way, it’s just a sign that the Conservatives look like they’re worried about the riding rather than choose the person who did live in Brandon West who stepped back to make room for Mr. Balcaen.”

The only other party to nominate a candidate in Brandon West so far is the Green Party of Manitoba, who nominated retired teacher Bill Marsh to run for them.

In Spruce Woods, former legislative staffer Grant Jackson is the PC candidate looking to replace retiring incumbent Cliff Cullen. Entrepreneur Michelle Budiwski is running for the Liberals, while the NDP and Green Party have yet to announce candidates.

Brandon East has candidates from all three major parties nominated, with incumbent Tory Len Isleifson running for re-election against teacher Glen Simard for the NDP and ACC instructor Trenton Zazalak running for the Liberals. A Green Party candidate has yet to be announced.

Under Manitoba’s fixed-term election legislation, the next election must be held on or before Oct. 4, 2023.

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