Tory leader rallies the troops

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This article was published 26/08/2011 (5539 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The issue of hallway medicine aside, Progressive Conservative Leader Hugh McFadyen says Brandon just might be "ground zero" in terms of broken NDP promises.

While on a pre-election tour with both Brandon West PC candidate Reg Helwer and Brandon East PC candidate Mike Waddell yesterday, McFadyen again hinted that Brandon could have been better protected from this spring’s severe flooding if city dikes were built up like the NDP promised back in 2006.

"Obviously, the community is dealing with what has been a challenging year for many people here in Brandon because of the flooding and that was a commitment that was made and never followed through on," he said. "There have been other promises as well … the promise to deal with the highway from here to Clear Lake and lots of other commitments over the years, never followed through on.

"We’ve got the famous ‘hallway medicine’ promise, but Brandon may very well be ground zero for NDP broken promises, when you start to add up that list."

McFadyen said Brandon also needs new provincial leadership on the issue of affordable housing, which he suggested his party is keen on dealing with.

"There’s a few different areas that need to be addressed, in terms of encouraging the construction of a range of housing options for people," he said. "That will take some of the pressure off and, I think, allow us to ensure that there’s more affordable housing available for people."

While the writ signalling the beginning of Manitoba’s 40th election campaign can be dropped anywhere from Aug. 30 to Sept. 6, PC party sources have indicated their long-awaited party policy document will be released on Aug 30.

Though he remained mum on its contents last night, McFadyen hinted it will focus on key issues like "healthier, safer communities" and "keeping more money in peoples’ pockets."

Echoing comments he made at a Manitoba Teachers’ Society-sponsored leadership debate in Winnipeg earlier this week, McFadyen suggested that it is his "stamp" that will define his party during the campaign, not that of Gary Filmon.

"I want to build on the tradition established by Duff Roblin of being a forward-looking Progressive Conservative who is also fiscally responsible," he said. "That’s the balance that we’re going to seek."

Context is important when looking back at the days of Filmon cuts, he added, noting that "exceptional circumstances" in the 1990s led to many of the former premier’s infamous cuts.

"(That) government pursued a balanced budget objective, but I think may have lost sight of some of the social programs that were important to people in that process," he said. "I think we need to approach it in a more balanced way this time."

Prior to officially opening Helwer’s campaign office early Thursday evening, McFadyen and his Brandon West candidate spent time visiting residents at Riverheights Terrace retirement community, door-knocking within Monterey Estates and meeting with executive members of the Brandon Police Association.

Helwer’s headquarters, nestled in the vacant studio of the former CKX Television building on Victoria Avenue, is the first of Brandon’s candidates to be opened.

However, he says his campaign has been going "full tilt" for well over a month now.

"We have to get to every door in Brandon West and we will get that done," he said. "That’s really the goal. To get there and be seen, meet people and get more and more known."

The issues of crime, infrastructure, flood prevention and shortcomings within the health-care system continue to be discussion topics on the doorstep, he said.

McFadyen also spent time last night door-knocking with Waddell in the North Hill neighbourhood near Kirkcaldy Heights School. Waddell said he has picked up right where he left off with his 2007 campaign in Brandon East.

"I never let the fire die out from 2007," Waddell said. "We’re up to speed, not only on the mechanics of a campaign, but on the issues. I personally have a far better grasp, I feel I’ve matured in the past five years and we believe that we’re ready to run a more equal campaign to my opponent’s."

Waddell and Liberal candidate Shaun Cameron are each working to unseat incumbent NDP MLA Drew Caldwell in Brandon East, while Helwer’s opponents in Brandon West are NDP candidate Jim Murray and Liberal candidate George Buri,

Manitobans go to the polls on Oct. 4.