NDP opens Brandon East campaign office

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This article was published 01/09/2023 (1006 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Manitoba NDP figuratively painted the East End Community Centre orange on Thursday, a little over a month before they hope to do the same to the rest of Brandon.

Almost 18 months after he was first nominated as the party’s Brandon East candidate, local teacher Glen Simard opened his campaign office at the centre with a barbecue on Thursday evening with approximately 60 people showing up for burgers, hotdogs and drinks.

As former Brandon East NDP MLA and city councillor Drew Caldwell said during his introductory speech, the East End Community Centre has been the site of party victories in the past, and he hopes it will be the focal point for another on election day.

Though Progressive Conservative Len Isleifson has represented the constituency in the Manitoba legislature since 2016, it had previously been an NDP stronghold with Len Evans holding it down from 1969 to 1999 and Caldwell from 1999 to 2016.

“What we really thought about is the significance of community in this upcoming election and the importance of going back to Brandon East NDP roots where a number of campaigns were run out of this centre,” Simard told the Sun about his office’s location.

Though his nomination has been set for almost a year and a half, Simard said people are really getting their interest piqued with the official election period set to start on Sept. 5.

“The number one issue for people in Brandon is the number one issue for people in Manitoba, which is health care,” Simard said about what he has heard while door knocking.

“They want something to be done to address the issues that are in our health-care system today. They’re looking for improvements there and we are ready to deliver. That’s a top issue. Education, reconciliation — it’s a long list, but health care is at the top of it.”

While some guests were clearly attending to support the party, like Brandon West NDP candidate Quentin Robinson, others turned out to learn more about Simard and the NDP’s platform.

That included seniors and friends Doreen Lipscomb, Kathy Redman and Shirley Derhan, who wanted to know about what Simard and NDP were going to do to improve Manitoba’s health-care system if they form the next provincial government.

“There are only two places in Brandon you can get blood drawn,” Lipscomb said. “My husband’s having to go to Regina to have his cataract surgery done … the NDP is saying that they will do a lot as far as nurses go and getting greater numbers of nurses. I want to know where they’re getting these nurses from. We definitely need them.”

Redman said she’d like to see better dental and vision care made available for Brandon seniors, especially since many are on fixed incomes and have difficulty with the expenses involved.

“There are people that are in wheelchairs that cannot get into buildings because the doorways aren’t wide enough,” Derhan said. “In a lot of stores, you have to go up two steps to get in. How are people with walkers and mobility aids expected to go up stairs?”

She said she’d like the provincial government to make the buildings it owns more accessible as well as implement enhanced accessibility standards for buildings in general.”

As the three women sat down to eat their hamburgers, Simard sat down and went to work to try to answer their questions.

Before speeches were given and food started to be handed out, Sioux Valley Dakota Nation elder Frank Tacan performed a smudging ritual and offered a blessing in honour of the office’s opening.

Though hours for the campaign office have yet to be finalized, Simard’s team expects someone to be present at the centre most days.

Those interested in reaching out to Simard to learn more about his campaign can visit glensimard.ca, email brandoneast@mbndp.ca, call 431-542-0280 and follow his social media pages on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

Isleifson will be holding his own campaign launch event on Tuesday, he told the Sun by phone. Starting at 5 p.m., he, Spruce Woods PC candidate Grant Jackson and Brandon West candidate Wayne Balcaen will hold a barbecue at their joint office at 382 Park Ave. East.

Joining them will be Candice Bergen, the former federal Conservative MP for Portage-Lisgar who served as interim leader of the opposition for seven months in 2022. She’s now acting as the Progressive Conservatives’ campaign co-chair.

In his canvassing efforts, Isleifson said health care and affordability are the two issues on the top of Brandonites’ minds.

Voters in Brandon East can keep track of Isleifson’s campaign by visiting his social media campaigns, visiting lenisleifson.ca, emailing brandoneastpc@hotmail.com or calling 204-922-4217.

The Liberal candidate for Brandon East, Trenton Zazalak, said Thursday that he’s not expecting to open a dedicated campaign office but is ramping up his efforts to engage the community.

He said he was planning on meeting with members of the local LGBTQ+ community in the next couple of weeks and do his best to answer questions people might have about his campaign.

Like his competitors, Zazalak said health care has been top of mind for prospective voters he has spoken with thus far. Those wanting to follow Zazalak’s campaign can visit his Facebook page, titled “Trenton Zazalak for Brandon East.”

» cslark@brandonsun.com

» X: @ColinSlark