Green candidate for Riding Mountain is passionate about preserving rural places

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This article was published 09/04/2025 (351 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Green Party of Canada candidate for Riding Mountain says her vision is more than the misconception of hugging trees — she plans to promote homesteading, bring life back to rural areas, preserve wildlife and push for options on farmland.

Candidate Liz Clayton on Tuesday told the Sun she decided to run because the Greens align closest to her personal values. She said she agrees with the party on many issues such as a basic livable income and human rights, but locally she is passionate about preserving Manitoba’s beautiful backyard and promoting strong communities in Westman.

“So people think that we’re all about hugging trees,” said Clayton. “But I’m really very proud of the diligence that we do. We do our homework for the economy, for making changes to society.”

Clayton said the Westman region would benefit from policies targeting unproductive farmland. She would like to see restrictions eased and farmers and residents given more land-use options.

One of her own draft policies would introduce a new land zoning designation, so that unproductive areas zoned for agriculture could be opened up to homesteaders.

“Land that is not great for farming, that requires a lot of investment to make it productive, that’ll never be as productive as flat, rich land — (I’d like to introduce) a different zoning for the marginal land to allow homestead acreages on those areas. A person could live on a river valley with a few acres around them.”

The idea ties together two things she personally values, she said.

The strategy would promote the repopulation of rural areas, and it would introduce new options for Manitobans to make natural use of land.

“I am absolutely passionate about keeping what’s left of our wildlands and wilderness corridors intact,” said Clayton. “I also want healthy and vibrant rural economies.”

She also suggests a tax break for similar, marginal areas of a farmer’s land that they leave untouched.

When asked what voters would lose by voting for other left-leaning parties instead of the Greens, Clayton said consistency. She said the Green party presents a clear image of what it actually stands for, whereas other parties waffle on issues.

“Consistency in values,” said Clayton. “Being consistent to the basic tenets of what we’ve run on as a platform, and not abandoning them as soon as we’re in power.

“The Liberals clearly, because they occupy middle ground, waffle left and right, depending on the way the wind blows. So if you endorse the Liberals because they said some … left-leaning things that speak to your values, you may find that when the tides shift just a little bit, they are no longer going after those values. They change.”

She noted that environmental pushes that previously were championed by the Liberals are now being “thrown under the bus” as the party campaigns for re-election.

Clayton said she does not agree with the Green party on everything, but joined it 15 years ago because it reflected her views better than any other party.

“I want to see vibrant and healthy rural communities, and every time people shop at a Costco or order from Amazon or spend their entire winters down south, or sell a farm to the highest bidder, you know, we’re weakening our communities and our local economies, and these are little choices that everybody seems to make every day. But maybe it’s time to rethink those things.”

Clayton works as an education assistant at the Prairie Spirit School Division, with students between K to 6. She previously worked in radio for roughly 20 years, including a stint managing the University of Manitoba radio station.

Clayton now lives near Treherne on 32 acres, where she raises animals such as pigs and chickens and keeps an active greenhouse year-round.

» cmcdowell@brandonsun.com