If you live north of Virden, you may be in the Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa riding.
Meet your candidates as profiled below.
Frank Godon - People’s Party of Canada
Frank Godon lives in the Boissevain area lives with his wife Alina and two daughters.
After he finished high school he joined the U.S. Marine Corps.
More recently, Godon was a professor at the State University in St Petersburg, Russia from 2004 to 2013 before returning to Canada.
Recently Godon ran provincially in the Arthur-Virden riding for the Manitoba Party and federally as a Libertarian candidate in the 2013 Brandon-Souris by-election.
Godon has participated in the Manitoba Metis Federation as the secretary of the Metis National Veterans Association in the mid 2000's.
He says, “Safe clean drinking water for our reserves in the riding is a number one priority.”
He would encourage industry in the area. “That,” he says, “I can do through my extensive network I've built up nationally and internationally throughout the years.” He points to value added industry such as hemp seed processing and possibly a packing plant for freshwater fish.
He says there are core problems that all Canadians face and that living outside the riding gives him a fresh perspective that others within the riding may not see.
Godon stated that he will move to the riding if he wins the seat.
Jenni Johnson - Christian Heritage Party
Jenni Johnson grew up, graduated, and was married in Roblin. After a year of bible college in Australia, 10 years of living and raising a family in British Columbia, and three months of missions training in Africa, she and her husband and their four children moved back to Roblin in 2017.
She said that in the midst of running their own business, homeschooling their children, and renovating their home, politics doesn’t seem like an obvious choice. But as Canada continues to move further from the Judeo-Christian foundation on which it was built, the time to stand for Life, Family and Freedom is now.
Johnson explains, “The CHP's economic platform is simple: your income is your private property. The CHP would replace the federal income tax with a Fair Tax on purchases - a flat rate applied to all purchases of finished goods and services.
“As a person of faith who believes in the absolute necessity of freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, and freedom of speech, it would be my honour to represent the diversity of this region and work to protect each and every person's right to live according to his/her convictions. The CHP does not want a theocracy, but champions freedom, and is committed to protecting the diverse expressions of faith in our country that shares Canadian values.”
Laverne Lewycky – New Democratic Party of Canada
Laverne Lewycky served one term as an MP for the Dauphin-Swan River riding following the 1980 federal election.
From Dauphin roots, his journey includes work as a professor, school teacher and minister; but he says, “Politics has been a lifelong interest for me. Stanley Knowles sent me Hansards from the time I was in Grade 7.”
In the Manitoba Legislature, Lewycky worked for Premier Howard Pawley and in Ottawa he was a consultant to Standing and Special Parliamentary Committees.
In doctoral studies at Carleton University Lewycky managed the Centre for Research on Ethnic Minorities, Etc.
As an MP, he worked with the cattle sector on a “herd maintenance program to save 300 farmers from bankruptcy,” took on the issue of rail line abandonment and successfully fought to keep “all 66 Post Offices in the constituency from being closed.”
Regarding the importance of the youth climate change movement, he stated “if elected again… I have offered to set up a local Youth Advisory Committee.”
He says of First Nations, “We have economic possibilities with First Nations in our riding developing urban initiatives.” He says more needs to be done to make remote reserves good places to live.
For the ag sector Lewycky believes in securing the local food supply and said the NDP is “committed to never again open new gaps in supply management in future free trade negotiations.”
Dan Mazier – Conservative Party of Canada
Dan Mazier and his wife Leigh farm grains, oil seeds, and specialty crops near Justice, Manitoba. His farming experience includes raising cattle, sheep, and poultry. Their two adult children live in Saskatoon and Winnipeg.
Until recently, Mazier served as the President of Keystone Agriculture Producers (KAP), since 2015.
At the national level, he represented KAP on the Canadian Federation of Agriculture board and participated in several advocacy days on Parliament Hill.
He has served as a trustee for Rolling River School Division, a board member for the Manitoba Sustainable Energy Association, the Mid-Assiniboine Conservation District, and the Assiniboine River Basin Initiative (ARBI).
Mazier was a founding member of Elton Energy Co-operative, a provincial renewable energy initiative.
He holds a power engineer certification and worked in the fertilizer industry for 17 years.
Mazier says “Our riding relies on small businesses because they support and sustain our communities.”
Concerned over an increase in regulations and taxes he says, “Our government should not be burdening these businesses, our government should be supporting them by cutting red tape and lowering taxes.
“Additionally, our agriculture industry has been let down… through failed leadership as displayed through the recent canola crisis and new trade blockades. Many of us in the riding rely on the ag industry both directly and indirectly. Our concerns need to be heard and action needs to be taken by our government to ensure the people of our riding are supported.”
Cathy Scofield-Singh – Liberal Party of Canada
Cathy Scofield-Singh has served a Nurse Practitioner, providing primary care health services in Ste. Rose-du-Lac, for a number of years. She has over 30 years of experience as an RN with a diverse nursing career including working in northern remote communities as a Primary Care Nurse for over 10 years.
She believes in harm reduction, health promotion, disease prevention, education, providing a holistic approach to health care and encouraging her clients to take ownership of their health.
At press time, she could not be located for an interview.
Kate Storey - Green Party
Kate Storey runs a cow-calf operation and works with her husband to produce organic grains on a farm near Grandview. They have four grown children and three grandchildren.
An active member of her church, Storey has served as chairwoman of the school parent council, director on the Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council, president of the local Chamber of Commerce, and as a women’s advisor to the National Farmers Union.
She has testified before the Agriculture committees of the Senate and the House of Commons in support of farmers and a sustainable rural economy. In her community Storey has taken a stand against school amalgamations and rural hospital closures and is outspoken against threats to the wellbeing of farm families.
From early years on her grandparents’ apple farm, her studies of plant science, and farming their own land, she’s passionate about rural communities and agriculture.
Storey says, “I see the top issue in this election as the need to prepare and protect Canadians from impending global economic and environmental instability. The US-China trade war and youth climate strikes are symptoms of growing insecurity.
“Canada probably has a decade or two to strengthen local food systems, insulate homes, build local clean energy infrastructure, reduce debt and moderate trading patterns so that a bright future is assured for the next generations.”
She says a Guaranteed Livable Income will “end the welfare trap by giving incentive to those on assistance to also find work.”
