Riding Talk

See information, reaction and views of Manitobans about the election in Charleswood - St. James - Assiniboia »

Infrequently Asked Questions

Charleswood - St. James - Assiniboia

• Steven Fletcher (Conservative)
• Bob Friesen (Liberal)
• Mark Price (Christian Heritage Party)
• Fiona Shiells (NDP)
• Brian Timlick (Green Party)

Steven Fletcher (Conservative)

What is a pressing issue unique to your riding, and what would you do about it?

Fletcher says that the aerospace industry, and the 17 Wing bring unique issues to his riding.

"It's the third-largest aerospace cluster in Canada, and it's all in St. James," he said.

Fletcher points to a record of investment in the industry.

"As recently as a couple of days ago, we brought in a major , $43-million loan for Magellan [Aerospace] for the development of their technology for their joint strike fighter [program], which is a big deal -- we're investing in our Armed Forces."

What do you like least about politics?

"I'm not a big fan of the yelling and screaming at question period," he said.

What is your riding's best-kept secret?

Fletcher describes the Assiniboine Forest as a really special gem for walking, cross-country skiing and enjoying wildlife.

"I grew up in the Assiniboine Forest, and it's nice to know my kids will grow up there," he said.

What is the best advice you've ever received?

The best advice Fletcher received was from his father, who told him to work hard, respect people and contribute to your community and your country in the best way you can.

"It can manifest itself in all sorts of ways, but I think I can look back on my life and think that working hard and working intelligently has worked well for me."

What book could you not finish?

"I finish all the books I read," said Fletcher. To get around difficulties turning pages, Fletcher, a quadriplegic since a 1996 car accident, said he downloads audiobooks from iTunes and audible.com and listens to them on his iPod.

What is your usual mode of transportation?

Fletcher, a quadriplegic since a car accident in 1996, said his usual mode of transportation is his wheelchair. He uses an accessible Ford Econoline van for longer-distance trips.

View Steven Fletcher's Canada Votes Profile »

By Megan Benedictson, a student in the Creative Communications program at Red River College.

---

Bob Friesen (Liberal)

What is a pressing issue unique to your riding, and what would you do about it?

Friesen says seniors' issues are very important in his riding.

"The announcements that the Liberal Party has made with regard to increasing the seniors' guaranteed income supplement, the announcement they have made on adding more physicians and nurses to our health care system, and the announcement on the drug plan -- $900 million to help people pay for expensive drugs -- these are very important announcements," he said.

Child care is an important issue of importance in the riding, he said.

What do you like least about politics?

What Friesen most enjoys about politics is listening to people and carrying their message, and that's related to what he most dislikes: "the cynicism that has been built up in Canadians as a result of politicians not doing what I just mentioned should be done -- that is, listening seriously, incorporating people's ideas into policy and making partnerships with them."

What is your riding's best-kept secret?

Friesen thinks that the Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport is a strong economic component to his riding, and that it is not well known as the national and international hub it is.

What is the best advice you've ever received?

It is to "listen to people, and to handle people's ideas as importantly as my own ideas, and to make sure when I represent people I carry their message, and don't dilute it with my own paradigms."

What book could you not finish?

Friesen did not finish reading The Logic Of Life: The Rational Economics Of An Irrational World by Tim Harford.

He says he didn't finish it because he "simply didn't have the time."

What is your usual mode of transportation?

Friesen said he's spent "an awful lot of time on airplanes" during the last decade as he travelled between his head office in Ottawa and the rest of the country as the president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.

At home, his typical mode of transportation is a small car, because of "fuel efficiency and they're easier to handle," he said.

View Bob Friesen's Canada Votes Profile »

By Megan Benedictson, a student in the Creative Communications program at Red River College.

---

Mark Price (Christian Heritage Party)

What is a pressing issue unique to your riding, and what would you do about it?

One of the bigger issues that Price cares about is the matter of euthanasia and mercy killing, seeing as its hit close to home in his riding.

"I do know that at the Grace Hospital there was a Jewish guy that wasn't well. The people at the hospital wanted to take him off of life support or feeding tube," said Price.

"The CHP would be on the side of the family that would want to preserve the guy's life until his natural death and not have the hospital just remove the life support or feeding tube."

What do you like least about politics?

Price dislikes the attack ads created by politicians that we see, especially in the U.S.

"I think that it's much more important to concentrate on the issues people are concerned about, than to waste time attacking political opponents."

What is your riding's best-kept secret?

At first Price couldn't quite pinpoint it. "It must be a big secret if I can't really think of it," he joked.

"Because I'm possibly the smallest party on the ballot, it's probably myself."

What is the best advice you've ever received?

"Tithing my money to the church -- that's 10 per cent of my earnings -- and another ten per cent goes into my savings account for hard times," he said.

"Tithing my money is for the church and is God's will and saving my money for hard times, well that's pretty much self explanatory. It's so that should I need money, I have money available for a rainy day."

What book could you not finish?

"One of them was a Star Trek book that I didn't finish because I prefer watching the movie over reading a book about it," he said.

What is your usual mode of transportation?

Price drives a 2001 Hyundai Accent GS. "It's a two-door car, so it's a very small car that's good on gas and, in turn, good for the environment."

By Karen Kornelsen, a student in the Creative Communications program at Red River College.

---

Fiona Shiells (NDP)

What is a pressing issue unique to your riding, and what would you do about it?

Shiells is highly concerned by the loss of 400 jobs with the closure of Air Canada's flight attendant base in Winnipeg.

"We want to bring in new industry and protect the workers," she said.

What do you like least about politics?

Shiells says she loves politics, but if forced to choose something, "I would probably pinpoint the bashing in between parties.

"I would prefer to speak about issues, and our party and the positive things we are doing," she said.

What is your riding's best-kept secret?

Shiells believes the people who live in her riding are its best kept secret, adding that she is the only candidate running in Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia that lives in the riding.

"People here are always willing to get involved in things; they want to make a difference in their community," she said.

What is the best advice you've ever received?

Stay positive, and do the best you can do.

"It's something I live by every day, and with a positive attitude, anything is possible," she said.

"Particularly in politics, it's important to stay on the positive side of things, and remember that for all of the issues that are out there, there is a way to make things better for people."

What book could you not finish?

Shiells doesn't think she has ever quit reading a book.

"Generally, if I start something, I would finish it."

What is your usual mode of transportation?

During the summer, Shiells rides a bike and rollerblades, because she believes in being an environmentalist.

She says she also uses public transportation, but adds, "If I do need to drive somewhere, like Headingley, which is in my riding, I drive a Sunfire, which is low-emission."

By Megan Dee Benedictson, a student in the Creative Communications program at Red River College.

---

Brian Timlick (Green Party)

What is a pressing issue unique to your riding, and what would you do about it?

Timlick says that no unique issues have been discussed in the time he has spent going door-to-door in his riding, and that people are mostly concerned with the price of oil and crime.

He says he has been telling his constituents that the green shift will happen, and that "a lot of eyebrows were raised but they all seemed to be, generally speaking, in favour of getting this over as soon as possible."

What do you like least about politics?

Although Timlick says he enjoys meeting new people, he also finds that it can be uncomfortable when he is confronted by people with opposing political views.

"My skin is not quite as thick as some of the other politicians, but I think I'm getting there."

What is your riding's best-kept secret?

While Timlick says he is not certain it is a secret, he has something he would like to draw people's attention to: "the shift towards a greener economy is likely going to happen whether the Conservatives or the Liberals or somebody else would have it happen."

What is the best advice you've ever received?

Timlick's best advice is simple. "Knock on a lot of doors, and talk to a lot of people."

He says following this advice "allows me to listen to what people are saying."

What book could you NOT finish? Why?

Timlick quit reading The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century by Thomas L. Friedman.

"I just found it was so much based on the way the elite behaves, and the power brokers behave."

What is your usual mode of transportation?

Timlick drives a 2005 Hyundai Elantra, which he describes as "a very energy efficient car. He also rides a motor scooter when the weather is suitable.

View Brian Timlick's Canada Votes Profile »

By Megan Dee Benedictson, a student in the Creative Communications program at Red River College.

Related