Yorkton This Week sent a list of ten questions to each of the five candidates running in the Yorkton-Melville riding in the 2019 Federal Election. Every day for ten days, we will post their answers. Yorkton-Melville heads to the polls on Oct. 21.
Yorkton-Melville is physically a very large riding; how will you balance the needs of the main population centres with the rural communities within the area?
Carter Antoine, New Democratic Party:
Regardless of location, the vast majority of voters I have spoken with have made it crystal clear to me that wages are not keeping up with the cost of living and it is getting harder to make ends meet. Whether it be farmers hurt by bad trade deals or retail workers struggling to live with a meager minimum wage, I am here to help everyone, and I can do that without any trade-offs.
Connor Moen, Liberal Party:
Everyone deserves representation. Constituents deserve to be heard regardless of whether they are based in larger population centres or in rural areas of the riding. I would work hard to listen to the concerns of all in the riding to work on finding solutions that can work for everyone.
Ryan Schultz, People's Party of Canada:
By working with the local municipal governments. They are closest to the issues and know the needs of their communities best.
One great association that exists for this precise reason is SUMA. (The Saskatchewan Urban Municipal Association). I’ve been a member with SUMA for 3 years and have attended multiple events. SUMA is a forum for communities large and small to work out solutions.
Cathay Wagantall, Conservative Party:
When possible, I attend events and meet with constituents throughout the riding. I enjoy visiting all our towns, villages and RMs and experiencing the lives of the wonderful folks who make their home here. I travel home almost every weekend to connect somewhere in the riding and make a point of doing riding tours to meet with town and RM councils regularly. Many of the needs in both the rural and larger centres are the same. As an example - at a federal level – infrastructure funding, providing adequate
policing, finding and maintaining a work force, stimulating new and growing businesses, adequate affordable housing are concerns everywhere I go.
Stacey Wiebe, Green Party:
I would like to have open houses and town halls where people could come and give me their thoughts, concerns and ideas. I believe in representing everyone. Being a person who lives in a rural area, I feel it is very important that these voices are heard as well as their urban counterparts.
