Notre Dame
Communist Party of Canada – Manitoba (CPC-M) - Candidate: Andrew Taylor
The candidate did not respond by our September 20, 2023 deadline
Green Party of Manitoba (GPM) - Candidate: Micah Dewey
Q: How have disabilities played a role in your life and the lives of your loved ones?
Yes they have. I have personally dealt with the strains of the systems, getting into see a psychiatrist, and not being able to work for extended periods of time due to my own workplace injuries. I have also helped friends navigate the EIA system and the issues within it are severe and systemic.
Q: Which one of DMVote’s 5 priority issues is of the greatest interest to you and why?
Basic Needs.
We cannot be free until all of us are free and that includes people with disabilities being able to live the lives they want to without the fear of homelessness, food insecurity and overreaching bureaucracy keeping people from living on a living wage.
The Manitoba Greens will implement a Basic Income Guarantee of $1700(for those on rent assist) and $2300 for those without. We would immediately eliminate the means-tested systems of legislated poverty that most PWDs live with in Manitoba.
A basic income gives people the ability to make their own decisions about what is best for them and does not require public servants to keep an eye on them. We need to treat everyone equally and that begins by allowing people to live in dignity with a UBI that will take care of their needs.
Combined with this we would work to build 1,000 units of public housing per year and would put a rent freeze in place until that number is reached. We cannot let inflation due to the benefit structure shift occur because that will hurt those who rely on the UBI as their main or only form on income.
Q: Disability discrimination has made up the largest share by far of all the formal complaints lodged with the Manitoba Human Rights Commission over the last 20 years. What do you think accounts for this and what do you think needs to be done to address it?
Employers and the average person does not make it a priority to put the rights of PWDs to the forefront. It is often forgotten about and disregarded as something that will cost money or be a hassle rather than seeing it as something that effects many people.
The other side of this is that many PWD have invisible disabilities and are often disregarded as being “actually disabled” allowing for heinous actions to be taken by employers and the state.
Manitoba Liberal Party (MLP) - Candidate: Winston Wuttunee
The candidate did not respond by our September 20, 2023 deadline
New Democratic Party of Manitoba (NDP) - Candidate: Malaya Marcelino
Q: How have disabilities played a role in your life and the lives of your loved ones?
After the delivery of our second child, I injured my lower back and I needed to use a wheelchair for 12 weeks and I needed physiotherapy for a long time. At our Notre Dame constituency office, we have 2 co-workers with disabilities that serve our community.
Q: Which one of DMVote’s 5 priority issues is of the greatest interest to you and why?
The DMV commitment that I would prioritize is the one that relates to properly compensating workers and improving working conditions and benefits. Many folks who work in the care sector (childcare, homecare, long term care, community assisted living etc) are racialized folks and women who are poorly paid, receive paltry benefits and face challenging working conditions. Care work is traditionally undervalued because it is seen as “women’s work”. Respecting care sector workers means paying folks good wages as acknowledgment of the skillsets and valuable contributions they provide. A properly paid workforce will lead to more stability in the sector and this will be good for workers, clients and their families. I am also interested in improving access to transportation for folks with disabilities in the City of Winnipeg and across the Province. I am part of a committee on accessible transportation in Winnipeg.
Q: Disability discrimination has made up the largest share by far of all the formal complaints lodged with the Manitoba Human Rights Commission over the last 20 years. What do you think accounts for this and what do you think needs to be done to address it?
No answer provided
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba (PC) - Candidate: Mufarrah Waheed
The candidate did not respond by our September 20, 2023 deadline