St. Boniface
Communist Party of Canada – Manitoba (CPC-M) - Candidate: Damon Bath
The candidate did not respond by our September 20, 2023 deadline
Manitoba Liberal Party (MLP) - Candidate: Dougald Lamont
Q: How have disabilities played a role in your life and the lives of your loved ones?
I will start by saying that I don’t much like telling stories about my family or personal life, because I feel they are not my stories to tell. I don’t want to manipulate voters’ emotions based on the challenges of a loved one.
My mother’s only brother, had Multiple Sclerosis, which led to him becoming seriously disabled before he died in his 50s.
My Aunt, Catherine Shearer lived with my family and was profoundly hard of hearing. She wrote books developing lip reading.
As my family, my son is on the autism spectrum, which has had its challenges in terms of accommodation, and certainly in having to defend him as not being “less than” because of negative assumptions about people who are neurodiverse.
Also, over the years, I have had extended bouts of chronic pain related to back and spinal injuries that have left me unable to sit, or walk or move without serious pain, and have required accommodation for months at a time.
Q: Which one of DMVote’s 5 priority issues is of the greatest interest to you and why?
Basic Needs. There is work to do everywhere, but our first priority needs to be bringing everyone in Manitoba up to a certain basic standard of dignity.
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?
It is a reflection of the real barriers that people with disabilities face, and the large number of people with disabilities in Manitoba. I have Seniors with walkers struggle on icy sidewalks outside of hospitals. I have seen people in wheelchairs take to the streets and ride in traffic, and struggle to get over bad infrastructure. As an MLA, we have received complaints for years from Seniors who want to hear and can’t afford hearing aids, seniors who can’t walk safely because sidewalks are a tripping hazard.
In addition to that, the massive inconveniences that people with disabilities continue to endure because of a lack of action.
New Democratic Party of Manitoba (NDP) - Candidate: Robert Loiselle
The candidate did not respond by our September 20, 2023 deadline
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba (PC) - Candidate: Kirt Hayer
The candidate did not respond by our September 20, 2023 deadline