St. Johns
Manitoba Liberal Party (MLP) - Candidate: Dennis Yaeger
The candidate did not respond by our September 20, 2023 deadline
New Democratic Party of Manitoba (NDP) - Candidate: Nahanni Fontaine
Q: How have disabilities played a role in your life and the lives of your loved ones?
While disabilities haven’t played a direct role in my life or the lives of my loved ones, my 25+ years of advocacy work with Indigenous Peoples (and women, altogether) has connected me with many individuals and families who confront a wide range of disabilities and accessibility challenges. I have also recently assumed the NDP critic role for disabilities and remain committed to advancing the rights of all Manitobans with disabilities.
What’s more, my immediate Fontaine family has enjoyed a significant working and volunteer relationship with Direct Action in Support of Community Homes Inc. (DASCH): an extraordinary and critical non-profit that cares for and supports the needs of intellectually and developmentally disabled peoples. My cousin, Joe Fontaine, was, until this past summer, employed for a number of years with DASCH, while my son, Niinichaanis, continues to work with DASCH part time whilst continuing his post-secondary education. Through the course of their work, I have been forwarded a number of opportunities to witness first-hand the excellent services and programming offerings of DASCH, where I will be convening a workshop, alongside my son, commensurate with National Truth and Reconciliation Day.
Q: Which one of DMVote’s 5 priority issues is of the greatest interest to you and why?
Of course, all of DMVote’s five priority issues are of great importance, but I am heartened by and find the greatest interest in Priority Issue No. 4: Unleash Employment Opportunity.
Communities are stronger when people with disabilities can improve their quality of life through employment.
To ensure equity in employment opportunities and outcomes for Manitobans with disabilities, an NDP government will support community-based organizations that provide employment services for persons with disabilities.
We will increase wages for disability support workers so Manitobans with disabilities can get the best care from the people who know them best.
We will ensure people with lived experiences design our disability support programs.
We will improve employment opportunities for Manitobans with disabilities.
And we’ll ensure that no one working full-time lives in poverty.
We will work with the community to offer education and programs to show how hiring skilled, reliable people with disabilities is a valuable and worthwhile opportunity for employers.
To ensure people with disabilities have access to the education and training they need, the Manitoba NDP will ensure schools follow best practices, including:
- Working with families, employers and educators to help students identify their career goals;
- Connecting students with local resources to teach job search skills;
- Providing supports to teach students on-the-job skills; and
- Providing supports as students transition from high school to adulthood.
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?
The dignity of all Manitobans is paramount. Our province is stronger when everyone can fully participate in all aspects of life in the community — including work, study, recreation and, most pressingly, access to critical health and homecare supports and services.
Unfortunately, we know that people with disabilities continue to confront serious barriers that prevent their full participation in many aspects of life in this province and that, like so many socio-economically marginalized peoples, their rights are far too often unenforced, ill-addressed or altogether ignored. Broadly, people with disabilities are rendered invisible through inadequate supports and services, regressive legislation and lack of dedicated funding.
An NDP government will increase wages for disability support workers so Manitobans with disabilities can get the best care from the people who know them best.
We will ensure people with lived experiences design our disability support programs. We will improve employment opportunities for Manitobans with disabilities and we’ll ensure that no one working full-time lives in poverty.
The Manitoba NDP were proud to introduce and pass the Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) in the legislature years ago. Since the PCs were elected in 2016, however, the implementation of this important Act has not been adequately prioritized.
Under a Manitoba NDP Government, provincial government departments and agencies will prepare, update and make publicly available their plans to remove barriers to accessibility. We are also committed to working with stakeholder organizations like Disability Matters Vote to reduce barriers in the built environment through updated building codes and supports to modernize physical structures.
Compliance with the standards under the AMA is important. We will support the development of the Compliance Framework, work with the community to educate Manitobans about responsibilities under the Act, and support a proactive approach to fulfilling these duties.
As a foundational principle, we are committed to ensuring that people with disabilities are at decision-making tables – especially when it comes to the AMA. This is a priority for us, and an NDP government will ensure the disability community is regularly consulted and included from the start.
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba (PC) - Candidate: Teddy Rubenstein
The candidate did not respond by our September 20, 2023 deadline
Independent Candidate - Patrick Allard
The candidate did not respond by our September 20, 2023 deadline