Three Cs - Collaboration, Consultation and Constituency - form the basis of Zahid Zehri's bid to win the PC nomination for Morden-Winkler. The Winkler-based pharmacist and business owner is the latest to throw his hat into the ring.
After serving his community for nearly 20 years, Zehri explained, he wants to take that service to the next level.
"Collaboration means we need need to make sure we have a good relationship with the local government. You have to have it. There's no other. You have to respect the local government," he said. "If you don't have those things, then definitely you can still continue to work as an MLA, but you're not working for the people because you already have a head on collision with these people."
When it comes to Consultation, Zehri says it is important to consult with the stakeholders of Morden-Winkler to find out their needs and what areas could be improved.
Finally, Constituency.
"...I cannot forget my constituency. At the end, my constituents sent to me to serve them, so I have to come back and to make sure that they are happy with my services."
An immigrant from Pakistan, Zehri first arrived in Canada in 1999, landing in Toronto. He spent the first few years living in Ontario before moving to Winkler in July 2004.
"When me and my family moved here twenty years ago, we had a very small child with us, born in Ontario and four months old, and I see the community as very nice, very receptive, very respectful," he said. "This community has given us a lot, even in the tough times when our community was in agrieves, they stood up and they supported me. So, me and my family were thinking we should give something back to the community. They deserve it."
His faith also contributed to the decision.
"If you want to serve God, serve the community," added Zehri. "Present yourself, present your services and go and serve the community."
With two previous unsuccessful bids for Winkler City Council, Zehri said now was the time to seize this new opportunity.
"The last three years, I've been seeing that so many things have been changing in the community, and I thought this is the time to stand up. Somebody who has the skills and a passion that can do something for the Morden-Winkler community," he explained.
When it comes to the issues affecting the constituency, Zehri said he prefers to refer to them as opportunities to serve.
"How can we make a difference? How can we increase the quality of life? How can agree on the disagreement?" he pondered.
One of those areas is accessibility to healthcare for seniors and young people. This includes access to local specialists.
As a former grade 9 to 12 teacher, Zehri says he also has a passion for education.
According to Zehri, more schools are needed in the area. He also wants to expand post-secondary opportunities here at home, noting the population can support it.
"When I say we have a thousand kids born every year in Boundary Trails Hospital, that we have five-thousand new immigrants who came in the last three or four years. Those immigrants are already a degree holder. They want to upgrade their education. We have students who commute to University of Manitoba (in Winnipeg), and to Brandon. I can afford it, but there are so many families who can't afford it [...]. I could have saved all this money and re-invest into the community, right here in Morden and Winkler, by having a satellite campus."
"I have a plan. I have ideas of how we can do it," he added. "And I can share this to the community stakeholders to see how we can make it possible."
Part of that plan includes holding evening classes within the dozen or so schools already in the area.
Finally, there's rural infrastructure.
"If you have been (to) Fargo or you go to Grand Forks, you will see the difference when you cross the Border. You see the highway condition. You see the road condition. You see the safety. You see the service stations every 60 miles. You see the full service station. Where when you go to Winnipeg and it's, especially in the winter time, the fog time or the rain or thunderstorm or some other weather conditions, you feel so terrified, you feel fear, and I'm driving for last 22 years," said Zehri. "My son just got the license, he was going to Winnipeg and he was commuting every day or every second day for university. I was scared, right? The reason because highways are not safe. And I don't know how we're going to address it, but this need(s) to be addressed. How many people have died on the Highway 3 because of the accident?"
Zehri noted, more research needs to be done to ensure that lives are safe when the people are driving.
Lastly, Zehri issued invitations to four areas of the community.
The first, to the senior PC party members.
"Because the members of the party, the senior members of the party, they have spent their time, their life and they give their sweat and blood to this party. So, I think I value them, and those people should come and contact me. I wanted to share what they think about the party," said Zehri.
He also invites new party members to connect with senior party members and educate themselves on the nomination process.
Additionally, Zehri said he wants to see the area's newcomer population participate and come into the main stream of the political system.
"Because this, the democracy is the one is inviting, giving with this freedom of life, the peace of life and harmony. We need to keep this going," he said.
Finally, he encouraged local young people to become party members.
"I will encourage the people who are the 14,15,16,17,18 and 19 get the membership," said Zehri. "This is the only chance for you to get to choose your own MLA. It's your voice, is your vote, and your MLA is your choice. We have to make sure that you do have a vote."
No date has yet been set for the nomination vote.
~ With files from Robyn Wiebe ~