Brandon resident and high school teacher, Stephen Reid, is the newest candidate in the race for the Spruce Woods byelection representing the Liberal Party of Manitoba.
Reid has been a teacher for 21 years and currently instructs at Vincent Massey in the field of Canadian civics and business leadership. He has also taught overseas in Abu Dhabi, Ukraine and Mexico.
When asked what inspired Reid to step into the political scene vying for a chair in the Manitoba Legislature against PC candidate Colleen Robbins, he feels the Conservative Party has taken the Spruce Woods Riding for granted.
"Frankly, I think that the people deserve better in the Riding and that's why I decided to run," he explains. "My campaign is rooted on listening to the concerns of local residents and making sure that their voices are heard in legislature. And to be honest, when we talk about having a Liberal MLA right now it's a very small caucus for us. But that actually means more focused attention and stronger advocacy from the party for our Riding.
"If we go down the same path of having a Conservative Party in the Riding again, I think we can expect the same kind of neglect," he adds. "So, that's kind of why I put my name in."
Reid's reference to neglect comes from the past history of the MLA's representing Spruce Woods.
"If you look at our past couple of MLA's, we've got Cliff Cullen, who had to leave due to a scandal, and we've got Grant Jackson who was in for less than two years and kind of went into his guaranteed seat waiting for a better job. And then as soon as one came along, he left," explains Reid. "And now we're sitting here with this by election that's going to cost the taxpayers of Spruce Woods upwards of 1/4 of $1,000,000. So that definitely is neglect in my eyes," he adds.
Top issues facing Spruce Woods is healthcare, transportation safety, agriculture and small business and finally senior housing.
"... part of my platform is to make sure that I listen to the people of Spruce Woods and hear what they have to say through my conversations," says Reid.
Healthcare is definitely a top concern in this Riding, says Reid.
"Everybody in this province, no matter where they are, deserves timely and quality medical care, and that's just not happening in our Riding all the time. So, what we need to do is invest in rural hospitals and clinics and fix the staffing shortages by offering incentive for people to come," he explains.
Another issue that I see is the Transportation Safety, he adds.
"We just had a rally of sorts in Carberry on the number one and #5 highway where they are proposing to do this RCUT solution and that's not really sitting well with residents. So, in that, I promise to ensure that their voices are not just heard, but I act on those as well."
Agriculture and small business
"Agriculture and small business are the backbone of our rural community. We need to invest in young farmers so they can do really exciting and new sustainable stuff and continue on with the heritage and legacy of being a farmer. We also need to reduce red tape for processing and improve access to markets," he adds.
"And finally, one that's really important to me is affordable, safe senior housing," shares Reid.
"I believe that all people, all seniors, need to be able to grow old with dignity and stay in the communities where they're close to their families and friends."
"So, all of those to say above all that my goal is to be present, to listen, and to show up in every corner of the Riding and be an advocate for the people of the Riding."
With the collective agreement as teachers in Brandon School Division they have a 5-year leave of absence clause where they can do political assignments. If Reid was to be elected as MLA of Spruce Woods for the next 2 years and then be re-elected, he would retire from teaching to devote his time as a full-time MLA.
A wealth of experience and deep roots in the Westman Region
Reid says he has a number of skills in a variety of ways to bring to the political landscape of the Westman Region, including a Master's in Educational Leadership and a Certificate of Leadership from Harvard Business School.
Reid's father was the deputy mayor of Brandon for 15 years, and his grandfather was the editor of the Brandon Sun for many years. His great, great grandfather is Jr. Reid, who is a renowned educator and eventually had a Brandon school named after him.
"So I do have quite deep roots in both politics and in the area," he says. "One thing I want to say is though, when I teach leadership ... leadership is not about ego. It's about listening and asking the right questions and working to find solutions and that's how I lead in my classroom and that's how I plan to lead in the legislature."
"I've dedicated my life to helping students succeed, and that commitment extends to their families and their communities, and I'm going to bring that same dedication and energy to the people in Spruce Woods."
Please listen to more with Stephen Reid below.