THUNDER BAY — The New Democrats’ candidate in Thunder Bay-Superior North says she and her party want to ensure “that we don’t leave anyone behind.”
“A lot of people are saying that this election is about taxes or the economy or things like that, but what I think that this election really comes down to is Canadian values,” Joy Wakefield said.
“What is most important to Canadians in the middle of a crisis, and what I think is important to Canadians and what I'm hoping they're going to vote for is taking care of everyone,” she continued.
“You know, when we're in the middle of a crisis, it's really important that we don't leave anyone behind.”
Wakefield, who has been working as a lawyer for about eight years, primarily in criminal defence, said that her experience with the legal system would make her a strong MP, because “one of the important roles that a Member of Parliament plays is lawmaker.”
“Being able to read and understand and analyze legislation is going to be really important,” Wakefield said. “I think being a litigator has given me the ability to be able to engage in debate and that's another key role of a Member of Parliament.” She added that her work in the union field also gives her experience in engaging with the public.
Wakefield said that the NDP’s platform is staying away from cutting services, and that’s something she said she feels is important, especially during the current climate of uncertainty with the United States and rising costs of living.
“We're hearing from other parties a lot about cuts, and I think Northwestern Ontarians are smart enough to understand that cuts mean
something different to the north than it means to other places,” she said.
“When cuts happen in big cities, there are often other services or, you know, you can go across the street to a different hospital, but that doesn't happen in Northwestern Ontario,” Wakefield continued.
“We have very limited resources already, so cuts hit us differently and the NDP is saying we understand that things are about to get really difficult for people.”
So far, Wakefield is running against three-term incumbent Patty Hajdu for the Liberals, former Thunder Bay police chief Bob Herman for the Conservatives, John Northey for the Greens and Amos Bradley for the People’s Party of Canada. The federal election is set for April 28.
Wakefield said that she feels her party has the interests of Canadians in mind.
“There are people losing their jobs,” Wakefield said. “There are people worried about how they're going to put food on the table, how they're going to support their families, and the NDP has a plan for that.”
