THUNDER BAY — Marcus Powlowski says there’s still plenty of work to do for the people of Northwestern Ontario.
It’s one of the primary reasons why he’s decided to seek re-election and a third term for the Liberals in the upcoming federal election.
Powlowski, saying he loves the job, one he’s held since 2019, calling it a privilege to represent the people of Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario.
It’s an area that needs plenty of attention, he said.
“As a doctor, I had to look after people’s health problems, but in this job, you have to look after all their problems, whether or not it’s jobs in the (riding), problems with homelessness, problems with immigration or problems with health care,” he said.
“I want to continue the things that I’ve already started.”
Powlowski, 65, who has never been afraid to speak out politically, even when it doesn’t necessarily align with party leadership, pointed to a couple of big priorities he would like to accomplish, including ensuring a Toronto Transit Commission streetcar contract is awarded to Thunder Bay’s Alstom plant and that a proposed lithium processing factory is built.
“I also still want a First Nations chronic care home and there are issues with dredging the port that need to be addressed,” Powlowski said. “And there are a lot of national and international issues which will potentially affect us.”
Chief among those is U.S. President Donald Trump and the ongoing threat of tariffs placed on Canadian goods.
“We have to ensure those don’t adversely affect people here in Thunder Bay, and they certainly have the possibility of doing so.”
National issues include the lack of health care in rural communities and the shortage of family doctors across the expansive Thunder Bay-Rainy River riding.
Powlowski, who found himself at times at odds with former prime minister Justin Trudeau, says he’s got a great relationship with current Liberal Leader Mark Carney, whom he believes has the right experiences to take on Trump and lead the country back to prosperity.
“There were a lot of people unhappy with the previous prime minister, Justin Trudeau, and I think in Carney they see the party taking on another direction, a more liberal approach to a lot of problems, more of a centrist approach,” said Powlowski, adding the polarization of left and right hasn’t been good for Canadians.
“I think the key question in this election is who do we want sitting across the table from Donald Trump, Elon Musk, negotiating for our country? Do you want a guy who’s been previously governor for the Bank of England, governor of the Bank of Canada, a top executive with some of the biggest companies in the world? Or do you want a guy who went right out of university into Parliament and has never done anything other than doing that and being a paperboy?”
