THUNDER BAY — The New Democrat challenger for the Thunder Bay-Rainy River riding says balancing Canadian sovereignty and security, as well as protecting jobs with ensuring the country’s “social fabric” stays intact, will be key in this year’s election.
“What is that social fabric that we need to also keep top-of-mind: who's going to protect the workers, who's going to protect the people, and that is what the NDP do,” Yuk-Sem Won said.
“We have been able to come in and bring in dental care, pharmacare, child care — those are things that make a real difference to people.”
Won is running for the NDP in the south-side area Thunder Bay riding. She previously ran in 2019 and 2021, when she finished in third place both times, just narrowly behind Conservative candidates. She has been the NDP’s candidate in that riding since the 2019 death of seven-year MP and longtime NDP candidate John Rafferty.
Won’s wide-ranging work experience, she said, makes her a well-rounded candidate who can focus on many issues.
“I'm not just focused on one thing or the other,” she said. “I'm a negotiator, I'm a teacher, I'm a community leader, a facilitator.”
“I am there to build connections, make sure I advocate … effectively for people in order to make the change, not just hope for change.”
The relatively short campaign period, combined with the size of the riding she’s running to represent, will mean a busy several weeks, Won said, but added that it’s something she’s looking forward to. “In short, five weeks, especially with a 40,000-square-kilometre riding, it's going to be about building on the previous campaigns to make sure people know I'm still here,” she said.
“I feel really good about the work that I've done over the past six years for this campaign because it's going to be short, it's going to be fast and we need to hit the ground running,” Won said. “I think I really have the ability to do that, building on the connections I have not only in Thunder Bay-Rainy River, but across Canada.”
Won is running against Liberal incumbent Marcus Powlowski, LaVallee Township councillor and deputy reeve Brendan Hyatt for the Conservatives, Atikokan teacher Eric Arner for the Green Party of Canada and healthcare worker Sabrina Ree for the People’s Party.
Won stressed that her party is focused on people and making sure federal decisions are made with Canadians’ well-being in mind.
“Just focusing on the economy and people who have banker friends and millionaire friends and forget about the people with their austerity cuts, the NDP are really going to be there to protect those people,” Won said.
“And that's what I'm in it for.”
-With files from Nicky Shaw
