THUNDER BAY — Joy Wakefield was acclaimed as the NDP candidate for Thunder Bay-Superior North and will run in the next federal election.
Wakefield has worked as a lawyer for almost 8 years, primarily in criminal defence with Legal Aid.
“I think that we need a society that really cares about justice,” said Wakefield.
“I think we’re seeing in a lot of different places around the world a departure from justice, a departure from a society that cares about its most marginalized members and we’ve sort of lost that understanding and that principle of leave no person behind and that we’re only as strong as the weakest link in the chain.”
She said she chose to run because she believes the North needs strong representation.
Aside from her practice as a lawyer, Wakefield has also worked for a local tribal council and in various Robinson Superior Treaty territory communities. She taught at the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law, acted as Lakehead University’s director of Human Rights and Equity and is a union executive with the Legal Aid Ontario lawyers local.
In her years working in the community, she said she has seen some of the worst of what’s happening in terms of the opioid crisis, what Indigenous peoples have been facing and environmental destruction.
As a result, Wakefield added that she wants people to re-imagine what they can do as a society and what role the government and laws can play.
“I want us to build something that can give people hope, to build something that can give people justice, to build something that will be something we can be proud of to hand over to the next generation (and) to take care of our earth so that there is a beautiful planet left for the people who come after us,” said Wakefield.
Environmental justice and cleaning up the environment are important issues for Wakefield. She wants to see a proper force equipped to address fires and adverse weather events in Northern Ontario.
Although she is supportive of industries in the region and the jobs they make, Wakefield also wants to see more emphasis on preventing pollution, particularly from industry.
"I think we need to consider the impact on the environment. I think we need to consider the impact on people and how what we do will impact future generations,” said Wakefield.
She said she was encouraged by the support she received for her nomination.
“It really means the world to me to have people in this room, some of whom have been hard-core activists over the years for decades and to have them believe in me, to have them offer financial support to me, to have them say wonderful kind things about me is really inspiring and encouraging,” said Wakefield.
“And it’s also something I don’t take lightly. This is a responsibility being given power to be a representative and a voice is not something to toss around. It’s something I take very seriously and so I want people to know that if they vote for me, I will take that seriously. I will represent the constituents — all the constituents of Thunder Bay-Superior North.”
Wakefield said she wants to be a voice that listens to everyone, someone that people can trust with their stories and challenges, speaks up for the North and goes into Ottawa to make legislation and policy that will “make people’s lives better.”
A federal election must be held no later than Oct. 20, but is expected to be called much sooner as the federal Liberals have now elected a new leader and parliament is set to resume on March 24.
“We want to make sure that we’re ready to head right into a campaign and that we are ready to get out to Ottawa and represent people for Thunder Bay-Superior North,” said Wakefield.
