KENORA, Ont. -- Kenora-Rainy River has its NDP candidate.
JoAnne Formanek Gustafson, an educator, has taken up the party reins and will take on incumbent Conservative cabinet minister Greg Rickford, the Green Party's Catherine Kiewning and Ontario Blue hopeful Kelvin Boucher-Chicago. The Liberals have yet to name a candidate.
Formanek Gustafson says as an educator, she knows better investments are needed in schools and Ontario's children.
"During the pandemic, I saw that the Ford Conservatives refused to invest in keeping our kids and staff safe. And we know the Del Duca Liberals are not the answer. They closed schools across the province," she said, in a release issued by the party on Thursday.
"Our communities deserve so much better than that. I am committed to making sure that Kenora-Rainy River gets the investments needed for schools, hospitals, and affordable housing. It's time to make life more affordable for families who are paying record high prices in the Northwest. Together with the NDP, we will cover the costs of dental care, mental health care, and medications. Together we can fix what's broken, and we can invest in what matters most."
Thunder Bay-Atikokan NDP MPP Judith Monteith-Farrell said the newly named candidate in Kenora-Rainy River is the right fit for the job and exactly who the party needs for its team.
"With JoAnne on our team we'll help make life more affordable by regulating the price of gas, and we'll take action on our doctor shortage. The Liberals and Conservatives left our hospitals in the Northwest at risk of closing their emergency rooms because of a shortage of doctors and nurses. Together with JoAnne, we can invest in hiring doctors and nurses and start fixing what the Liberals and Conservatives broke."
Formanek Gustafsonhas held a variety of roles in the education and labour sector, including serving as vice-president of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario Rainy River Occasional Teacher local from 2016 to 2020. She's a member of Couchiching First Nation and grew up in Fort Frances.
