Fort Rouge candidates square off in debate on mental health issues, homelessness

By: Geoff Kirbyson Posted: 8:40 PM CDT Wednesday, Apr. 13, 2016

Mental health issues dominated parts of a candidates election debate in Fort Rouge Wednesday night.

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Mental health issues dominated parts of a candidates election debate in Fort Rouge Wednesday night.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/04/2016 (3438 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mental health issues dominated parts of a candidates election debate in Fort Rouge Wednesday night.

Liberal Leader Rana Bokhari, who is running in Fort Rouge, and NDP candidate Wab Kinew expressed their support for people struggling with mental health issues.

“I don’t think we should be looking at people on the street with fear, we should be looking at them with compassion,” Kinew said. “We have services but often you can’t access them until the police show up to arrest you or you’re going to do self harm.”

PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Left to right; Audrey Gordon (PC), Matthew Ostrove (Manitoba Party), Wab Kinew (NDP), Grant Sharp (Green) faced off in front of Fort Rouge / Osborne Village residents who packed Buccacino's Fresca Italiana in Osborne Village Wednesday afternoon. — PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Left to right; Audrey Gordon (PC), Matthew Ostrove (Manitoba Party), Wab Kinew (NDP), Grant Sharp (Green) faced off in front of Fort Rouge / Osborne Village residents who packed Buccacino's Fresca Italiana in Osborne Village Wednesday afternoon.

Bokhari said the NDP hasn’t done enough while in power to reduce waiting times for people seeking treatment.

“The government pretends to be the benefiter of everyone who is low income but it’s the little guys who have suffered the most here,” she said.

PC candidate Audrey Gordon said she would revisit some of the decisions made by the NDP, which she said reduced support systems in the area.

“I’ve spoken to several homeless people and they say they need the opportunity for affordable housing and jobs,” she said.

The other participating candidates Wednesday were Grant Sharp from the Green Party and Matthew Ostrove from the Manitoba Party.

Stephanie Meilleur, executive director of the Osborne BIZ (Business Improvement Zone), said the five candidates in attendance didn’t adequately address homelessness in the neighbhourhood, particularly in and around Osborne Village.

“We have an abundance of it. Now that spring is here, it’s way worse. It’s in our faces. It’s people with shopping carts all over the streets. That doesn’t portray a very safe neighbourhood,” she said.

“I think some of the answers were a little more vague than we were hoping for.”

The debate was held at Buccacino’s restaurant on Osborne Street.

The Fort Rouge riding was formerly held by ex-NDP cabinet minister Jennifer Howard, who was one of the five dissident NDP cabinet ministers who called for Greg Selinger to resign as premier.

She has moved to Ottawa.

The provincial election is April 19.