Rookie challenges incumbent who has politics in his blood

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This article was published 16/04/2025 (184 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Royden Brousseau has eaten a lot of sandwiches over the last year.

After an interview with a Free Press reporter on a recent morning, Brousseau opted for a grilled cheese sandwich from his favourite locale, Myer’s Delicatessen, before going door-knocking.

The Conservative Party of Canada candidate has popped by the River Heights deli on a weekly basis since beginning his campaign in April 2024, as part of his effort to support local business.

It’s not uncommon for him to be questioned about his platform while he’s out grabbing a bite.

“It can get pretty wild in here when he comes in for lunch and there’s a bunch of customers asking him questions,” Myer’s owner Harrison Steek said with a laugh. “Lots of different topics he gets asked about. I give him props.”

Although Winnipeg South Centre has traditionally leaned left, and recent polling suggests it will stay that way, Brousseau believes he stands a chance against incumbent Ben Carr, who he said has benefited from his family ties, not politics.

Carr ran successfully in a byelection in June 2023, necessitated by the death of his father, Jim Carr, who was the area MP.

“I want to be a candidate for everyone. I want to be one who represents the entire community,” he said.

From its inception in 1925 to 1975, the riding flip-flopped between Liberal and Conservative representation until it dissolved into Winnipeg—Assiniboine and Winnipeg—St. James.

In 1988, the riding was recreated from St. Boniface, Winnipeg North Centre, Winnipeg—Assiniboine and Winnipeg—Fort Garry and was represented by Liberal heavyweight Lloyd Axworthy, who was foreign affairs minister under Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.

The 94,803-person riding has been represented by the Grits since then, except for one term (2011 to 2015) when Joyce Bateman was Tory MP.

“I want to be a candidate for everyone. I want to be one who represents the entire community.”–Royden Brousseau

In this election, the riding has been redrawn and no longer includes the Tuxedo neighbourhood, which some speculate could give Tories a firmer grip on the riding this time around.

Brousseau thinks the area is due for a change.

“Has (Carr) been the most qualified person for the job or is nepotism the path forward for Canadians?” he said.

Brousseau said he’s looking to use his background in the natural resource and finance sector to leverage the country’s uranium and potash supply to protect the national economy while maintaining environmental and fiscal responsibility.

He said he wants money to flow to northern communities from pipeline projects to give them a stake in the fight against the threat of U.S. tariffs.

“Maybe we put Manitoba back on the map as a real trading hub and allow us to go around the U.S.,” he said. “There are opportunities, but we need to be able to keep building.”

At a bustling campaign office on Pembina Highway, Carr directs volunteers to neighbourhoods where they will drop off pamphlets featuring photos of the Liberal party’s new leader, Mark Carney.

Carr said he believes Carney is the only person who can handily navigate the economic uncertainty between the U.S. and Canada owing to tariffs on Canadian goods.

Carr was Manitoba’s first Liberal MP to call for former prime minister Justin Trudeau to step down as Liberal leader.

“There are lots of different things that were accomplished under his leadership that I think have served the country well… but it was becoming evident that those I represent were feeling as though they were losing confidence and faith in our party because of fatigue with the leader,” he said.

“Now they’re seeing that not only can they continue to vote for a party that will deliver, but they get to vote for a party now that has dealt with that leadership question that was, for so many, an obstacle to their support for the party.”

Chris Adams, an adjunct professor of political studies at the University of Manitoba, predicts the riding will stay Liberal largely due to its demographics and because Carney is at the helm.

The area consists of a large, urban professional and student demographic and past Liberal representatives such as Axworthy and former MP Anita Neville, Manitoba’s current lieutenant governor, are respected, Adams said.

“I would also say the name ‘Carr’ is a fairly well-respected name within the riding,” he said. “He’s also around the neighbourhood. I’ve seen him at different events in the riding.”

Carr said he’s running on his own merit, not his family name.

“I would also say the name ‘Carr’ is a fairly well-respected name within the riding.” –Chris Adams

“People are smart in this riding. They’re well-informed. They know who I am, they know what I stand for, and if they think I deserve to be re-elected, they’ll come to that conclusion on the merits of who I am as an individual,” he said.

Carr was an educator and vice-president of consulting firm Indigenous Strategy Alliance before entering politics.

He hopes to continue work on several files, if re-elected, including reconciliation, the environment, addictions and mental health and affordability.

Carr continues to speak out about the conflict between Israel and Gaza.

He recently closed his office and sent staff home after pro-Palestinian protesters picketed outside the building.

“My hope first and foremost, is that a ceasefire resumes immediately, hostages are released, humanitarian aid flows to those who need it, unobstructed and that we can begin to help negotiate the pursuit of a two state solution,” he said.

“Here at home, my hope is that we will be able to turn down the intensity of the conversation to a point whereby people can once again be in the same room together to have those difficult conversations, but in a respectful way.”

Musician Jorge Requena Ramos is carrying the NDP banner to stir things up with his self-proclaimed “punk rock campaign.”

Requena Ramos admits his bid is a losing battle; he’s crunched the numbers and his Liberal and Tory opponents have outspent him by 600 per cent on campaigns in the last two elections.

He said that doesn’t faze him because he wants to hold the powerful to account.

“We are the government. Everybody in the riding is the government, and these people are our servants, and they should be doing our bidding in Ottawa,” he said.

Requena Ramos called for regulation of the price of the 700 most-used goods and services in Canada, and said whoever is elected in the riding April 28 should pursue the idea.

“Talking about affordability has been really important to young people,” he said. “I just want to bring that to the forefront of what we need to be talking about if we want young people to participate in democracy.”

nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca

Nicole Buffie
Multimedia producer

Nicole Buffie is a reporter for the Free Press city desk. Born and bred in Winnipeg, Nicole graduated from Red River College’s Creative Communications program in 2020 and worked as a reporter throughout Manitoba before joining the Free Press newsroom as a multimedia producer in 2023. Read more about Nicole.

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