Schreyer family endorses road safety researcher to fill late councillor’s shoes

Standing in front of the family home of Coun. Jason Schreyer, a byelection candidate said he has the blessing of the late councillor’s loved ones to fill his former city hall seat.

Chris Sweryda, who entered the byelection race to represent Elmwood-East Kildonan just before the nomination deadline, said he worked as one of Schreyer’s assistants from early 2022 until the councillor’s death.

“Jason and I had many projects on the go … working with non-profit and other community groups who try to lower the cost of living for the constituents in this area. That was a huge passion of Jason’s. And I share that passion, and I’m hoping for the chance to continue the work we began,” said Sweryda.

Schreyer held the Elmwood-East Kildonan seat until his death in April.

The late councillor’s wife spoke in support of Sweryda, who worked with him on road safety and food security initiatives.

“Chris is (someone) Jason loved dearly as his assistant. He considered Chris to be a little political brother. He found a kindred spirit in Chris, and he believed that Chris not only had the skills, the intellect, tenacity, work ethic, and vision for the community, and a social conscience, but also that he would take care of the community of east Elmwood-East Kildonan that he loved so much,” said Sarah Schreyer.

She said her family gave Sweryda the nickname “Data” for his attention to detail.

“If you voted for Jason, vote for Chris, you will not be disappointed,” she said.

Sweryda, a 38-year-old road safety researcher, food security advocate and law student, said his struggle to deal with losing his close friend was one reason he entered the race later on.

He said Schreyer had encouraged him to enter political life.

The late councillor’s father — former Manitoba premier and governor general Ed Schreyer — also endorsed Sweryda.

“I believe that he is a very credible and good candidate because he seems to be interested in things that I consider important, such as trying to bring service to people in the lower income scale of life,” he said.

The former premier credited Sweryda with conducting extensive research into Winnipeg traffic concerns.

“I happen to know that he did some good research … detailed research into matters having to deal with traffic flows and traffic conditions in Winnipeg. So that convinced me he was capable of doing detailed and original research. It’s important that elected people have that capability,” he said.

During Thursday’s news conference, Sweryda also shared some platform pledges, with calls to resume some bus stops that were cut during a Winnipeg Transit overhaul, replace the Louise Bridge and reduce the cost of transit fares for low-income residents.

He also supports creating designated spaces for encampments, ideally on a temporary basis.

“There definitely should be dedicated areas where people can be safe and can go to, and that first responders can have better access to provide those services,” said Sweryda.

Six other candidates are also vying for the council seat, including:

• automotive finance broker Braydon Mazurkiewich,
• child-care assistant Zekaria Selahadin,
• city planning property and development clerk Kyle Roche,
• Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 500 vice-president Carmen Prefontaine,
• construction project manager Abel Gutierrez, and
• community advocate Emma Durand-Wood.

Mazurkiewich has also secured some well-known supporters, with endorsements from Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt and former MP Shelly Glover.

“I’ve known Braydon since he was 17 years old. I’ve seen him at municipal, provincial, federal election campaigns … I just think he has a lot of experience and he’s learned a lot over the years,” Glover said Thursday.

Wyatt said he believes Mazurkiewich will be a “strong voice” for the riding and would work to carry on Jason Schreyer’s legacy.

“I believe … he is sincere in his desire to fight for the people of the Elmwood-East Kildonan ward, said Wyatt.

In an email, Prefontaine noted she been endorsed by the Winnipeg Labour Council and United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg, former Winnipeg city councillor Lillian Thomas and current Coun. Ross Eadie.

“I’m hoping to work with a colleague who has (a labour) endorsement and has the political principles that I’ve tried to follow at city council,” said Eadie (Mynarski).

Durand-Wood said in an email she has been endorsed by, among others, former mayoral candidate Shaun Loney, writer Erna Buffie and Vivienne Ho, CUPE Local 2348 president and advocacy chair for the Institute for International Women’s Rights Manitoba.

The byelection will take place on Oct. 25.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

X: @joyanne_pursaga

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Joyanne Pursaga
Reporter

Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne.

Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.