Sopuck faces off against two former MPs seeking rural riding

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This article was published 14/10/2015 (3674 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

IT’S double trouble for Conservative incumbent Robert Sopuck as he tries to stave off defeat in Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa this election.

There are 19 ridings where former MPs are trying to regain their seats. But Sopuck is up against two former MPs in the riding — NDP candidate Laverne Lewycky and Independent candidate Inky Mark.

The rural riding, which has gone under a number of different names over the years, has been a stronghold for the Conservatives since the unification of the Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservatives in 2003.

The riding was represented prior to that by Reform MP Inky Mark, who was first elected in 1997.

It had a Liberal MP, Marlene Cowling, from 1993 to 1997.

Lewycky served as an NDP MP from 1980 to 1984.

Mark stepped down in 2010 and was replaced by Sopuck, who easily won a byelection that year and then won with 63 per cent of the vote in the 2011 general election that gave Stephen Harper a majority.

Mark and Lewycky say they have pulled themselves out of retirement for the same reason — they are fed up with the Conservatives, and Sopuck, and say it’s time for a change.

Sopuck was unavailable for comment, an email from his campaign office said.

“I am a conservative, but I am not a Harper Conservative,” Mark said. “I have a 13-year track record as a member of Parliament. People know the kind of person I am. I always put their needs first.”

Mark, who was a vocal critic of Conservative Leader Stephen Harper before retiring as an MP in 2010, broke ranks with the Conservative caucus by speaking out against the end of the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly on wheat and barley sales.

He alleged Sopuck wasn’t chosen by the riding association, but handpicked by the Conservatives.

The four debates in the riding have been fiery, with Mark, Lewycky, Liberal candidate Ray Piché and Green party candidate Kate Storey challenging Sopuck on his record, Mark said.

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Last week’s debate caused a stir after Sopuck reportedly called the debate’s moderator, Brandon University professor Kelly Saunders, a “nasty girl” at the end of debate after she hammered him on his record as MP.

The riding’s economy is largely agriculturally based and boasts the second largest population of seniors in the province, two areas Sopuck has ignored, said Lewycky.

Lewycky said his return to politics is spurred by the “damage” done under the Harper government.

“Why was the pension eligibility raised from 65 to 67? They are concerned about that. They have been hard-working on the farms or elsewhere and then to have the pension eligibility raised is not meeting seniors concerned,” Lewycky said.

kristin.annable@freepress.mb.ca