Cindy Lamoureux steals Burrows from NDP

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This article was published 19/04/2016 (3456 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Cindy Lamoureux has some large red shoes to fill.

Lamoureux, 24, won the Burrows seat in the Manitoba legislature and will represent the Manitoba Liberals after she beat out NDP incumbent Melanie Wight, who became MLA for Burrows in 2011.

“I worked as if I was going to win, and I did and we claimed Burrows,” Lamoureux said. “I plan on changing things here in Manitoba and I’m going to work hard. I’m getting in young for a reason.”

Lamoureux, the daughter of current Liberal MP for Winnipeg North and former Liberal MLA Kevin Lamoureux, grew up in the North End and currently lives in Burrows. Prior to focusing on the provincial election, Lamoureux had a head start in getting to know the people living in Winnipeg’s north — she spent nearly 80 days canvassing alongside her dad.

Meanwhile, Wight, who spent the evening alongside other NDP candidates at the RBC Convention, said she was disappointed by her loss.

“I came up against the Lamoureux steamroller,” she said. “I actually had more support than in 2011, but it wasn’t enough this time.

“I’m sad because I won’t be there to help the vulnerable people in my riding…but it was an amazing experience being a cabinet minister.”

Even though the Lamoureux name has become a staple in provincial and federal politics, Lamoureux said she still had to prove to voters she was suitable for the job despite her age.

“I had two main lines for that: one, I’m actually older than my father was the first time he ran in politics, and two, our former Premier Edward Schreyer was 22 when he first got elected. He went on to be premier of Manitoba, and that goes into my goals.”

Lamoureux said her while father is an inspiration to her, he isn’t the only reason she decided to run in the provincial election.

“I’ve always been very active in politics,” she said. “It has been something that I have reinforced as my passion as well. Talking to people at the door, hearing their issues, wanting to make change here in Manitoba —I thrive off of that.”

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As for those issues, Lamoureux said crime and safety top the list, but another one of her focuses is being an accessible politician.

“My number one priority is to be accessible to the constituents of Burrows,” Lamoureux said. “I’m going to choose a place and go there once a week where people are always welcome to come and see me, whether it’s issues, questions, they want to come for coffee.”

Lamoureux was also up against Rae Wagner, the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba candidate, and Garrett Bodnaryk, the Green Party of Manitoba candidate. For the past three years, she worked for the Long Term & Continuing Care Association of Manitoba, a non-profit that places seniors in housing and care. She’s also a University of Winnipeg graduate with a double major in political science and religion and culture.

With files from Kevin Rollason

Bailey.Hildebrand@freepress.mb.ca