Guillemard seeking re-election

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This article was published 27/08/2019 (2562 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Sarah Guillemard recalls being hesitant to step into the political spotlight three years ago.

The mother of four from Fort Richmond had served as a volunteer for the municipal election campaign of city councillor Janice Lukes at the end of 2014, and thought that would be the end of her political involvement.

“The following year there was a provincial election and I received a call asking if I would run, and personally I thought it was somewhat of a practical joke that friends were playing on me,” Guillemard said. “I said ‘I’m not a politician’ but I was pursued and asked by the PC Party if I would be a candidate. 

“It took a lot of coaxing, a lot of convincing and it was ultimately my family who said you really have nothing to lose.”

Guillemard, while not previously affiliated with a political party, said her values best aligned with the Progressive Conservatives and her family was feeling the “brunt of the financial mess,” she said the provincial government was in.

“I knew that some restraints had to be put in place or the province was headed for some stressful times. That was really a motivation for me,” she said.

The rookie politician was successful in her first political campaign winning with 43.82 per cent of the vote and unseating the NDP incumbent MLA Kerri Irvin Ross, who held the seat for 13 years.

With three years at the legislature behind her and four private member’s bills passed — including the amendment to the Elections Act requiring candidates to disclose criminal convictions — Guillemard said she wants to continue her advocacy for Fort Richmond.

“It’s a real treat to be able to amplify the voices in our community who have contributed and influenced a lot of the decisions of the government,” the 41-year-old said. “I hope to continue that work. It really is about a focus on the community and what they have to offer because they know us best and what’s needed here.”

Guillemard said the opening of the mental health centre at the Victoria General Hospital was a proud moment for her as MLA, as well as a 10-year, $2.5-million commitment from the province to the University of Manitoba’s James W. Burns Leadership Institute, part of the Asper School of Business.

Guillemard also acknowledged the conversion of the Victoria General Hospital emergency room to an urgent care facility caused considerable anxiety in the community.

“We knew that there was going to be a lot of disruption for those who were working within the health care system itself,” Guillemard said. “What my experience, in the capacity of an MLA, was a number of constituents coming by the offices and expressing a lot of anxiety before the changes happened, really quite opposed to the idea.

“What I asked them to do once the changes were implemented… that if anything went awry I would be the first one to apologize and admit that things were just not done right, but I asked them too, in return, that if the sky didn’t fall and they had any positive experience through it, that they would stop in and share that with me.”

At the doorstep, Guillemard said she’s hearing community concerns about the lack of safe, affordable student housing in Fort Richmond, and settlement services for newcomers in the neighbourhood.

While not making specific commitments to address newcomer supports, if re-elected, Guillemard said she will continue to “support those groups and give them the funding that’s necessary for the bodies that are here and families that need help.”

Also running Fort Richmond is NDP candidate George Wong and Manitoba Liberal candidate Tanjit Nagra. The Green Party of Manitoba candidate Cameron Proulx was announced after press time. The provincial election is Sept. 10.