Beddome says it’s time for Greens to lead

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This article was published 27/08/2019 (2213 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Lawyer and South Osborne local James Beddome is offering voters in Fort Rouge an alternative to the “grey” party candidates running in the provincial election.

Beddome is the leader of the Green Party of Manitoba and is running for MLA against Fort Rouge incumbent and NDP leader Wab Kinew.

“We’ve had a perpetual cycle for 40 years of going between the PCs and the NDP, which I like to refer to as the ‘no difference party.’ We go back and forth and nothing changes,” Beddome said. “Put a different voice in and let’s see what the Greens can do.”

Beddome first got involved with the Greens at a provincial level after attending an event connected to the 2006 mayoral campaign. He later joined the party policy committee and decided to run with the provincial Greens as the candidate in Minnedosa in the 2007 general election.

“I campaigned by riding around with a bike, and bike trailer, and a tent and going from small community to small community,” he recalled.

Beddome has served as the party’s leader since 2008, running in Elmwood during the 2009 byelection and Wolseley in 2011, stepping away from the party to finish law school in 2015, and later running in his home community of Riverview-Fort Garry in 2016.

He also operated a bike taxi business called Wheely Green and has a degree from the University of Manitoba in political science and economics.

The 35-year-old currently practises civil litigation and works with Indigenous communities as part owner of Beddome and Longclaws Law Corporation. 

“I stepped away, but I couldn’t stay away, but I do enjoy politics a lot and it’s something I’ve always aspired to do since a young age,” he said.

As Manitobans prepare to head to the polls, Beddome said he is confident that Greens will be represented in the legislature this fall.

“What I’m hearing, anyway, is that people are really fed up with all of the other options,” Beddome said.

Beddome said the Green Party introduced a basic income policy in 2005 that’s been updated and evolved with the times, and points to the Manitoba Liberal Party announcing a basic income project, as an example of the Green Party’s influence.

“Do you want the party that’s been leading the charge on these things? Or do you want the party that’s following?” Beddome said. “We recognize that getting inside of the Leg, winning a handful of seats would be great, me ending up with a Premier’s chair would be astoundingly better.”

As part of the 2018 Electoral Divisions Boundaries Commission, the Fort Rouge constituency was redrawn to include the communities of Lord Roberts and Riverview, formerly part of Fort Garry-Riverview, represented by NDP MLA James Allum, who is not seeking re-election. The new constituency no longer includes the neighbourhoods of Crescentwood, Earl Grey, or McMillan.

Beddome said public safety, the methamphetamine crisis, health care and climate change are recurring topics of concern to voters in Fort Rouge.

The Green Party, Beddome said, would be prepared to offer fare-free public transit in Winnipeg and a basic income program to address poverty and a lack of affordable housing.

“We really try to focus on the inter-connectedness of all things. That’s something that’s key to Greens, who we are, and what our identity is,” Beddome said.

Also running in Fort Rouge are NDP leader Wab Kinew, Manitoba Liberal Party candidate Cyndy Friesen, and Progressive Conservative candidate Edna Nabess. Manitoba Forward candidate Bradley Hebert could not be reached by press time. Manitoba First candidate Michael McCracken was announced after press time. The provincial election is Sept. 10.