Grateful to hear your concerns

Tyndall Park

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/12/2023 (906 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In my time as an MLA, it has been very important to me to serve with gratitude. I am grateful for the position to which I have been elected, and that is what motivates me to remain accessible every Saturday to meet with my constituents. It is also why I do my best to attend community gatherings, to co-host celebrations such as Canada Day, to support special events, and to hold public meetings.

On Nov. 18, I co-hosted a public meeting in Tyndall Park. I really appreciate all those who attended and participated, as well as those who emailed their written submissions. The topics ranged widely from health care to tall-grass prairie. I often say, “all issues matter to me,” and I am happy to listen, offer my opinion and assist where I can.

The biggest concern raised at the meeting was health care, specifically Seven Oaks Hospital and services it is not offering. As the North End continues to grow and thrive, we need health-care services close to home. Concerns were also raised about the health-care education and accreditation process. Those who immigrate to Manitoba looking to work in their fields have faced barriers to building careers here in Manitoba. We have such a significant shortage of nurses in our system that we need to create a fairer and easier system to navigate, to allow those who want to work in nursing to achieve their goals. Doing this will not only help fill a massive gap, but it will also help everyone in the province prosper. We need to create incentives for health-care professionals to come here and stay, not push them away.

The local issue of tall prairie grass, which has been planted in a few areas, has some residents concerned about the ramifications. Since it was planted, people are noticing bad smells, a proliferation of rodents and litter and mentioned challenges to walking or biking alongside it. My office has created a petition regarding the tall grass and if you are interested in signing, please contact my constituency office by calling 204-615-9961 or emailing cindy@gocindy.ca

On a similar note, concerns were also expressed over the upkeep of roads in the area. The poor condition of the roads has damaged vehicles and has left people living in the area feeling neglected.

There is also a strong desire and push for our seniors to receive better support. Seniors deserve access to dental care. They deserve to remain in their homes and communities if they would like and are able to. They don’t deserve having to choose between buying prescription medications, paying rent or buying groceries.

Last, there was a big consensus that the cost of living has gone up exponentially and many people indicated feeling the pressure created by the costs of essentials such as gasoline, bus passes, food, and housing. Co-op housing was discussed as an affordable community-based option, and I encourage anyone who is interested in learning more to reach out to me. We were additionally reminded that cell phone plans and education costs are more expensive than what many people can afford.

I really appreciated people opening up and sharing their thoughts in a respectful manner, and I look forward to hosting another such meeting in the spring of 2024.