MD runs for Liberals in west Winnipeg, Headingley

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/08/2015 (3920 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dr. Doug Eyolfson is hoping that voters in west Winnipeg and Headingley will opt for a transfusion of new blood and allow him to unseat incumbent MP Steven Fletcher.

The 52-year-old Westwood resident is running as the Liberal Party candidate in Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley. He works as an emergency room physician at Health Sciences Centre. In the course of his work, he said, he sees patients whose economic circumstances are preventing them from buying medication.

“A lot of medical problems we see are due to problems we see in economic inequality,” he said.

Eyolfson knows the riding well. His family lived in the Headingley RCMP detachment’s office on McIntosh Road until he was five years old, as his father ran the detachment. They then moved to Westwood, where he attended public school, graduating from Westwood Collegiate. He completed his education at the University of Manitoba, earning a science degree, then his medical doctorate.

He’s now taking a six-month leave of absence to concentrate on his campaign.

Even though these are the early days of a long campaign leading up to election day on Oct. 19, Eyolfson said he’s already worn out a pair of shoes from knocking on about 8,400 doors over the past two and a half months.

The novice politician realizes he’s facing a strong opponent in Steven Fletcher, who has represented the riding in Parliament since 2004. He said he admires Fletcher’s commitment to the community but feels that the Conservative government has enacted policies that are making it tough for middle class families and individuals to make ends meet.

“We’re by and large a middle-class riding,” he said.

He said the Liberal Party has what’s being called a ‘fairness plan’ designed to restructure the existing federal income tax system to lower the tax burden for middle-class earners and raise federal tax by four per cent for those earning $200,000 and over annually.

“I would be one of those who are paying more taxes,” Eyolfson said.

He’s also eager to help a Liberal government develop more affordable housing for seniors and lower-income families.

“There needs to be a dialogue between the federal government and the provinces,” he said.

He would like to see new industrial development concentrating on green energy resources to help Canadians lower their reliance on fossil fuels.

“That would create a lot of jobs.”

He’s pleased with the support local residents have shown so far, with volunteers offering to help his campaign.

“People are saying they really want to see some changes,” Eyolfson said.

“You will see me out and about.”

Facebook.com/TheHeadlinerWPG
Twitter: @CanstarHeadline