McFarlane champions education, health care, anti-racism

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This article was published 12/08/2021 (1858 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Greg McFarlane, like most other parents, wants his children to go through life with fewer struggles than he had growing up.

That’s why he dedicates his time to the community as an advocate for education, health care and anti-racism.

“I like to make a difference,” he said. “I think everything started when I started having kids and then realized, ‘OK, what can I do to make their community, their life, their city, their country better?’ That’s what drives me.”

The Maples area resident has two children, aged seven and three, and is married. An electrician by trade, he also serves as the chair of the Seven Oaks School Division board of trustees. He’s believed to be the first Black school board chair in Manitoba’s history.

Through his position on the board, McFarlane has led the development and implementation of an anti-racism policy — also thought to be the first of its kind in the province.

Released in June, the policy aims to increase diversity across the division, improve demographic data collection and analysis, offer more supports to students, staff and caregivers, and develop anti-racist curricula.

He’s also been vocal about his concerns regarding Bill 64, or the Education Modernization Act, which could overwrite much of Manitoba’s current education system should it pass through the legislature.

“Everything that we’ve put together as a school division is at risk of being lost,” McFarlane said.

One of his priorities over the next few months will be ensuring parents and stakeholders are aware of the potential effects of Bill 64, should it come into play.

In 2019, when the Province of Manitoba announced the closure of the Seven Oaks General Hospital’s emergency room, McFarlane was on the frontlines, petitioning and advocating against the cut, as the founder of the Save the Seven Oaks ER Coalition.

“We saw some of the cuts that were happening, that the government was doing with the health-care system, and there was a large outcry. So I figured, someone has to do something,” he said.

“We had a huge rally … just so people can have their voice (and) to show their concern with the declining health care in northwest Winnipeg.”

When 2020 rolled around, the government decided to shutter the CancerCare site at the Seven Oaks hospital. McFarlane mobilized concerned community members to try and overturn the decision.

“The access to proper health care in this community is something that’s paramount to me.”

McFarlane’s care for the community is what inspired Jennifer Lim to nominate him as a Local Hero. Lim met McFarlane shortly after she and her family moved from Scotia Heights to Amber Trails in 2015. Their kids attended daycare together.

“He has an ethic to protect the community’s identity and foster its growth,” Lim said. “He’s a member of our community … if we didn’t have him it would be quite different — and not for the better.”

McFarlane ran under the NDP banner in the 2019 provincial election. He lost the McPhillips riding to PC candidate Shannon Martin by 88 votes. When asked if he plans to run in the next election, McFarlane said:

“I’d like to finish what I started.”