Winnipeg South Centre Q and A – Andrew Park

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/10/2015 (3623 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg South Centre is home to 90,711 people, based on the 2011 census, from various backgrounds and diverse neighbourhoods. There are 67,988 people registered to vote in the riding. The riding stretches from the south banks of the Assiniboine River down through Tuxedo and Linden Woods, east through River Heights and Fort Garry, and north through Fort Rouge to Osborne Village.

Four candidates are running for MP in Winnipeg South Centre. Based on community issues and concerns, The Sou’wester posed the same questions to each candidate to find out how they will work for the community.

Here are the answers from Green Party candidate Andrew Park:

Q: Residents who have had door-to-door Canada Post delivery for decades will lose that service in favour of community mail boxes. How do you feel residents in the riding will be affected by the end of door-to-door delivery?

A: The Green Party is committed to restoring door-to-door mail. This is an essential service for many, especially seniors and the disabled. Greens will also work to provide Canada Post with new revenue tools to keep it profitable; for example insurance sales, banking and commerce services, supplementary pension plans, and expanded services to remote communities. Countries such as Switzerland, France, and New Zealand, already diversify services.

Q: Describe how you and your party will best represent Winnipeg South Centre residents in regards to Kapyong Barracks consultations.

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A: There are many stakeholders in the Kapyong Barracks, including First Nations, the federal government, City of Winnipeg, and of course the residents in the area surrounding the barracks. The Court of Appeal was clear on the duty to consult with First Nations who have unfulfilled land claims dating from the signing of Treaty One. But the final use to which the Barracks are to be put is yet to be determined and should be the result of meaningful consultations among all stakeholders.

Q: What will you and your party do to increase or improve access to child care specifically in Winnipeg South Centre?

A: The Green Party wishes to increase the availability of childcare spaces from its current level of about 22 per cent to the European average of 70 per cent. The vehicle for this expansion would be a reconstituted and expanded Canada Social Transfer (CST), to enable public and non-profit providers to substantially increase the number of licensed child care spaces available. We know, of course, that Winnipeg is under serviced in the area of childcare, with the North End actually having the lowest availability of childcare spaces. The province is making some progress in this area, and the federal government’s role is in the area of funding and encouragement.

Q: Recent crime has made many residents fearful for their property and safety in their community. Taking into consideration federal jurisdiction over sentence length and the Youth Criminal Justice Act, how will you and  your party address low level and petty crime in Winnipeg South Centre neighbourhoods?

A: Youth sentencing is really not one of my areas of specialty, so I am not going to second guess what the Winnipeg Police Service’s response to petty crime in River Heights should be. I will point out that the perpetrators caught so far have been from all age groups and mostly from outside affected neighbourhoods.  Therefore it is not clear that the Youth Criminal Justice Act is always the relevant legislation. But in those cases where youth are involved, sentencing as per the provisions of the YCJA with appropriate rehabilitation, seems appropriate.