I grew up in Missouri and went to the University of Missouri. I then moved to Virginia and taught school. I did my Master’s degree at William and Mary, finishing in 1973. I was accepted into veterinary school at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama in 1978. After graduation, I accepted a position in Winnipeg in 1982 and eventually opened my own veterinary clinic. I then started medical school in 1990 at the University of Manitoba. I worked as a veterinarian through medical school by working nights ...
I grew up in Missouri and went to the University of Missouri. I then moved to Virginia and taught school. I did my Master’s degree at William and Mary, finishing in 1973. I was accepted into veterinary school at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama in 1978. After graduation, I accepted a position in Winnipeg in 1982 and eventually opened my own veterinary clinic. I then started medical school in 1990 at the University of Manitoba. I worked as a veterinarian through medical school by working nights and weekends. I sold my practice in my 9th year of medical training. I continued to work for the clinic that I sold my practice to for 2 more years. I then worked only as a physician until I retired in 2016. I ran for the Green Party of Manitoba in the last election in the Minto riding.
You may wonder why many of you have not met me yet. I depend on a wheelchair to get around, which makes it difficult to get to households; however, I do move through the streets with my white electric car which has Green Party of Manitoba signs on the door. I drive slowly, so feel free to stop me to talk. We have left my card on as many places as possible. Some spoiled in the rain and I do apologize. These can be soaked off with a damp cloth.
Age: 70
Profession: Now retired; veterinarian from 1982-2003; physician from 1999-2016
Education:
B.A. Wildlife conservation; M.A. Education, B.Sc. Agriculture; Masters coursework in Physiology & Pharmacology with thesis defence; DVM Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, MD Medical Doctor
About You
What is the biggest issue facing your community, and how would you address it?
Poverty level income is the biggest issue facing the community. Wages are too low. A guaranteed annual income in the form of a minimum basic income supplement will go a long way to correcting the inequality of the income being paid. This is accomplished by changing the income tax system. Better wages will help to correct criminal activity in the area. Educational help to ensure that those at risk of dropping out are helped to complete their education to graduation and newly arriving students get a firm footing in the educational system. Childcare that is affordable in a licensed day-care will help as well, with a sliding scale paid based on the income. Better transit fares to be adjusted to a person’s income, or free, is also needed.
Housing is also a concern. Many of the houses have been beautifully rehabilitated but many of the houses still need renovations or significant rehabilitation. Insulation improvements will decrease heating costs. By establishing incentive programs, existing buildings can be properly insulated. Building codes changes would ensure that all new buildings meet super efficiency insulation standards and include small scale renewable micro-generators.
Climate change is a very serious issue and will cause many rapid changes to the way we live. These changes will be like that of moving from the horse and buggy to cars and planes or from pencil and paper to Smart Phones for connecting with the world around us. It will be a good change, as we will be treating Mother Earth more kindly, helping to slow the rapid heating of the planet by decreasing greenhouse gases at every opportunity in every sector (transportation, industrial product production, agriculture, waste disposal, energy production -- fossil fuels primarily). Moving towards a zero-waste solid management is needed. High environmental handling fees and adequate rebates for consumers for returning recyclable items will help. Ending single use plastics and encourage reduction of other uses of plastics is needed. Banning all materials that cannot be recycled would be the optimum goal. Support for local initiatives that utilize local waste in the creation of new products should be developed. Urban green spaces, with urban forests and rooftop gardens will decrease rain run off and cool cities during the summers.
Why did you decide to run for office?
I continue to want to serve the community where I had the opportunity through my professional life to meet many of the constituents, to help resolve housing issues, to work to decrease criminal activity in the neighbourhoods and to help people access an improved quality of life. Key to this is implementation of the guaranteed annual income plan to provide a minimum basic income supplement to help with the costs of living.
Government leaders can help with the many adjustments in the new employment opportunities in the industries for renewables such as recycling, solar panels, repurposing items for resale rather than buying new, improving homes for better quality of life through energy saving such as increasing insulation, and wind turbines that can be mounted on the street boulevards, generating energy from wind produced by the passing cars.
My concern about climate change is serious. Climate change will cause many rapid changes to the way we live. Some of these changes will include working with the citizens of the community to offer education to everyone about the changes that must be made and helping people to access the funding to accomplish the changes. This is a government role, in part. We must be the leaders for these changes.
Many opportunities for ideas to reduce carbon dioxide (greenhouse gases) will be implemented, resulting in the improvement of our quality of life. My goal is to assist the constituents in getting these positions, the funding for the education, and helping implement their own ideas as well as the changes in their style of living. An MLA’s job is to be the go-to person in the government to help each person with their concerns. I want to be one of the leaders of changes to reduce poverty and improve low income levels as well as for supporting and leading the way to deal with climate change.
Manitoba is marking its 150th anniversary next year. Suggest one way we can make it a memorable occasion.
To celebrate this anniversary, we need to commit to implementing at least one carbon reduction program like a province-wide composting program. Some other options for this project are:
recycling, solar panel installations, repurposing items for resale rather than buying new, improving homes for better quality of life through energy saving such as increasing insulation. Many opportunities for ideas to reduce carbon dioxide (greenhouse gases) will need to be implemented, resulting in the improvement of our quality of life. We can choose different projects in each riding if desired. This will also help develop a sense of community.
Climate change for Canada and Manitoba is being dealt with by adding a gradually increasing carbon tax starting at $50/tonne in 2020/21 to an increase of $150/tonne by 2030/31, as per the federal government. The revenue will be used to (a.) finance green infrastructure projects that make it easy for people to reduce their use of fossil fuels; and, (b.) rebate most of the revenue in the form of lower income taxes and a Basic Income supplement plan.
Tell us something about yourself that voters might find surprising.
I love turtles, having rescued several thousand unwanted pet turtles from across Canada, returning them to their natural habitat in Alabama by flying them home with the help of Air Canada.
Find out more about MJ Willard, Green, Notre Dame:
http://www.ctlca.com/
https://twitter.com/DrMJW
Read Less
