Brandon candidates' debates focus on health care, affordable housing, city's downtown

Health care, Westman alienation and the cost of living were front and centre during back-to-back debates between candidates in Brandon's two ridings on Tuesday.

Six candidates running in Manitoba's Oct. 3 provincial election took the stage for the two debates hosted by the Brandon Sun Tuesday evening at Brandon University, the first of which featured Brandon East candidates Len Isleifson (Progressive Conservative), Glen Simard (NDP) and Trent Zazalak (Liberal).

It was followed by a second debate between Brandon West candidates Wayne Balcaen (Progressive Conservative), Bill Marsh (Green Party) and Quentin Robinson (NDP), who are competing in a wide-open race after PC MLA Reg Helwer, who has held the seat since 2011, decided not to run for re-election.

Heated moments from both debates saw NDP and PC candidates accusing their rivals of failing to meet the needs of southwestern Manitoba residents, especially regarding health care.

Brandon East incumbent Isleifson said his government has worked to recruit and retain health-care professionals in southwestern Manitoba. He also pointed to the PC government's funding for Prairie Mountain Health, which is expanding the Brandon Regional Health Centre, and other initiatives in the region, including funding for expansion of the Brandon Police Service headquarters and a new school in the city.

"I fight every day … to better Manitoba and ensure that Brandon is at the table," Isleifson said.

Brandon East NDP candidate Simard said health care remains a major issue for western Manitobans, especially with recent clinic closures in and around Brandon. When he asked the audience of roughly 100 to raise their hands if they have a family doctor, only about half indicated they did.

He committed to finding ways to address health-care needs by recruiting and retaining workers, and establishing a rural doctor recruitment fund. He also made a pledge to promote Brandon at the provincial level if elected.

Brandon West NDP candidate Robinson said his party wants to train more doctors and nurses in the province, including at sites in Brandon, saying people in the city should not be treated as "second-class citizens" when it comes to health care.

Brandon East candidate Zazalak said Liberals want to see a University of Manitoba satellite medical school at Brandon University to address these issues. 

"If we rely on simply recruiting doctors from other countries, other places, what we see in our community is doctors come here, they spend a couple years, and then they move somewhere else," Zazalak said.

"Bringing medical doctors … people who were raised here, people who were born here, people who live here, people who are educated here and people who will work here is important."

Brandon University political scientist Kelly Saunders — who was part of a four-person panel who posed questions to the candidates — also raised the issue of Westman alienation with respect to post-secondary institutions.

She said the universities of Manitoba and Winnipeg received considerably higher funding increases under the PC government than Brandon University did.

"Why is Brandon University at the bottom of the list? Does this really show how we're just not a priority for your party?" Saunders asked Brandon West PC candidate Balcaen.

Balcaen, a recently retired Brandon police chief, noted he was not part of the government that set those budgets, but pledged to fight for post-secondary funding in Brandon if he's elected. 

Affordable housing

In response to questions about affordable housing, Robinson said it is a pressing need in Brandon for many different groups of people, from people who are homeless to students coming to Brandon. He accused the PC government of worsening the problem over the last seven years by selling off affordable housing. 

An NDP government would not sell any available housing, he promised, and he repeated a promise made earlier in the day by NDP Leader Wab Kinew to encourage new rental builds by lifting the provincial sales tax from the construction of new rental units.

"It's potentially a seven per cent profit incentive," Robinson said.

Balcaen countered that the PCs have the only credible plan for affordable housing. The party has also promised to eliminate the land-transfer tax for first-time homebuyers if elected to their third term — something Balcaen said would help get people out of rentals and into homes they own. 

The Green Party's Marsh, a former teacher, noted that for those on a fixed income or new to the workforce, rental prices and mortgages are not always affordable or easily accessible, as more people struggle with the rising costs of living.

Isleifson noted affordable housing issues can be addressed by making life overall more affordable, pointing to minimum wage increases and tax bracket changes as ways the PC government has done that.

Downtown Brandon

During questions about revitalizing Brandon's downtown, which sits in the Brandon East riding, Robinson said there is wisdom to draw from in the community and in non-profits. He claimed there were plans in place for significant development in downtown in 2016, but they were abandoned after the NDP government was defeated by the PCs in that year's provincial election.

"We need to get back to a place where there is a provincial government that's ready to be a partner with what the community wants to do and is ready to do, and the NDP will be that government," Robinson said.

The party has also said it will end chronic homelessness within two terms if elected.

Balcaen said the methamphetamine crisis has taken a toll on the community, but "Manitoba isn't the only province and Brandon isn't the only city" where it's an issue.

He said he supports putting money and resources into harm reduction. He would not commit to a supervised consumption site, citing concerns it could cause the crime rate to rise, but said he is willing to learn more.

"I don't think police will ever arrest their way out of these situations," he said. "They're social issues and they're issues that need to be partnered with other agencies and work to help solve these areas."

Advance voting for the 2023 provincial election begins on Saturday. Election day is Oct. 3.