Federal candidates battle for hotly contested Winnipeg riding

WINNIPEG -

The federal election is two weeks away, and candidates in one hotly contested Winnipeg riding are vying for votes.

The Winnipeg South Centre riding has been a Liberal seat for the last two elections, but the Conservatives and the NDP are looking to change that.

Joyce Bateman is the Conservative candidate for Winnipeg South Centre. She said voters in her riding are concerned about the cost of living.

"We have serious inflation, highest in ten years. So the effective income that you have at your disposal is actually going down; people are very concerned about that."

Bateman was the member of parliament for Winnipeg South Centre in 2011 before losing the seat to Liberal incumbent Jim Carr in 2015.

She lost to Carr again in 2019, garnering only 29.7 per cent of the votes to Carr's 45 per cent.

She put her name on the ballot for 2021 because she believes this election will have a large impact on future Canadians.

"We have to be responsible about the burdens we're placing on future generations, and that's why I'm stepping up in Winnipeg South Centre."

NDP candidate for Winnipeg South Centre, Julia Riddell is trying to turn the riding orange for the first time.

She said people she's spoken with are concerned about the climate crisis.

"When I'm telling them about the NDP's platform to cut carbon by 2030, that's really resonating with people, and that's feeling like the timeframe they want to be seeing. They don't want to be talking about 2040 or 2050."

Riddell is a practicing Clinical Psychologist and said voters in her riding also want to see improvements to mental health supports.

"I would really like to see mental health care for all. I also am so excited with the NDP's platform around universal dental care, universal Pharma care."

Liberal candidate Jim Carr is looking to go back to Ottawa for a third term.

He said voters in his riding have multiple concerns, including climate change and reconciliation with Indigenous people.

"If I'm talking to a young family and there are children running around, or crawling around, then early learning and child care would be at the top."

Some voters have questioned the need for an election after only two years during a pandemic; Carr believes this is an opportunity for Canadians to decide the most urgent issues.

"It's important that Canadians weigh in, and I think it's important that they weigh in now," said Carr.

Other candidates running in the riding are Douglas Hemmerling from the Green Party, Cam Scott from the Communist Party, and Chase Wells from the People's Party of Canada.

Canadians will cast their ballots on Sept. 20.