Manitoba's largest federal riding held by NDP being challenged by new candidate
The largest federal riding in the province is being challenged by a new candidate.
Churchill-Keewatinook Aski covers the entire top half of Manitoba – a lot of ground to cover for candidates, but NDP incumbent Niki Ashton is no stranger to the area.
“We’ve done a lot of work with communities here in our part of the country over the years, and a lot of work during the COVID-19 crisis, and we’ve certainly heard a lot of recognition and appreciation," she said.
Ashton has held the seat for the NDP since 2008.
She said there is a housing crisis for remote First Nation communities in her riding, which has led to severe overcrowding in homes and uninhabitable conditions.
“One of the key factors that has contributed to the spread of COVID-19, and to particular outbreaks in communities like Shamattawa and Red Sucker Lake is because of the housing situation, and we need to see the federal government take that seriously," Ashton said.
Kelly Saunders, an associate professor of political science at Brandon University, said this riding could potentially change hands this election.
She said Liberal candidate Shirley Robinson is gaining a lot of support from the riding, and has been endorsed by First Nations leaders in the province, including Grand Chief Arlen Dumas.
“Ms. Robinson is a Cree woman from Cross Lake, a former band councillor, so she has a lot of great political skills and community relationships that she’s bringing to her candidacy," Saunders said.
Saunders said the riding has a large Indigenous population, and there is a lot of mining and steel work going on in the area.
“(The unions) are where Niki Ashton and the NDP support really draws from, so it’s going to go Indigenous vote and it’s going to go union vote, that’s where you’re really going to see the battle between the NDP and the Liberals play out," she said.
Liberal candidate Shirley Robinson said she believes she would be a strong voice for northern Manitobans.
“My heart is for my people in this riding, and it’s not specifically Indigenous, it’s everyone in this riding – they deserve a true voice," Robinson said.
If elected, Robinson has a lot she wants to accomplish, including pushing for progress in the 94 calls to action form the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
“Our infrastructure, the all-weather roads, our railway, and of course our very poor internet service," she said.
There are three other candidates in the race for Churchill-Keewatinook Aski, including Conservative candidate Charlotte Larocque, Green party candidate Ralph McLean, and Dylan Young with the People’s Party of Canada.
Manitobans cast their votes on September 20.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
'You ask for your money, they disappear': Ontario man loses $17K to AI crypto scam
A Toronto man is spreading the word of a cryptocurrency scam that lures victims using AI-generated news sites after he lost $17,000 in investments.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.
Trump says Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and their religion
Former U.S. president Donald Trump on Monday charged that Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and hate 'their religion,' igniting a firestorm of criticism from the White House and Jewish leaders.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Freddie Mercury's home is on the market for first time since 1980 minus his 'exquisite clutter'
Freddie Mercury's sanctuary in London, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale for the first time in nearly half a century -- minus his "exquisite clutter."
'The lost season': Winter comes to a close as Canada's warmest on record
The warmest winter on record could have far-reaching effects on everything from wildfire season to erosion, climatologists say, while offering a preview of what the season could resemble in the not-so-distant future unless steps are taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.