Vaccination a major election issue in Provencher riding: political scientist
Candidates in the Provencher riding are making a final effort to flip undecided voters just two days as the federal election nears.
The Provencher riding covers the province's southeast corner and includes several communities including Steinbach.
Kelly Saunders, a political scientist at Brandon University, said the riding's main election issue boils down to the COVID-19 vaccine.
"We know it straddles a number of communities that are hotspot when it comes to vaccine hesitancy, and some of the rates of vaccination are the lowest not only in the province but the country," said Saunders.
Incumbent Conservative Ted Falk was first elected in 2013 and has won every election since by a fairly wide margin.
Recently, however, Falk had to walk back some claims he made on the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine.
His campaign did not respond to CTV News.
Falk's position is something Liberal candidate Trevor Kirczenow is looking to capitalize on.
"It's very frustrating, his position on vaccines," said Kirczenow, "His position on vaccination has been unclear. He won't say if he's been vaccinated."
Kirczenow lives on a farm near Dugald and previously ran in 2019. He said this time around, he's talked to a lot of people who aren't sure who they're voting for.
"I think a lot of voters are looking for clarity," he said. “I've met a lot of undecided voters.”
This election also has another difference -- the People's Party of Canada.
PPC candidate Nöel Gautron has lived in the area his entire life and, according to his bio, is against vaccine passports.
He's a candidate that Saunders believes could steal some Conservative voters.
"And we know that the PPC has been making some inroads into Conservative territory, particularly in a place with vaccine hesitancy. So that candidate has been picking up some steam," noted Saunders.
Also on the Provencher ballot are the NDP Party's Serina Pottinger, the Green Party's Janine Gibson and independent Rick Loewen.
As candidates make a push to swing undecided voters, they'll have to wait until election day on September 20 to see the fruits of their labour.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
BREAKING McGill University seeks emergency injunction to remove pro-Palestinian encampment from campus
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.