Georgina Jolibois believes northern Saskatchewan is ready for change.
The MP candidate for Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River hopes to be part of Canada’s first federal NDP government this fall.
“I am very optimistic,” says Jolibois, 48, the four-term mayor of La Loche. “The polls are suggesting that the NDP is doing really well and I am campaigning really hard.”
On the campaign trail, Jolibois has spoken on a range of issues she would like to address as the region’s federal representative.
She sees an economic strategy for northern Saskatchewan as a must.
“We have such a young population and we have families who want training and employment,” says Jolibois. “There has to be a northern economic strategy to help our northerners live in our constituency.”
During her mayoralty in La Loche, she says the town has acquired funding to build houses and ensured local people were employed in the construction process.
Jolibois is worried by the closure of Veterans Affairs offices, saying northern veterans “do not have access to fair programs and services to help them.”
Climate change, the environment and the protection of lakes and rivers also figure prominently into her platform.
“The Conservative government really gutted regulations to protect the lakes and rivers and the environment,” Jolibois says. “There has to be a review to the environmental assessments and regulations, and restore as many regulations to first and foremost protect our rivers and lakes in northern Saskatchewan.”
She says she has also heard concerns around the future of benefits for retirees, including the Canada Pension Plan.
“There’s a fear that [seniors] will lose their Canada Pension Plan and having access to the funds that they have saved up while they were working,” Jolibois says.
“So there’s a lot of thinking about their own financial security and their own financial stability, and so they’re really struggling with that.”
Housing and homelessness are also an issue for Jolibois, as is the condition of highways and roads in northern Saskatchewan. She wants to look at how the federal government can assist Saskatchewan with improving provincial highways in the region.
Asked what can be done to solve the long-standing problems of poverty and unemployment on reserves, Jolibois points to NDP leader Tom Mulcair’s promise for a “nation to nation relationship” between Canada and First Nations.
She says Mulcair has outlined a plan to enhance education, housing and quality of life on reserves.
Jolibois says many reserves have economic-development branches, “so there’s a way that the NDP can work with First Nations to strengthen and improve communities.”
She brings a varied background to her candidacy. She has worked as an instructor with the Dumont Technical Institute and an Aboriginal resource officer for the Saskatoon Police Service.
In addition to her position as mayor, Jolibois is chairwoman of New North, a municipal association designed to enhance northern Saskatchewan. In that role, she promotes “inclusive prosperity” among northern communities, according to her campaign website.
She holds a BA in political science and native studies, and touts her training and experience in areas such as community development, economic development and proposal writing.
Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River has since 2008 been held by Conservative Rob Clarke, who is seeking re-election in the October 19 election.
