Here is the second and final part of The Reminder’s interview with Churchill MP Niki Ashton.
REMINDER: Do you support the concept of nuclear waste storage near Creighton, an issue of importance to many of your Flin Flon constituents?
ASHTON: I have been keeping up to date in terms of discussions taking place. I have also had various people reach out to share their concerns with me.
REMINDER: You have characterized home mail delivery as vital to northerners, but only two communities in your riding have the service. In addition to lobbying to maintain home delivery in Flin Flon and Thompson, shouldn’t you also lobby to have it instituted in every community across the North?
ASHTON: Home delivery is very important to Flin Flon and as the MP, I have brought this message to Parliament. I’ll never forget visiting door to door with Flin Flon postal workers a few months ago, and hearing from everyone that we met that home delivery is an important service to them and their family…
Home delivery is part of Flin Flon’s history and it cannot be lost.
The attack on Canada Post services goes beyond home delivery and has also involved threats in terms of cuts to rural post office hours and cuts to permanent positions, and moving to contract positions, in post offices across our region…
Canadians should be able to access home delivery and proper services no matter where they live – and we can get there by being innovative rather than giving up or looking to privatize Canada Post.
REMINDER: Late last year, you issued a statement saying you are committed to the federal NDP after a newspaper columnist cited rumours you were looking to move to the provincial level. Does the media treat you fairly?
ASHTON: I have always had good relationships with the media. The rumour in December was totally unfounded and I’m glad I was able to set the record straight. My focus as MP for Churchill is fighting for the issues that people face in our North.
REMINDER: If you were Prime Minister, where would you reduce federal spending? Why?
ASHTON: If I were Prime Minister, I would work to make Canadian government more responsive to the priorities of Canadians.
As Official Opposition we have been clear that the current government’s tax breaks to companies in the wealthiest sectors of our economy, such as oil and gas and the banking sector, are essentially subsidizing the work of the wealthy rather than providing incentives to other sectors, such as forestry or value-added sectors that have been struggling.
The federal government should see the value of a diversified economy that engages Canadians across the country and should be implementing a more fair corporate tax system.
REMINDER: How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a politician? What prompted this decision?
ASHTON: Growing up, many people would ask me if I was going to run for office or get involved in politics. I remember stating clearly that I had other plans!
In fact, for years I was interested in working on issues related to human rights, as part of the foreign service or the United Nations. I worked toward those goals throughout my post-secondary studies and through various internships and job opportunities.
However, my heart remained at home and I realized that my passion was strongest for the struggle for equality and justice here at home.
In 2005 I worked with many northerners to put forward a vision for our region that embraced equality and I committed to giving voice to the immense challenges as well as opportunities that we share.
It’s been an honour to represent my home and our region in Parliament. My strength comes from people across the North. I will continue to work with people across our region and fight for the issues that matter to us.
REMINDER: Polls are regularly showing the Conservatives and Liberals fighting for first place in the court of public opinion, with the NDP a distant third. What happened to the momentum from your party's historic 2011 showing?
ASHTON: I am honoured to work as part of the NDP Official Opposition. We currently have the second highest number of seats in the House of Commons where we use our strength to hold the government to account day after day…
The truth is that Canadians will have a historic opportunity in the next election to move beyond the two parties that have governed our country for decades, and vote for change and true representation on issues that matter, like support for health care, a sustainable economy, investment in young people and reclaiming our identity.
