The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
In what could be the closest race in years, each of the three candidates vying to occupy Northern Manitoba's seat in Parliament has reason for optimism. With Prime Minister Paul Martin widely expected to call the election in a matter of weeks, each nominee's supporters Ñ even the pessimists Ñ can claim a legitimate shot at victory. New Democrat Bev Desjarlais will again be a strong candidate as she seeks a third term. The Thompson resident will benefit not only from the political power of incumbency, but also from her personal popularity in much of the riding. Desjarlais also belongs to the party of choice for many northern voters. Just once in the past 25 years has someone outside of the NDP (Liberal Elijah Harper) been this constituency's federal representative. The MLAs for Flin Flon, The Pas, and Thompson are all New Democrats as well. In terms of her platform, Desjarlais' main priorities include the continuation of universal public health care and more federal dollars for municipal infrastructure projects Ñ both big issues on the minds of her constituents. Unlike many other NDP candidates, Desjarlais, a one-time health care worker, will score points with social conservatives for her stance against same-sex marriage. Desjarlais' incumbency, like any other, is a double-edged sword. If her constituents are pleased with their treatment from Ottawa, they may not see much reason for change. But if they're not, voters will take a closer look at the MP's opponents. One of the biggest assets of the Liberal nominee, Norway House Chief Ron Evans, is his membership in what polls show is still the party of choice for the largest segment of the nation's voters. See 'Liberals' P.# Con't from P.# "In order to help the constituents to really make any considerable changes or improvements, you need to be with the governing party," Chief Evans told The Reminder, a line he will surely repeat while out on the campaign trail. But Chief Evans has more going for him than being a Liberal. In a constituency with a significant aboriginal population, he will be seen by many native voters as a candidate who understands firsthand the issues facing First Nations communities. Chief Evans' platform includes issues such as insufficient housing, both on and off reservations, and time-tested voter concerns like education, health care, and economic development. The Liberals lost the Churchill Constituency by nearly 13 percentage points in 2000. With an optimistic outlook, Chief Evans will work hard to bridge the gap that existed between first place and runner-up. The last of the candidates to be named, Conservative Bill Archer, is also looking to put the 2000 election behind him. In his second run at office (he lost the Thompson MLA race last year), the Thompson criminal defense lawyer believes Canadians want to go in a different direction after more than a decade of Liberal governance. Archer emphasizes his desire for economic growth and a "strong voice" in Ottawa as reasons northerners should mark his name off on their ballots. Like Chief Evans, Archer too believes that the constituency needs an MP belonging to the governing party or at least the Official Opposition, neither of which the New Democrats are likely to become this election. Also helping Archer's campaign will be former Liberal voters who feel alienated by the party over events like the sponsorship scandal. And with the new Conservative Party seen by many as a good middle-of-the-road option, a number of moderates are likely to turn to Archer. Archer will naturally benefit from the federal merger of Canada's two right-wing parties, but going by the results from the last election, that won't guarantee him higher than a third place finish.
