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.
Jonathon Naylor Editor Clarence Petter-sen is not about to rest on 40-plus years of NDP dominance as he aims to represent the Flin Flon constituency in the Manitoba legislature. "I've got to treat this campaign like I'm two votes behind, and that's what I'm doing," he said. With that mindset, Pettersen hosted a major campaign fundraiser last Saturday, Sept. 10 at the R.H. Channing Auditorium. Organizers said over 100 supporters turned out for an evening of live music and political discussion entitled "With A Little Help From My Friends." 'Going forward' Before the music started, Pettersen took time for an interview in which he declared the 2011 election is "about going forward." "It's about taking the things that we're good at, which is helping people, working for people, and making them even better," he said. "It's taking, for instance, our health care. We know we have to work and make it even better. And I think we're the only party that will do that." While the Flin Flon constituency covers a vast swath of northern Manitoba, it is its namesake community where much of the attention is focused. A retired teacher who has spent almost his whole life in the community, Pettersen said Flin Flon must shed its label as a short-term "frontier" town. See 'Flin...' on pg. 7 Continued from pg. 1 "Flin Flon's got to state that we are open for business," he said. "We have one of the highest per-capita incomes in Manitoba. At the (Sport and Leisure) show, (one retailer) sold 17 boats there last year. What I'm saying is, why doesn't he have an outlet here? Why don't we have a GM dealership? Why don't we have a lot of things? But you know what, we've got to say we're open for business." Pettersen further sees a need to take advantage of being on the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border. "We've got to work with Saskatchewan, we've got to work with Creighton because our health care is their health care and if we're not happy with it, I know they're not," he said. "And we've got to work together, get the services that we deserve in the North here in Flin Flon." Asked to respond to criticism that Flin Flon has not received its fair share from the provincial government, Pettersen said "the past is the past." "I think we've done well. Can we do better? Darn rights we can, and that's my job," he said. "My job is to get in there and fight for what I believe Flin Flon and area (needs)." Pettersen spoke of challenges elsewhere in the riding, including First Nations communities. Although reserves are in federal, not provincial, jurisdiction, he said he would not let that stop him from working to improve the lives of aboriginal people. 'Best in the world' "We're all Canadians. There's no way that Canadians should be living in Third World conditions," he said. "So anybody that's in a bad state, I don't care who they are, where they are, federal (or) provincial (jurisdictions), I'm going to fight for them because, like I say, we're all Canadians. We deserve to have the best. We're in the best country in the world." Among the supporters present at Saturday's fundraiser were former Flin Flon MLA Jerry Storie and current MLA Gerard Jennissen, who together have represented the constituency for the past 30 years. Calling Jennissen his "mentor," Pettersen said he would work as hard for the riding as the retiring MLA has during his 16 years in office. Pettersen several times criticized the Progressive Conservatives and their leader, Hugh McFadyen. He said McFadyen would do nothing for the North, chiding him for pledging to pave back alleys in Winnipeg while northern roads still need work. Contrasting NDP leader Greg Selinger with McFadyen, Pettersen opined that "Greg is twice the leader." Still, whether Selinger outshines McFadyen on leadership, the fact remains that the NDP have been in power for 12 years Ð a long shelf life for any political party. Pettersen agreed people see a need for change, but that does not have to mean switching governing parties. "We've got to be innovative," he said of his party. At the doorstep this campaign season, Pettersen said he has been favourably received by voters. 'Third World conditions' "You know what, I thought there would be more, I guess, reaction on maybe health care, but the reaction's been really good and really supportive," he said. "When I talk to (people), I think they know I'm going to fight for their issues. I've got my health care issues. I mean, my mom died just after Christmas. But you know what, she had a great stay in the hospital Ð great nurses, great doctors. But there are things that have got to change, whether it's just the structure of the hospital. We've got to bring teamwork to the hospital. We've got to have doctors that want to be here. We've got to change the attitude and get people that want to be here." Pettersen, who had contemplated a run at the MLA's job for more than a quarter century, was drawn to the NDP in part by what he calls their sense of fairness. "We're not about the rich, we're not about the poor. We're not about black people, white people Ð we're about everybody," he said.
