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Jonathon Naylor Editor Clarence Pettersen is favoured to become Flin Flon's next MLA after handily securing the NDP nomination for the fall election. The long-time Flin Flon teacher will carry the party banner after winning on the first ballot at the Flin Flon NDP Consti-tuency Association's nomination meeting. "I'm humbled but I'm also excited because this is a new chapter in the Flin Flon Constituency," Pettersen told party members gathered in the Elks Hall last Saturday. Pettersen won the three-way race by defeating Tom Lindsey, a union health and safety representative, and Leslie Beck, a college instructor. Results were not released, though Pettersen had at least 51 per cent of the vote on the first ballot in order to win. It could hardly be considered an upset given that Pettersen sold nearly half of the 726 party memberships purchased during the nomination process. See 'Accept...' on pg. 3 Continued from pg. 1 Speaking passionately from the podium, Pettersen accepted the nomination with gratitude, praising his wife Judy and retiring MLA Gerard Jennissen, among others. He also gracefully addressed his two opponents. "You've made me a better representative because you're two quality candidates and brought up a lot of interesting things that we have to work together [on]," Pettersen told Lindsey and Beck. Pettersen vowed to bring dedication to the role of nominee. "I'm a different type of person. I'm very passionate about anything I do...and I'm going to bring this to this job," he said. Pettersen said the people of the riding "deserve a little bit bigger chunk of the pie, and we'll work together in regards to that." He instantly becomes the heavy favourite to succeed Jennissen, as the Flin Flon Constituency has gone NDP since 1969. But Pettersen does not appear to be taking anything for granted. "The election is in October. I'm really counting on everybody here, for your support," he told the party faithful. Platform Prior to his acceptance address, Pettersen outlined his multi-pronged platform in a gung ho nomination speech. He stressed his belief in the future of the riding and the need for its communities to work together as one in telling the province that "we deserve more." Pettersen zeroed in on health care as a concern, saying Flin Flon needs more doctors and additional health services such as a CT scanner. "We can't be happy the way things are. We need more. We need more services," he said. If health care is familiar territory for politicians, so too was another of Pettersen's suggestions: more seniors housing for the community. "We should have more seniors housing here, whether it's uptown or downtown, we can decide that, but we need to keep our seniors here," he said. Pettersen then identified a need for more recreational opportunities, mentioning the proposed development of Queen's Park and the need for a new swimming pool. "Let's not just think about a pool for Flin Flon. Let's think about a pool for Flin Flon, Creighton, Cranberry [Portage]," he said. "Let's work together here and build a facility we're all proud of and we can all use." Of course the city of Flin Flon is not the only community within the riding. With this in mind, Pettersen spoke on the emotional issue of First Nations communities. "It's Third World conditions in some of these reserves," he said. "It's nothing any one of us should be proud of. "It's embarrassing for me to live in this great town and drive 100 miles and see the conditions they're living in. It's not fair. It's not right." Conditions Pettersen pledged to work with Chiefs to help bring better living conditions as well as hope onto reserves, though he acknowledged things cannot change overnight. He further touched on his perceived need for more mining incentives and for extra residential lots in Flin Flon, Cranberry Portage and Snow Lake. Few close to Pettersen could have been surprised he decided to seek the nomination. It is something he has had in mind for the past 20 years, though he wanted to wait until his daughters graduated from high school. He hailed the NDP as "a party of the people." "We're a party of the youth, we're a party of the women, we're a party of the union workers, we're a party of the business leaders," he said. "I mean, we're a party of everybody and that's what's drawn me to the NDP." In lauding Jennissen, who has represented Flin Flon in the legislature since 1995, Pettersen spoke with admiration. "I've lived here all my life and I'll tell you, go around and ask seniors or youth about Gerard," he said. "You fought for everyone, Gerard, and I hope I can do half the job that you've done in this constituency." The provincial election will be held Oct. 4. Public opinion polls suggest that after three majority terms, the NDP may be in trouble from a surging Progressive Conservative Party.9/3/11
