THUNDER BAY – Yuk-Sem Won says she’s tired of seeing Northwestern Ontario put on the political backburner.
It’s time someone stood up and fought for the region, said the first-time candidate, seeking to return Thunder Bay-Rainy River to the NDP, after the late John Rafferty was ousted by Liberal Don Rusnak in the 2015 federal election.
“The NDP presence is sorely missed,” Won said. “To be able to build on John’s legacy and be the next candidate that has been something that’s been an aspiration for a number of years, through my life of advocacy and really bringing my voice for the people, this is just a natural next step for me.”
A former teacher, labour litigator and college instructor, Won has been in Thunder Bay for the past two decades and is passionate about the region and its culture, saying she’s deeply connected to her Chinese, French and British heritage.
Being the next MP for Thunder Bay-Rainy River means building on the connections she’s made throughout the region since arriving in Northwestern Ontario.
“You can’t just be an MP sitting in an office in Thunder Bay,” she said. “You really have to be out there and be a part of the community and I think that’s my strength. That’s what I offer and that’s what I’ve been doing over the summer and that’s what I want to do over the next four years, to be able to bring forward their issues, be able to be there with the people to really be a part of what’s going on in their realities, the good times and the bad.”
There are plenty of issues that need to be dealt with, most importantly access, Won said, in particular northern Indigenous communities.
“It’s the access to health care, access to education, access to transportation and access to basic human rights that we see are so severe and underfunded and under-represented in what we see in the government today,” she said.
Won said the region sorely needs a bus service to help people in far flung communities travel throughout the region, particularly to access the above-mentioned services in larger centres like Thunder Bay.
She said she also wants to work hard to improve the lives of the area’s Indigenous population, who often live in poverty and third-world conditions.
The NDP have promised to end all boil-water advisories by 2021.
She’s already started building relationships with Indigenous leaders.
“It’s about trust and it’s about continued involvement. With 10 First Nations in the riding, it was important for me to go and meet with chiefs and council and meet with the people, knock on doors and see what their reality is like,” Won said.
“They have so many issues that have been ignored.”
Won is also willing to cross party lines and work with either a Liberal or Conservative government to secure what’s best for Northern Ontario residents.
“It’s about collaboration, being able to put your ego aside and to be able to say what’s best for the people you’re serving. And I think we need more of that in government.”
TBNewswatch.com has profiled all 11 candidates running in Thunder Bay-Rainy River and Thunder Bay-Superior North and will be rolling them out over the course of the next two days. They can be found in our news section, as well as our special Federal Election page, Canada Votes.
