THUNDER BAY – Health care is by far the biggest issue facing residents of Northwestern Ontario, says the Trillium Party of Ontario's inaugural candidate in Thunder Bay-Superior North.
Louise Ewen says the answer lies partially in ridding the system of much of its red tape. Only then can money be properly directed to properly taking care of people’s health-care needs.
“It is obvious from the Auditor General’s report that the Local Health Integration Networks are a huge issue in not addressing the health-care issues for all our communities, especially in the north. So I think we need to review that and see where we can get the bureaucracy out and get front-line workers in,” the 56-year-old mother-of-three said.
Founded in 2014, the Trillium Party of Ontario offers a right-wing, conservative alternative for voters that promises to give the government back to the people.
Ewen said it’s that philosophy that drew her to the party and convinced her to throw her name into ring for the June 7 provincial election.
“We will always fight for individual rights and freedoms,” Ewen said. “We will not vote a party line. We believe that every constituent’s voice counts and that everyone in the community needs to have an opportunity for their voice to be heard in Parliament.
“We need to ensure that we vote their voice, not the party line. That’s where I think we’re a huge difference.”
Other parties may say it, but they don’t actually follow through, she added.
“Usually (politicians) have two choices. They can stay away from Parliament and not vote, which means they are whipped by their party – which means they have to vote what the party tells them. Our leader, Bob Yaciuk, said he will never whip a member, at all.”
Ewen said the Trillium Party’s values of democracy, integrity, law and transparency were the reasons that convinced her to run.
A small business owner at heart who went back to school to become a teacher, Ewen said she loves working with the community and find opportunities to help others, be it an individual, an organization or a business.
“I would really like to see more small businesses supported in our communities, to give them the opportunity to prosper and provide full-time jobs,” she said.
Other issues the party will fight for include the elimination of the carbon tax, safe, affordable day care and the end of the Green Energy Act.
