Manitoba Election

Donnie Benham - Fort Whyte 2012 By-Election

Why did you decide to run in the 2012 Manitoba by-election?

I want to be the voice for the people of Fort Whyte. I will provide the real opposition voice that this province needs. The Green Party and I are ready to bring Manitoba into the 21st century.

What experience will you bring to compliment your role as MLA?

I've spent the majority of my career ensuring the safety of persons and property. I understand the basic desire for protection, and I now feel I need to carry that beyond home and work. I will start by protecting our resources and our environment. I think the NDP has been lax in its efforts to protect that which is most precious to us, our backyards, our pocketbooks. They are happy to throw our money at their problems, but continue to deliver little in the way of real social progress. We are ready to change things.

Is there anything in particular you would like to change in our province? In your electoral division?

There are a multitude of changes the Green Party would like to make to this province, which can be viewed at greenparty.mb.ca. The first thing I would start with is my Honesty in Politics act. The pledge I made to the voters, and which was refused by Mr. Pallister, was to promise to serve my full term, in order to avoid another costly, unnecessary by-election. If I resigned before my term, as Mr. McFadyen and Mr. Pallister and another 10 MLAs have done in the last 15 years, I would agree to give back the government contributions to my pension. I would hope that this would inspire a spirit of loyalty to the voters, and ensure that civic duties aren't taken so lightly.

What values or ideals will you adhere to if elected?

The Greens are ready to provide the real alternative for Manitobans. We want our government to be addressing the real concerns of our people. Instead of making token progress, like extending Sunday hours, the Greens would be passing legislation that protected our forests, our rivers and lakes, our invaluable assets which we hold dear. We would be making investments in society with programs like guaranteed annual income and addressing the root causes of homelessness and poverty. We want to make our tax dollars go farther and keep Manitoba moneyin Manitoba. We would start by ensuring a "made in Manitoba" buying policy for the government and ask our businesses to do the same.

What do you enjoy most about the Fort Whyte electoral division?

What makes the Fort Whyte area great is the residents' connection to Nature. They have a pristine wilderness environment right in their own backyards. In Fort Whyte Alive our populace can learn about and interact with Nature in meaningful ways. This is something I wish to provide all Manitobans, a rich and beautiful province with a thriving ecology and non-exploitive resource handling.

Do you have any other comments regarding your candidacy?

I want everyone to get out the vote. If you're someone who takes politics seriously you have to know it isn't enough just to go vote on your own anymore. In a time when voter turnout is at its lowest, we all have to try a little harder in order to make democracy work and get everyone involved. This September 4th, and in any election hereafter, don't just go vote by yourself. Take a friend, take a few, make it a group thing, convince them they should execute their rights. Do whatever it takes to get more voices heard.

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