About Tammy Ivanco
When were you born?
Between 1966 and 1980 (Generation X)
Tell our readers a bit about your professional life. What do you do for a living? If you're an incumbent candidate, what did you do before you entered politics?
I am a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Manitoba. I moved to Manitoba to take up this position, and teach courses in Psychology and Neuroscience. The other parts of my position have included research and service to the University and broader community.
In my lab, my students and I investigate how the brain learns and remembers information, and we have also looked at models of Autism, Mental Retardation Syndromes, concussion, and other challenges faced by the brain. I've been active in reviewing grants, mentoring new faculty, and other university committees.
What's the highest level of education you've attained?
Earned doctorate (PhD)
How long have you lived in the constituency? If you don't currently live there, what led you to run there instead of where you live?
I moved to the RM of Springfield in 2008 and am running as the NDP candidate in Springfield-Ritchot, which includes most of Springfield to the east of the city and the RM of Ritchot to the south.
I have a small farm property and I have had sheep, pigs, chickens, and turkeys, but the fields are now home to my neighbour's cows and I hope to transition my fields to flax that is used for linen.
I am running in this constituency because I feel like I am similar to many residents and have faced many of the same challenges and hurdles around having farm property, being a commuter into the city, and slowly seeing the advance of time as I age.
What is the biggest challenge facing your constituency, and how would you address it?
When I have been talking to people at the doors, the biggest challenge is health care - and health care broadly speaking. The community speaks to the need for options for aging in place and seeing their loved ones close to home, or at home, as they age and the need for access to services close to home.
The MB NDP will be supporting these RMs by hiring more doctors and nurses and treating our seniors better. We will increase direct hours of care for seniors in personal care homes and build more PCH beds. We will reduce ambulance wait times and improve access to needed surgery and diagnostics.
If elected, what will be your first priority?
If elected, my first priority will be to thank everyone that voted for me by working hard to improve health care in Manitoba with my MB NDP team.
Who are your role models in politics, and why?
Tommy Douglas, who served as leader between 1961 and 1971. Douglas' role in championing a universal health care program in Saskatchewan was instrumental for what we currently have in Canada. Douglas' telling of the story "Mouseland" is summary of grassroots change in the political system, and I encourage everyone to search it out. This story helped me understand politics, and what could be done by the right 'mice' when they have had enough. and may be part of why I ran too.
Jack Layton who was a federal NDP leader and who was the leader behind the Orange Wave and spoke out on "Hope over fear" to move forward. He indicated that there are not always perfect conditions, but we should still try.
Tell us something about yourself that voters might find surprising.
After getting sheep, I decided that I would learn to spin yarn. Although I don't have sheep any more, on some quiet days, you might catch me spinning sheep fleece into yarn on one of my spinning wheels.