Donovan DeBattista

About Donovan DeBattista

When were you born?

Between 1981 and 1996 (Millennial)

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 have worked for the Province the past 11 years, as a Correctional Officer. Providing safety and security for the community with my fellow Officers, is something that I take pride in doing. Correctional Officers put their safety at risk every day, and knowing that I count myself amongst those individuals, I cannot be anything but proud.

What's the highest level of education you've attained?

Bachelor's degree

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 Glenelm neighborhood in 2021, and I haven't regretted it. The community is active, and inviting. It's also a big dog community, which is great for me, as I'm usually found walking my dog in the neighborhood.

What is the biggest challenge facing your constituency, and how would you address it?

I don't know which constituency isn't looking at healthcare as an issue. When people are forced to look to other jurisdictions for knee and hip replacements, you know the system is failing. I've certainly faced some serious issues in the past year, and I don't think it's any easier for others.

By targeting programs to keep doctors and nurses in the province, we can improve the system overall. If every Manitoban has a family doctor, then we can reduce the stress on the ones we already have, reducing the wait times to see your physician. A doctor for every Manitoban would also reduce wait times in the ER.

Consulting with frontline employees on how to improve the system is something I absolutely agree with, and is needed. These are the people who provide these services. They know what works and what doesn't. Promising tax cuts is not going to fix this, or any other issue. We know that more tax breaks and cuts, means your services will be cut to compensate.

If elected, what will be your first priority?

To represent the people of Elmwood to the best of my abilities. To listen to their concerns, and help where I can. I've spoken to a multitude of people while out campaigning, and the one thing they all agree on is that the state of our healthcare system is at an all time low.

Who are your role models in politics, and why?

Dougald Lamont is someone I hope to emulate, if elected. He has fought hard for the people of Manitoba, and would be one of the finest Premiers this province has had. I would not run in a party lead by someone I did not believe in, and that is why I chose to be a candidate with the Manitoba Liberal party.

Jack Layton. I was never fortunate to have met the man, but I have heard many stories about him. Very approachable, and always willing to talk, no matter where he was. He was also a politician that genuinely cared about Canadians, and I can honestly say that I believed that about him. I believe that if Mr. Layton was running in this election, he would do so as a Manitoba Liberal, as Manitoba NDP policies and platform no longer align with what he stood for.

I guess you could also say Jean Chretien. There was a Prime Minister who had no need for his own security detail.

Tell us something about yourself that voters might find surprising.

I was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease in January of 2014. What a way to ring in the new year. My kidneys had little to no function left, and I was put on dialysis right away. Since then, I've had two transplants. The first failed immediately, and the second took to some degree, but not what was expected. That transplant was removed this year. I also happen to be highly sensitized (lots of antibodies), meaning it's extremely hard to find a matching donor for me.

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