About Malaya Marcelino
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?
Before entering politics, I was a stay-at-home mom taking care of our two toddler boys. At the same time, I worked from home as a researcher/writer for an agribusiness firm that developed the first potash mine in Manitoba.
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 have strong connections to my community. I grew up in the Weston community and now live in the West End - one block off of Notre Dame Avenue.
What is the biggest challenge facing your constituency, and how would you address it?
Fixing the healthcare system wrecked by the Pallister-Stefanson PC government is always top of mind and we have a plan to move forward. But community cleanliness and safety are top issues raised by Notre Dame residents.
To respond, we created Notre Dame Powerline (phone/text 204 588 7111) as a grassroots organization that reports and responds to illegal garbage dumping, vandalism, vacant/derelict housing and problem properties.
Fostering a better sense of community safety for everyone is a steady priority. I would like to see more funding for our Community Support Unit of the Winnipeg Police in Notre Dame, for thriving residents’ associations and community centres, and for low/no cost recreation opportunities for all ages.
If elected, what will be your first priority?
My first priorities for our community on October 4 would be to push forward an existing proposal to establish supportive housing for folks from homeless encampments that are housed in our community now with near zero support. The proposal entails on-site support workers, food, access to healthcare/therapy, skills training and work experience. Similar, on-site supports are also needed at MB Housing buildings like 515 Elgin Ave.
On the garbage front, I recently secured $800,000 to clean up Notre Dame but our community is eagerly waiting for the funds to be released. That money will ensure the participation of community groups, dedicated workers from the Downtown Community Safety Partnership’s Clean Slate Program, and a truck and supplies to keep our neighbourhoods clean.
Long term priorities for our Notre Dame community include the creation of an Adult Education Centre with on-site childcare, the creation of a landscaped Greenway linking Weston/Brooklands/West End to Garbage Hill/Polo Park/Omand’s Creek (after removing decommissioned railroad tracks), and a community public awareness campaign/mitigation plan for lead contamination in soil.
Who are your role models in politics, and why?
My political role model is the late Hazel McCallion, long-time Mayor of Mississauga, Ontario. She was a fierce advocate for her city, attracted many companies to set up in the city to provide lots of jobs to residents. Hazel was able to run deficit-free budgets year after year after year.
Tell us something about yourself that voters might find surprising.
I’ve been interested in politics since I was 8 years old. As a kid growing up in Weston, my only reading materials were newspapers. I would keep track of federal cabinet ministers and their portfolios in a little notebook. I told my Tatay (father) back then that I wanted to be the Prime Minister when I grew up and he was pretty astonished. I gave my first speech in the Legislature when I was 10 years old!
P.S. I’m very grateful for now-retired WFP photographer Phil Hossack who went out of his way to send photos to my school of my day speaking at the Legislature because Phil knew my family didn’t have a camera.
Other candidates in constituency:
Andrew Taylor (Communist)
Mufarrah Waheed (Progressive Conservative)
Winston Wuttunee (Liberal)
Micah Dewey (Green)