About Matt Wiebe
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 got involved in politics as a concerned resident and community organizer in my local neighbourhood. I served on several community boards and with local advocacy groups around issues of literacy, newcomer services and neighbourhood safety. Prior to being elected I worked with Gary Doer as his executive assistant.
What's the highest level of education you've attained?
Master'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 grew up in the Concordia constituency and continue to live here with my wife and children.
What is the biggest challenge facing your constituency, and how would you address it?
The loss of local health care services. Our community lost our Emergency Room; our local diagnostic testing services and the local CancerCare Clinic - all within the last 5 years under the PC government. It’s time to reverse these cuts and bring services back to this growing community by ensuring that health care professionals are recruited, retained and treated with respect
If elected, what will be your first priority?
Re-establishing the relationship with health care workers at Concordia hospital and throughout our province. Only by supporting the incredible work that these healthcare heroes do can we start to rebuild our system and work towards expanding system capacity and reopening the Concordia ER.
Who are your role models in politics, and why?
The late Bill Blaikie was mentor, colleague and a friend. I was always inspired by his ability to bring people together around common issues of social justice and fairness. Bill was always clear in his mission to give voice to the hard working people of NE Winnipeg.
Tell us something about yourself that voters might find surprising.
I was born in the maternity ward at Concordia Hospital and just a few years later the ER there saved my life. When I was 3 years old I severed a main artery on a broken window, and without the ER I would not have survived. I still have a 3 inch scar on my wrist that reminds me every day of the importance of local healthcare services.