On Wednesday, the Manitoba Progressive Conservative Party announced the candidate that will run in Dauphin in the next Provincial election - Kayla Gillis.
CKDM NewsNow had the chance to speak with Gillis, who said she'll do her best to make sure the Parkland's recent struggles are addressed on the provincial stage.
"We've recently just gone through an incredibly difficult period with flooding and disruption to our healthcare services, so I'm gonna make sure Dauphin and the entire Parkland don't get forgotten," said Gillis.
In attending the PC Caucus' Public Engagement Event at Credit Union Place last Friday, Gillis was able to speak with a number of Parkland residents about their concerns. The Dauphin Regional Health Centre is the top one for many residents, but many also had affordability concerns.
"There's families, there's seniors, farms, small businesses, large businesses, people are all feeling that pressure, higher costs, so I want to bring a practical and rural perspective to a lot of those conversations," said Gillis.
When the PC Caucus was in Dauphin last week, one of their main concerns around the DRHC's closure was the lack of communication from the start of the process, and no long-term plans. Gillis said in the role of PC candidate, she'll be transparent.
"I can't promise that I will have every answer obviously, but I can promise that I will listen and I will ask questions, and I'll make sure that I work hard to get those answers for everyone," said Gillis.
Gillis said her professional experience, as the RBC Branch Manager in Dauphin and former agribusiness roles, and her community experience, notably more than 15 years involved with Canada's National Ukrainian Festival, will give her lots of insight on how to approach her new role.
"It's gonna be no different in going to the PC candidacy, I'm gonna take all that experience that I've gained within my volunteer experience and my professional career, and bring that forward to the table," said Gillis.
In the previous Manitoba Provincial Election, Ron Kostyshyn, current Dauphin NDP MLA, won by 323 votes - a margin of 3.2%. The next election will be no later than October of 2027.
