Liberals Nominate Cecilia Melanson
With the writ to be dropped sometime in the next week to hold an October 21st election the top five Parties have now selected their candidates.
On Saturday morning the Liberal Party of Canada selected Cecilia Melanson from Deer Valley as their candidate for the Moose Jaw – Lake Centre – Lanigan riding. The nomination was uncontested.
Originally from Quito, Ecuador Melanson said she came from very humble beginnings in a childhood where she may eat one day and then not eat the next. Canada was a land of opportunity.
She had three siblings – two sisters and a brother.
Arriving in Canada as an immigrant in 2004 Melanson said “I was looking for a better home where I could have a better life…to live a life without fear.”
As a child she said she thought about “what can I do ro help my family. I came from a very poor family,” Melanson said with emotion in her voice.
As an eight year old child Melanson spoke about going out and selling eggs where she would see airplanes and she wondered if the planes were full and where the passengers were headed to. It got her dreaming of a better life.
“I made it through university earning a college degree and winning art competitions and graduating from the best university.”
Her degree and determination led her to Canada in 2004 arriving unable to speak English, alone without friends. Her education had earned her an opportunity for a better life.
Melanson said she was working hard just earning enough to survive and not interested in politics until former Prime Minister “Stephen Harper shutting down Parliament not once but twice in a 13 month period got me interested.”
“I want to pay it forward to Canada in Canada…I will try to make sure the next generation of Canadians will be happy…I want to work finding continuous solutions to make life better for all.”
“I care a lot about our community and the issues we face. Together we will build a better community, a better place and a better Canada.”
Running a daycare and working with children has been an eye opener for Melanson.
“Working with children has been the most rewarding thing in my life.”
Asked by MJ Independent about the proposed $700 million natural gas electrical generation for Moose Jaw and how the federal Carbon Tax threatens the project Melanson said she was not familiar enough with the project to formulate a policy.
“I want to take my time to be aware of everything in my riding….I want to speak with people and hear their input before I give a response.”
Melanson said she will be active in the campaign going out and listening to the concerns of residents to find a consensus and find solutions.
About agriculture she said she wanted to hear farmers' concerns.
“I am not a farmer. My field is something completely different. The best way is to approach them, hear their concerns and come up with a plan.”
Although a non-farmer living in a smaller rural community allows Melanson the opportunity to hear some of the concerns from rural areas although she admits it is limited and wants to hear more.
Regarding the 2015 campaign and former Liberal candidate Perry Juttla's relative low visibility campaign Melanson said she could not comment on it as she was unaware of the entire circumstances around it.
“We do not know the reason why. There may be good reason why….I am planning to go out into as many rural communities as possible…I will be campaigning as much as possible.”
Asked if she was looking forward to visiting rural communities and speaking to voters Melanson said “I can't wait.”
Melanson said she was aware of Canada’s middle class struggle and people living paycheque to paycheque.
She would like to see more dollars put into the hands of patents by increasing payments under the Canada Child Benefit. She would work towards reducing the number of children living below the poverty line.
Melanson said her own poor childhood, where meals were not always regular and having only one change of clothing, and how her life of poverty was eliminated demonstrated it is possible and set an example.
“If I made it without friends and no money anybody can make it.”
According to her biography the environment and Climate Change were two issues needed to be addressed.
Companies which manufacture plastic products or packaging would be responsible for managing the collection and recycling of the products.
She also favours raising awareness of Climate Change yo encourage others take action to support Canada’s goes by investing in funded projects.
Melanson is joined by Conservative candidate Tom Lukiwski. People's Party of Canada candidate Chey Craik, Talon Regent for the NDP and Gillian Walker for the Greens seeking election in the riding.