Recently, paNOW reporter Alex Soloducha had a chance to sit down and get to know the federal election candidates running in the Prince Albert riding a little better.
Here is the first video, 5 Minutes with New Democratic Party’s Lon Borgerson.
Q: What’s your favourite part of living in Prince Albert?
A: I have to say because of my background in education and drama and theatre, it would probably be the arts community. We have a really strong visual arts community. A lot of artists that work here in Prince Albert, as well as a lot of local musicians. I would think the rich arts community that we have is my probably my favourite part of living here.
Q: Do you have a funny Campaign story?
A: I knock on the door and a woman came down to the door and I said, ‘I’m Lon Borgerson, I’m the federal NDP candidate.’
She said, ‘Oh yeah, NDP. I can tell,’ because I had a button.
She was so positive, I said, ‘You interested in helping out and volunteering?’
‘Sure.’
I said, ‘How about now? You want to go door knocking?’
‘OK. I just have to brush my teeth.’
Q: How do you feel about seeing your face on signs?
A: I just said an hour ago to somebody, we were picking up signs and I said, ‘I have to apologize. I tried to get somebody else’s picture on there rather than mine,’ I thought it’d be great, you know, Lon Borgerson, but to have somebody else’s picture there. I’m not comfortable with it.
Q: What’s one thing people should know about you?
A: My dad always used to say, ‘A job worth doing is worth doing well.’ I’m a hard worker, and I don’t do things halfway. I want to do my work well. So whether that’s as a teacher or an MP, that’s how I approach my work.
Q: What is the most important topic this election?
A: Democracy. From the use by the Harper government of the omnibus bills, closure of debate, what we’re calling the unfair elections act, to the senate scandals. As a young 21-year-old said to me, he came up and asked, ‘Are you the candidate?’
I said, ‘Yup.’
He said I want to be involved, I said, ‘why?’
He said, ‘Because, this isn’t the country I was raised to believe in.’
I think people are nervous about where we’ve been going…and I forgot Bill C-51. I think democracy is the biggest issue.
Q: When and why did you get into politics?
A: I loved teaching so much. I loved my work as an educator. Things just kind of unfolded in a strange way. We ended up getting involved in the Saskatchewan Rivers provincial constituency and the next thing you know, people were asking me if I would run provincially. I had to jar myself away from the classroom, and we won that election. I became an MLA in 2003. There’s a long story to that but that’s when I first became active, so not that long ago actually. I’m fairly new to this.
Q: What’s something you know now that you wish you knew earlier?
A: Politics sometimes can be tough and we’ve always approached our political work in a very positive way. But I have seen enough of politics to know how it can grind people down. You know, I’ve had tough days as well, and maybe more tough days that I would have thought. Fortunately those tough days are few and the good days are many.
Q: Thoughts on Jack Layton?
A: I was an MLA when Jack ran for the leadership of the federal NDP. There were a number of candidates and I didn’t rush to him, nor did my closest friends. We all listened to all the candidates and in the end we all unanimously supported Jack Layton. I met Jack Layton in the course of that campaign and he was a wonderful leader and we were all heartbroken, we were torn apart, when we lost him, but he still inspires me. On August 22nd, that’s the anniversary of the passing of Jack Layton, so we’ll be thinking of him on August 22nd. He was a huge inspiration.
5 Minutes with Green Party’s Byron Tenkink
5 Minutes with Liberal Party’s Gordon Kirkby
5 Minutes with Conservative Party’s Randy Hoback
Videography by Khang Nguyen.
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On Twitter: @princealbertnow
