REGINA - For the upcoming federal election, a new candidate has entered their name in the Regina-Lewvan riding for the Liberals, Mac Hird.
Hird said what drew him into running for the federal seat was the weakness in the economy that U.S. President Donald Trump exposed.
"We are over-reliant on American exports," he said.
Hird mentioned his biggest focus would be value-added manufacturing in Sask.
"Having a higher value margin of goods [means] you can target other international markets besides the U.S," he said.
Hird was asked about the present issues happening in Regina, including the homelessness crisis declared in the city weeks ago.
He referenced to build more housing, which mentioned building 4 million homes over the next few years.
has previously forecasted an average of housing units needed per year between 2021-2051, which is 1,893.
Carney’s plan also outlines expanding access to affordable housing via the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to accelerate the creation and protection of affordable housing.
"It's something that we need to tackle; it’s been a long issue," said Hird.
While the plan outlines creating affordable homes, it doesn’t specify how many.
Hird said this is dependent on the province and region.
During his campaign, one clear message he heard from residents was that Regina had a voice in all decisions made by the federal government.
"Regina remembers what it was like to have Ralph Goodale advocating on their behalf."
Goodale represented the Liberal Party in the Regina-Wascana riding from 1993 to 2019. He was defeated by Conservative candidate Michael Kram in the 2019 federal election.
Hird mentioned hearing from NDP and conservative voters that they were interested in supporting him and Carney.
"Folks feel like Carney has the style of leadership that we need at this moment."
With the Liberals in power for around a decade now, frustrations with the party.
Hird mentioned Carney's appointment is like replacing a team's coach, which can change the performance of an entire team.
Despite Sask. 小蓝视频 a more conservative province, Hird is optimistic about his chances.
Hird will go up against Conservative candidate Warren Steinley, who has been in the seat since 2019. Other candidates include Ray Aldinger (NDP), Michael Wright (Green Party of Canada), and Godwin Ezizor (People’s Party of Canada).
