With a provincial election less than three weeks away, candidate nominations are finalized for the constituencies and Morden-Winkler will see three names on the ballot. Winnipeg's Mattison Froese the Liberal Party candidate, Morden's Ken Friesen for the New Democratic Party, and Winkler's Carrie Hiebert the Progressive Conservative Candidate.  

Hiebert's background gives her many reasons to want to serve. 

"I am a mom, a wife, and a small business owner. I've done a lot of different things in the community. I've worked in the palliative care program at Boundary Trails, I've worked with both federal and provincial politics with Candice (Bergen) and Cameron (Friesen) both, and I've got a lot of experience with government processes and procedures. I've always worked behind the scenes. Also, I'm very involved in the community. I've been involved in many different ways over the last 20 years. I've raised my family here. This is my home. This is where my heart is." 

She explained why she is running to be the next MLA for Morden-Winkler. 

"I really want to take the gifts and the experience I have, and I want to make a difference in my community, in my home for generations. My kids are grown, and I'm going to have grandkids someday and I just want to make sure that our community just continues to prosper and grow, and I just want to help with that. I want to be positive change. I want to be instrumental, and I want to make a change, to be the change that we need, and not just talk about it. I want to get involved in it. That's my goal." 

Hiebert wants to improve healthcare in the area, noting that a shortage of Heathcare workers is a local, national and global issue. She would like to continue to work to heal the healthcare system right here at home. 

"I think a lot of that would be we could get more education in place here for people who already here in our community. They can get their education and their nursing, or whatever they need, and they'll stay here. I think that's a big part of it. Also, let's step up and let's be a community that says, 'Hey, we're amazing!' to show people how great we are, so that we can attract those doctors and those nurses and those healthcare professionals. I think that's part of the goal here. It's got to be a joint effort around the table with everybody and I can see that happening. I see the future looking brighter all the time in Morden-Winkler." 

There is another issue at the top of Hiebert's priority list.  

"Mental health as well. We need to work on that as well. There's a long waiting list of people waiting to get help in our area, for counselors and therapists and stuff. So, I think that's also something we can work on."  

She will also focus her efforts on growing the business and commerce in the area. 

"We need infrastructure. We need all those things too for the farming industry in our area. There are so many different things for the businesses to grow. We just need to continue to grow that as well. That's important. I think that our area is just so blessed with business and manufacturing and charities and organizations, and we have so much going for us and just to continue to make sure that we are in a healthy position to grow and prosper as a community." 

She recognized affordability as an issue facing many people today.  

"In the province and in the country, things have really gone up in price, groceries, gas. The expense has just really gotten higher, and a lot of families are struggling. We are definitely working on that as a Conservative Party for Manitoba. We've made a lot of tax cuts. We've done some programming for seniors. We've also done some for first home buyers, helping with those situations as well. I know there's a lot of things happening and to put more money in the pocket of families. I think that's the most important thing, and that's definitely happening as well." 

You can find a full list of candidates for all constituencies in Manitoba here. 

Advance voting begins Saturday, September 23rd, and runs through September 30th.  Polls will be open 8am to 8pm Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6pm on Sunday. Election day is October 3rd, and polls will be open 8am to 8pm that day. 

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