Former NDP MP Georgina Jolibois doesn't know why voter participation was so low. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

federal election

Jolibois has ‘great concerns’ for new MP elected in northern riding

Oct 22, 2019 | 2:12 PM

With all of Saskatchewan represented by Conservative MPs, Georgina Jolibois is concerned the new representative for Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River riding won’t be there when constituents need him most.

“I have great concerns with the approach he has. [It] suggests to me if there is a critical issue such as housing, medical maternal health care closing or a critical issue of suicide, losing employment and other things, his approach is ‘First I have to study it and then I will give you my answer,’” Jolibois said. “In circumstances when a community is experiencing hardships, they need support and they need all the help they can get. For me to have heard that from the now new MP, I have great concerns about that.”

Jolibois, who served in the House of Commons in Ottawa as an MP since 2015, lost her seat Monday to Conservative Gary Vidal. With 171 of 173 polls reporting at the time of publishing, Vidal had 10,816 votes followed by Jolibois with 7,504 and the Liberal’s Tammy Cook-Searson with 6,899. The Green’s Sarah Kraynick finished with 500 votes and People’s Party of Canada candidate Jerome Perrault came in last with 205.

Voter turnout in the Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River riding was the lowest in Saskatchewan with only 56 per cent of 45,977 constituents making it to a polling station. Across the province, 72 per cent of eligible voters did so, which beat the national average of 66 per cent. Jolibois couldn’t answer why more NDP supporters didn’t show up to vote.

“Throughout my campaign and throughout my time as a MP, I often spoke to residents about the importance of participating in political levels when there is an election,” she said. “With the participation comes the voice and the strong support on critical issues facing people who are really struggling in northern Saskatchewan.”

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With her time in Ottawa now over, Jolibois did want to congratulate Vidal for his successful campaign to be the new MP for the riding. She also wants people to know she worked hard to represent them during the last four years and called the opportunity to do so an honour.

As for what the future holds for Jolibois, she’s looking forward to what her journey in life has to bring.

“I’m actually thinking about that this morning and, for the first time in my life, I have the freedom to think about what will I do next,” she said. “I have the time now to reflect on the next step. I got into public life because I wanted to help people, and it’s a great service to do because people need help.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno