New Democratic Party candidate Rachel Blaney says she will provide a sense of consistency and trust in a changing world for the North Island-Powell River riding.
“Things are changing and they’re going to continue to change, and we need consistency,” she said. “(You) need somebody that you can trust and I believe that’s the person I am.”
Blaney has been the MP for the riding for almost six years, and is running for re-election in the 2021 federal election. She and her family have been in the Campbell River area for almost 24 years, and she has lived on the Island for 28 years. After a career in the non-profit sector focusing on employment and working with newcomers to Canada, Blaney took to politics to make sure the riding’s concerns are heard in Ottawa.
“I just love fighting for people,” she said. “Often our riding isn’t heard, and I want to push really hard to get more resources in our communities to help with different projects and infrastructure to let us take care of each other better. I’m really proud of being able to push things forward.”
Over the last six years, Blaney has worked for many of the people whose voices might not typically make it to the House of Commons. That includes Indigenous people, seniors, people living with disabilities and residents of rural and remote communities.
“I’ve really enjoyed advocating for rural and remote communities and the changes they’ve been experiencing as the economies of the world transform,” she said. “The ministers of Canada, when they see me coming, they know who I am fighting for.
“I fight hard to make sure that those resources are here. I want to continue to do that work, I want to fight for this riding and make sure that we get what we need to be as strong and healthy as possible,” Blaney added.
That being said, Blaney is aware there is still work to be done. Over the last few years, she has heard from “people who are struggling financially.”
“One of the biggest things I hear about is the need for more affordable housing, for more accessible housing for people living with disabilities, for housing that will support seniors,” she said. “I want to continue this work. I believe that when we work collaboratively with people, when we find ways to focus on what we all need collectively that we can work together to make things good in this riding. I want to continue to do that.”
Blaney is well aware that in politics there are differences of opinion. However, she sees that as a strength and prides herself on being able to listen to all sides of an issue and make decisions based on that.
“I’m a fair person, and if I don’t agree with people, I still take time to talk with them, to talk with them through my team and reach out to people,” she said. “We try to make the best decisions on that. I think I’m a trusted voice. I think people know that they can reach out and we’ll always do our best for them.”
“I think people should vote for me because I have a proven track record of reaching out to people, working collaboratively, making sure that resources are coming to our riding,” she added.
Blaney can be found online, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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