Bernadette Smith

NDP candidate in the Point Douglas Winnipeg race.

Bernadette can be reached on social media,at [email protected],or by calling 204-219-4682.

Their response to our candidate questionnaire can be read below.

News that mentions this candidate is listed at the bottom of the page.


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Questionnaire Response

Bernadette Smith - Point Douglas

1. Why did you decide to run in the Manitoba election?

I ran to be the MLA for Point Douglas to inspire others who came or found themselves stuck in poverty to aspire to be their best selves. I wanted to be the change we wish to see in the world and I truly believe that we all can make a difference.

2. Why should a voter consider electing you to represent them?

I have worked hard to represent the amazing people of Point Douglas and to bring their voices to the Manitoba Legislature since being elected in 2017. I have stood up and been a voice for the issues that matter most most to people in Point Douglas. I will always remember where I came from and who it is that I am representing, which is families in the incredible community of Point Douglas.

3. What key issue(s) / topic(s) will you stand for in your role as MLA, and why are these important to you?

Manitobans deserve a better health care system that is accessible for all of us, especially in Point Douglas. That means focusing on prevention and listening to front line workers, while re-opening the emergency room at Seven Oaks Hospital.
Social housing has been boarded up and safe, affordable housing is becoming more difficult for those who are struggling. Many seniors are on a fixed income and living in poverty; it’s disheartening to see those who have worked so hard for us suffering financially.
Meth use has fuelled violence and crime in Point Douglas, and we’ve seen crime increase while police are overworked and understaffed. More harm reduction supports are needed, while Brian Pallister’s cuts and inaction has only made the situation worse.
Many children are still being apprehended due to poverty and this is a practice that needs to change. Families need supports in their homes to keep them together.

4. Do you have any other comments regarding your candidacy?

This election is about health care. Time and time again, I’ve heard from families around Point Douglas who want to see a health care system that’s there when they need it, close to home.
For the past three years, Brian Pallister has shuttered ERs, fired nurses and caused chaos in our health care system leaving patients worried and health care workers anxious.
In this election, only a vote for the NDP will re-open the Seven Oaks ER, hire back the nurses that Pallister has fired and build a health care system that listens to front-line workers while focusing on prevention.

News that mentions Bernadette Smith

Showing news articles published after June 1st 2019. Article summaries are selected randomly from the mentioned candidates. Our news gathering process is explained in our FAQ.

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Province to make mental health plan

July 20, 2021

Winnipeg Free Press - ...email. "Many people are going to lose their lives because of the non-action of this government," added NDP critic for mental health and addictions Bernadette Smith, who accused the Progressive Conservative government of stalling. Between January and December 2020, 372 people in Manitoba died from overdose —...

Manitoba builds on mental health services by developing five-year action plan

July 19, 2021

Winnipeg Sun - ...under Medicare. People need rapid access to addictions treatments. Manitobans need treatment now, not another round of bureaucratic reshuffling.” Bernadette Smith, NDP Critic for Mental Health and Addictions also said the Tories are dragging their feet. “(This) announcement is another blow to families who...

SAD ANNIVERSARY: Families of missing and murdered seek answers to what happened

July 17, 2021

Winnipeg Sun - ...case. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content As an NDP MLA, Bernadette Smith has spent years fighting and advocating for missing and murdered Indigenous women and their families, but has also fought her own personal battle,...

Province tabs funds for additional mental health crisis beds, staff

July 16, 2021

Winnipeg Free Press - ...them, helping to free up resources in our emergency departments where individuals in crisis often present themselves." NDP mental health critic Bernadette Smith said the funding will help, but it doesn’t make up for health-care cuts. "We know that the pandemic has dramatically increased the need for...

Two Winnipeg addictions treatment clinics get funding to expand

May 31, 2021

Winnipeg Sun - ...for a combined 246 hours between January and February of this year or about two hours a day at each site. NDP mental health and addictions critic Bernadette Smith said this does not meet the need for immediate and accessible care. “The moment a Manitoban struggling with addictions makes the decision to seek...

Walk-in addiction clinics in Winnipeg strengthened with new funding: province

May 31, 2021

CBC Manitoba - ...and if supports miss that window its more likely a person will fall back into the cycle of addiction," NDP mental health and addictions critic Bernadette Smith said in a statement. Dr. Erin Knight, medical co-lead of the walk-in clinics, said the locations provide Manitobans with same-day care, or in...

Delivered two years ago, overdose advocate group still looking for province to answer petition

May 30, 2021

The Graphic Leader - ...survive until they can get treatment. Many of the overdoses, she said, are due to fentanyl-laced drugs. NDP Critic for Mental Health and Addictions Bernadette Smith wants to see more investment in detox beds but also in long-term treatment beds for upwards of six months. She said treatment is not accessible for...

Delivered two years ago, overdose advocate group still looking for province to answer petition

May 26, 2021

Winnipeg Sun - ...survive until they can get treatment. Many of the overdoses, she said, are due to fentanyl-laced drugs. NDP Critic for Mental Health and Addictions Bernadette Smith wants to see more investment in detox beds but also in long-term treatment beds for upwards of six months. She said treatment is not accessible for...

Time for politicians to tone it down

April 1, 2021

Winnipeg Free Press - ...November, the text was only distributed last week, an intolerable practice by the current government. After the introduction of the bill, NDP MLA Bernadette Smith and Liberal MLA Jon Gerrard pressed Gordon on whether the government had consulted with First Nations about Bill 56. These thoughtful critiques made...

Manitoba Government to End Controversial Practice of Birth Alerts in April

January 31, 2020

ChrisD - ...by the Progressive Conservative government is a step in the right direction but could have happened sooner, said Opposition NDP legislature member Bernadette Smith. Her private member’s bill to end birth alerts, introduced last May, was defeated. She said eradicating the practice has been important to her...

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