The Alberta Liberal Party candidate for Lethbridge-East wants to give voters an option other than the two major parties. Helen McMenamin says she is focused on healthcare, specifically mental health.
“I know we have had some expansion at the hospital and a few more doctors in town than there were but the services for people in need of healthcare are really poor,” she says, adding more funding for mental healthcare, specifically for children, is needed.
McMenamin says more and better jobs are needed to address affordability issues, as well as housing.
“We need some decent housing for people and obviously we need housing first for people who are unhoused, but we also need housing that doesn’t cost a whole salary and I think a lot of rents are that high,” she says. “We could go back to building some housing — that would also make for more jobs and we could make some land available but insist on having a certain quality of housing and facilitate communities.”
When it comes to mental health and addictions, McMenamin says she believes recovery on its own is not enough.
“I think it needs support at all levels, not simply treatment and not simply safe use sites — I think we need every level of support for people who are unhoused and for people who are using or selling drugs. I know some people get into selling drugs because of a lack of alternatives and we just have to discuss it with experts and people involved. We have to talk to everybody and hear what we can do and how to help,” she says, adding the government can look to other areas and jurisdictions to see what works to fix problems.
Provincial election day is on May 29 and advanced voting begins on May 23.
Read about more local candidates here:
Lethbridge-East NDP candidate focusing on how policy affects individuals
Lethbridge-West UCP candidate focused on healthcare, economy
Phillips focusing on healthcare, economy, and leadership
Neudorf focusing on affordability, jobs and healthcare
Alberta Liberal candidate for Lethbridge-West hopes to see new voices in government