Manitoba Member of Legislature Assembly for the electoral district of Portage la Prairie Ian Wishart wants the government to be as impactful as possible as we roll into 2022.

Wishart says that it’s been a challenging 2021, especially with the pandemic hitting the community in various waves. He says, despite the challenges, people have been really smart about cooperating and minimizing the impact of COVID whenever possible.

“There's always detractors and people of different opinions that think that something could be done better,” notes Wishart. "There's no question that hindsight is 20-20, but we're trying to make the right decisions following the advice of our health officers in the province and working constructively across the government to try and be as effective as possible.”

He adds, while it is a struggle, he believes they’re seeing some success. Wishart notes some people have been criticizing the public health orders, but wants to make it clear that the current predicament requires everyone to work together.

“My response has always been, 'You do have rights, but you also have responsibilities as a Manitoban' ,” says Wishart, "particularly during times of public health emergencies. So, it’s important to hold your end of that as well.”

He says one giant step forward the province has made has been bringing in the new premier Heather Stefanson. He believes Manitobans were looking for a change, and that Stefanson was the right person for the job. 

“She's not the kind of person that has to be in front of the camera every day,” explains Wishart. “But, she’s the one that gets the job done.”

While Wishart wouldn’t call 2021 a good year by any stretch, he does believe that it couldn’ve definitely been worse compared to what we had.

“The work in essential services is something that we need to remember,” explains Wishart, "because they've been going out every day and doing what needs to be done, so that the rest of us can enjoy a good life.” 

Wishart’s excited to move into 2022 and do what he can for the safety and success of Portage la Prairie.