FORT FRANCES – New Democrats in Kenora-Rainy River have chosen educator JoAnne Formanek Gustafson to be their NDP candidate in the 2022 election.
JoAnne Formanek Gustafson, NDP candidate for Kenora-Rainy River states, “As an educator I know that our communities need investment in our schools and our children. During the pandemic, I saw that the Ford Conservatives refused to invest in keeping our kids and staff safe. And we know the Del Duca Liberals are not the answer. They closed schools across the province. Our communities deserve so much better than that. I am committed to making sure that Kenora-Rainy River gets the investments needed for schools, hospitals, and affordable housing. It’s time to make life more affordable for families who are paying record high prices in the Northwest. Together with the NDP, we will cover the costs of dental care, mental health care, and medications. Together we can fix what’s broken, and we can invest in what matters most.”
Judith Monteith-Farrell, NDP MPP for Thunder Bay-Atikokan says, “JoAnne is exactly who we need on our NDP team. As an educator, she has fought for funding and support for our public schools after four years of cuts under the Ford Conservatives. With JoAnne on our team we’ll help make life more affordable by regulating the price of gas, and we’ll take action on our doctor shortage. The Liberals and Conservatives left our hospitals in the Northwest at risk of closing their emergency rooms because of a shortage of doctors and nurses. Together with JoAnne, we can invest in hiring doctors and nurses and start fixing what the Liberals and Conservatives broke.”
Bio
* JoAnne has worked in a variety of educational roles including educational assistant, college instructor, and currently works as an elementary school educator.
* JoAnne was Vice President, ETFO Rainy River Occasional Teacher Local (2016 – 2020).
* JoAnne is an anti-racism advocate who encourages people to adopt practices that support and empower people who experience oppression.
* JoAnne volunteered with the Fort Frances Badminton Club; Fort Frances Youth Soccer (referee, volunteer coach); Cyclone Swim Club, Chem-Free Grad; led workshops about Ojibwe language at the Fort Frances Public Library & Technology Centre (2016); created an “Orange Shirt Day” event at Fort Frances Public Library & Technology Centre (2017), volunteered with Borderland Pride in 2019 / 2020.
* JoAnne is a member of Couchiching First Nation, the community where her mother’s family comes from.
* JoAnne grew up in Fort Frances and raised her family in the town.
