Hailey Clark, NDP

Personal details. Name, age, hometown

My name is Hailey Sean Clark. I was born in Terrace, B.C. and spent the first five years of my life in New Aiyansh. In 2000 we moved to Burns Lake, B.C. and in 2002 we moved to Vanguard, where I attended school from Grade 2 to Grade 12 and graduated from Vanguard Community School in 2013.

Tell us about yourself

Growing up in a small town, I spent most of my spare time involved in sports or helping my parents with their volunteer work with the Vanguard Recreation Board, working at the Crystal Cinema, and other organizations within my small town. I worked in Val Marie for my post-secondary summers at the Prairie Wind and Silver Sage Caf and Museum and spent my summers exploring Grasslands National Park. I moved to Regina in the fall of 2013 and attended the University of Regina where I received a certificate in French as a Second Language. I then moved on to work at Roots Canada and eventually the automotive industry. I bought my house in 2016, the same year I ran as the NDP candidate in Swift Current during the provincial election.

What’s a little-known fact about you?

I am an animal lover! I have adopted four cats and three dogs that are all currently living with me. I used to foster for the Regina Cat Rescue but had too much trouble letting them go and wanted to keep them all!

Why should voters hire you?

I like to think that I have a unique perspective as a candidate because I am an every-day person. I am still struggling with repaying student loans, have friends starting their families, work a full-time job, and am looking to make a difference in our community. I do not just hear about the struggles, but have and am facing them myself. I have worked minimum wage jobs within the last four years and fought to pay my bills. I don’t want anyone else to have to make decisions based on income, loan repayment, medical responsibilities, etc.

Who should we call for a reference?

Bob Hale from Swift Current, currently living in Regina, who was my campaign manager during the 2016 provincial election and has become more than a manager but family in the time we worked together.

What is your greatest strength? What is your greatest weakness?

My greatest strengths are perseverance and dedication. My greatest weakness is that I am very hard on myself.

Where do you stand on:

Gun laws? New Democrats have always worked to make sure that our gun laws strike a good balance between public safety and the ability for lawful firearm owners to hunt and shoot recreationally without unnecessary red tape. While the Liberals and Conservatives continue to play politics with firearms legislation and public safety, we’re committed to sensible legislation that will keep communities safe and work for lawful firearms owners.

We have always appreciated the advocacy of law-abiding firearms owners who made the case that the regulations and laws that are adopted should not create an overbearing burden and a cumbersome system on sports shooting, hunting, or other activities that take place in communities across the country. Our approach will always ensure that we balance the needs of lawful gun owners with the need to crack down on illegal gun crimes and gangs in the big cities.

The need for more pipelines? New Democrats have always had the backs of energy workers. They power our communities and they power our economy across the country as well. While we acknowledge the importance of getting our products to market, the climate crisis requires serious and immediate action. Our plan fights the climate crisis while growing our economy and creating new opportunities for our energy workers and communities at the same time. By redirecting billions of dollars we currently spend subsidizing big fossil fuel companies, we’ll create over 300,000 good new green jobs in everything from construction to green energy.

Our priority is in making sure that public money is invested in renewable energy sources (solar, wind, geothermal, tidal), that we’re developing the needed energy infrastructure, and getting Canadians trained up for these good jobs when they come.

New Democrats believe that we can tackle the climate change crisis head on, but that we can do it in a way that economically benefits provinces and regions that currently produce and depend upon revenues from the fossil fuel sector. No community and no worker should be left behind.

Western alienation? Western alienation is real, but it doesn’t have to be. A federal government that cares about the challenges faced by each and every citizen, in each and every region, is what is needed in Ottawa. New Democrats know this, and as a resident of Saskatchewan, I know this too.

Saskatchewan is the birthplace of Canada’s NDP, and our party is a product of western alienation. We know that farmers, resources workers, Indigenous people, and families deserve a stronger voice at the table. The Liberals are the party of the corporate elite. They stand with big pharmaceutical companies, the banks and insurance companies, and their rich friends. The Conservatives talk a good game, but just like the Liberals, when they get in power their only priority is cutting taxes for corporations and the rich.

New Democrats will never forget our roots, and unlike Liberals and Conservatives who only fight for their rich and powerful friends, we’ll never stop fighting for western farmers and everyday families.

China? What should our approach be with some of our markets blocked? China is a global economic superpower that touches nearly every sector of the Canadian economy. China is a very important country for Canada, and deteriorating relations with the Chinese are very concerning. We share strong demographic, cultural, economic and other ties, and the diplomatic crisis between our countries must be resolved.

The decision of the Chinese government to stop accepting or delaying some Canadian products like canola is very concerning and unjustifiable. Trudeau and the Liberals have done nothing to defend our farmers and our jobs against these unfair trade policies. He’s only made things worse.

New Democrats believe that our federal government must uphold Canadian value — at home and abroad. We must stand up for human rights, the safe return of our detained citizens, and the resumption of normal trade relations and access to the Chinese market for Canadians farmers and manufacturers. Should we be elected to govern, New Democrats will work hard and in good faith to do just that.

Are we facing a climate change crisis? Is carbon tax the answer? The scientific evidence is clear. Whether we like it or not the world is experiencing rapid climate change. The effects of climate change upon our society have been enormous, as we have experienced a rapid increase in global temperatures; floods, droughts, and forest fires; and an increase in the frequency and intensity of severe weather events like hurricanes, and heat waves. We must act now to ensure that the earth remains habitable, and that our society can continue to function as we would like without fear of environmental or economic disaster. To do so, we must reduce our carbon emissions, but punishing families without taxing our biggest polluters is not the right answer.

Canadians want to do their part to fight climate change — but they’re also struggling with the rising cost of living. The Liberals promised to make big polluters and wealthy corporations pay their fair share, but behind closed doors in Ottawa they caved to their lobbyist friends and let the biggest polluters off the hook. Unlike the Liberals, we’ll work to make life more affordable for everyday families while ensuring that we tackle the climate crisis at the same time.

It’s a day off and you can do anything you want. What would it be?

Ideally, I would use my day off to go to the beach, take a hike, or check out the local art galleries.

Who inspires you?

My inspiration comes from my mom. She is a strong, dedicated individual who has inspired and pushed me to realize my full potential and has kept me going forward. The love and loyalty that both my parents have given me has shown me that this world needs to stop the fighting and see who the real enemies are. They taught me that we are not at war with each other, and need to stop seeing other differences as a divisive thing, but know that we are stronger together.

What is your hidden talent?

The ability to make peace and help people with opening up about their issues and helping them find a solution.

What do you wish you could do but can’t?

Travel the world.

Who are the three people, dead or alive, that you’d love to have dinner with?

Tommy Douglas, my grandfather Dr. David R Jones, who passed away in 2010, and Jagmeet Singh.

How do you take your coffee?

Either with seven sugars or I pour it out and make myself a big ol’ cup of tea.

What’s the one album you’d take with you on a desert island? What embarrassing song do you admit to on your playlist?

I would take any album by Great Big Sea, as I have always found their music very soothing and never get sick of it. The amount of ABBA music on my playlist can be considered my embarrassing songs.