Garrett Hawgood may be a political newcomer, but if life experience and passion have a say he could become a force to be reckoned with.

Hawgood and his family are residents of Niverville, and much of his working career has been spent as a paramedic and firefighter with the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service. He also volunteers on Niverville’s Fire and Emergency Services team. Prior to that, he worked as an operating room attendant at the Victoria General Hospital.

Three years ago, his passion for saving lives led him to open his own first aid and CPR training company. Recently, his company began an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) donation program with the primary goal of providing AEDs to First Nations reserves and organizations that serve Manitoba’s most vulnerable populations.

“Helping people is a big part of who I am, but so is helping the planet,” says Hawgood. “I realize there is only one earth that we all call home. Although life can be busy and making good choices for the environment can sometimes be challenging, I believe that instilling these habits into the next generation will give them the foundation to become leaders and innovators in the green solutions needed for the sustainability of our planet and [mankind].”

As a parent of three daughters, one a cancer survivor and another profoundly disabled, Hawgood has also been a vocal challenger of the government’s current healthcare system and an advocate for better family healthcare.

“I want to ensure that every resident in Springfield-Ritchot has access to the best healthcare, including preventative medicine. I am passionate about ensuring access to affordable, healthy food options and quality primary and dental care.”

Hawgood is also a strong proponent for available and affordable childcare.

“For many families, the cost of childcare eats up a significant portion of their income,” he says. “The Green Party is dedicated to increasing childcare spaces while decreasing costs.”

As well, he says that changes to the education system are overdue. His wife Kate works as a teacher and has seen the many challenges firsthand.

“Ensuring our kids receive twenty-first century skills… will prepare them for the workforce they are entering,” Hawgood says. “We are preparing our kids to be future innovators and entrepreneurs, tasked with solving long-standing problems such as poverty and climate change. They deserve an education that will prepare them for this future.”

Hawgood is similarly committed to finding better ways to carry out the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action. Equitable access to education, healthcare, childcare, and other services is crucial, he says, to righting the wrongs of the past.

The Green Party recognizes the importance of financial accountability and transparency within government, he points out. As well, they are deeply committed to seeking out effective approaches to climate change and environmental impacts.

“We have to find ways to transition from our reliance on fossil fuels,” says Hawgood. “Manitoba can be on the cutting edge of the climate fight, contributing positively to our economy and our planet.”

He’s confident that the Springfield-Ritchot riding can also be leaders in waste reduction and landfill diversion by creating better composting solutions and eliminating unnecessary single-use plastics from the region.

This is Hawgood’s first foray into politics, and his desire to run stems from the endless cycle he’s witnessed between the other political parties. Traditional Conservative funding cuts, he says, leads to overspending by the NDP or Liberals whose platforms are aimed primarily at defeating the Conservatives.

“This is how it’s been and will continue to be until enough [constituents] decide to step back and try a different approach,” he says. “The Green Party is a different kind of party.”