Winnipeg Election 2022

Evan Krosney - Seven Oaks - 3

What got you into politics?

Education is a tool that has the power to lift families out of poverty, give young people the opportunities they need, and bring positive change to our community. I have always been passionate about education, and growing up with a teacher for a mom, I learned from a young age the importance of strong investments in our schools.

Since then, education in Manitoba has faced significant challenges. We’ve seen a provincial government dead-set on cuts and consolidations, while misguided legislation like Bill 64 threatened to put unaccountable appointees in charge of our schools. All the while, class sizes have gotten bigger and schools have been asked to do more with less.

It’s kids, parents, and teachers who have paid the price.

That’s why I fought tirelessly to stand up against the government’s cuts to education and pushed back against Bill 64, and have since continued advocating for better schools and stronger services in our community. These are the values that have guided me as a community advocate, and they are the reason I got into politics. As trustee, I will continue to champion these priorities and stand up for what’s best for our students.

What experience will you bring to compliment your role as (Mayor / Councillor / School Trustee)?

As a founder of the Friends of West Kildonan Library coalition, I helped lead the fight to save our local library. Working alongside concerned community members, teachers, educators and students, we petitioned over 11,000 residents and brought out hundreds to a rally. We successfully sent a message to City Hall to keep our library on Jefferson Avenue, and as the current Friends of West Kildonan Library Co-Chair, I continue to fight for stronger investments in library programing and services.

In the community, I am an active volunteer with groups like Friends of Kildonan Park, and regularly assist at events hosted by the Seven Oaks and Luxton Residents’ Associations. In my day job, I work as a program director for a local charity, where I oversee fundraising as well as educational and training initiatives, and in my spare time I serve on the board of Functional Transit Winnipeg.

I have experience chairing boards, committees and working with the School Board, and I am honoured to have the endorsement of Trustee and Board Chair Greg McFarlane. I am confident that my experience in governance and as a community volunteer will guarantee a bright future for our division and every student within it.

What are some issues that you would like to stand for in your role as (Mayor / Councillor / School Trustee), and why are these issues important to you?

Every child deserves the best education possible. That’s why we must invest in quality, public schools so that every student gets the education they need—regardless of their age, background, or where they come from.

To make that a reality, we need to focus on:

• Smaller class sizes. Advocating for stronger investments to hire more teachers, EAs and classroom supports, so we can lower class sizes and ensure that every student gets the individualized attention they need.
• More after-school programming. Strengthening after-school programming so that kids always have a place to go when class is over, giving students the opportunities they need while keeping our streets safe.
• Building better schools. Getting more shovels in the ground to upgrade our schools, and advocating for a long-term strategy to reduce the use of portable classrooms in our division.
• Safer, more inclusive classrooms. Supporting anti-bullying and anti-racism initiatives, while ensuring the school division fulfills its obligations in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action.
• Standing against cuts. Standing against the provincial government’s reckless cuts to education, while advocating for a fairer funding formula for our division to ensure our school system is properly resourced and big businesses pay their fair share.

Do you have any other comments regarding your candidacy?

The past few years haven’t been easy for our school division. Between cuts, COVID, and the threat of misguided legislation like Bill 64, our community has faced significant challenges.

Through these difficult times, our division has continued to persevere. Seven Oaks leads the way in trailblazing programming like our Met Schools and Wayfinders, and we are on track to open new schools for our growing communities in the years to come.

But there’s more work to do. We continue to face funding cuts from the province and we need a strong board ready to stand up for our schools and our community. I am honoured to have the support of many community leaders who have put their faith in me to get the job done, including our School Board Chair Greg McFarlane, former Minister of Education Nancy Allan, and countless educators, parents, and leaders in our neighbourhood.

I am here to listen to your concerns and bring your priorities to the board table. Please check out my full platform at evankrosney.ca, and reach out at 204-250-4387 or [email protected] if you have any questions or ideas to make our school division even better.