The Progressive Conservative candidate for Lac du Bonnet says he knows health care and infrastructure are two of the big issues facing his constituency.

Wayne Ewasko is seeking a third straight term. He was first elected in 2011, then re-elected in 2016. A teacher by profession and a small business owner, Ewasko says he taught 17 years in the Sunrise School Division prior to getting into the political arena.

When first elected, Ewasko was part of the opposition. He brought forward four private members bills. Since 2016, Ewasko says he has helped push forward infrastructure projects in the constituency as well as a private members resolution.

Wayne Ewasko on the campaign trail. (Photo credit: Wayne Ewasko)Provincially speaking, Ewasko says trust and taxes have been their MO this election. Prior to the 2016 election, Brian Pallister made the promise to reduce the PST and Ewasko says they stayed true to their word. He notes they also stood by their commitment to get a handle on our province's deficit, while trying to maintain front line services and building the economy.

"We've got a lot of work to do yet as an entire PC team and a government," says Ewasko. "But I'm hoping and I'm sure that Manitobans are going to give us this next mandate after September 10th to keep moving forward."

According to Ewasko, Manitoba has an infrastructure deficit of 20 to 23 years. He says the Lac du Bonnet constituency is quite large with many highways that need to be looked at.

With three main hospitals in the riding, Ewasko says health care is always a concern in Lac du Bonnet.

"We've seen the increase in paramedics to the region and also an increase in doctors," he says. "So the changes and the things that we're doing as a government seem to be working, seem to be paying off, but that being said we still have quite a bit more work to do."

Ewasko says the response he is receiving at the doors has been very favourable. And, he notes the big concern he keeps hearing from constituents is that they want the next government to continue working on bringing down the deficit.

Meanwhile, he says one trend he has noticed this election campaign is that a lot more seniors are really dialed in.

"It's a different feeling this time around," he says. "A lot of them are really taking it into account that this election they are voting for themselves of course, but they are voting in a government this time around to make sure that their kids, their grandkids and their great grandkids' futures are secure."