SWAN RIVER, Man. (Staff) – Skepticism is alive and well in the Swan River Valley. People say they’ve heard all the promises and good intentions of political campaigns before. Besides, they’re too busy working to care much about the campaign.
Orest Mikolayenko owns the Farmers’ Inn restaurant in the village of Ethelbert, Man. He said he and other business people are being taxed to death.
“In the last two years, people can’t even afford to go out and have a cup of coffee,” he said, adding that he doesn’t know who he’ll vote for in the provincial election.
Gerald Pierrepont, a hog and cattle farmer from Bowsman, Man., said he’s too overworked to follow the local campaign. He said he’ll probably vote Conservative, because it’s the closest to the Reform party.
Michelle Senchuk didn’t hesitate when asked who she’ll support. The young teacher said she’s voting NDP because of its education platform. And she’s also concerned about pollution controls at the new Louisiana-Pacific plant. “If they build it right, maybe it’ll last longer,” she said.
