Obasesam “Sam” Okoi, the NDP candidate for the riding Springfield-Ritchot, is busy canvassing his constituency as Manitobans prepare to go to the polls on September 10. The Île-des-Chênes resident was nominated in June.
Okoi is a research affiliate for the Canadian Network for Research on Terrorism, Security, and Society in Waterloo, Ontario. He previously worked as a faculty member in the University of Winnipeg’s Human Rights Department, and before that he had a role in the Department of Global Studies at Wilfred Laurier University in Ontario.
The NDP have promised in their election platform that, if elected, they will reopen emergency rooms and hire replacement nurses for positions vacated by the incumbent government, make “significant investments in infrastructure” while synonymously creating what they estimate to be 50,000 jobs, and reduce early elementary school class sizes.
“This election is about ordinary people and ordinary families struggling to put food on the table,” says Okoi. “It is about ordinary families struggling to save for their children. It is about ordinary families fighting to get jobs. I want to fight for jobs. I want to fight for healthcare. I want to fight for education and I want to fight for seniors.”
With changes to the healthcare system implemented by the incumbent PC government, Okoi argues that rural Manitobans have been put at risk.
“Almost everyone is concerned about healthcare… We are all suffering,” he says. “Healthcare is a serious concern to my constituents… and people who live in rural communities, like me, are at risk… I think something needs to be done.”
He states that while canvassing the constituency, he’s heard of some traditional Progressive Conservative voters retracting their support of the party, recognizing that healthcare is a “fundamental need.”
Okoi says it’s essential to prioritize the needs of youth and seniors in Manitoba.
“We have a growing population that are mostly disconnected from politics because of the bad decisions our leaders are making,” Okoi says. “I want to live in a society where I am consulted when people make decisions that affect my life and my family. I believe the NDP has a platform which puts people at the centre of political discourse.”
The long-time community organizer also brings with him a wealth of leadership experience.
“I volunteer each year to raise thousands of dollars to support the fight against diabetes in Manitoba, [and] I co-founded Winners Chapel International Winnipeg as a place of worship and have played various leadership roles in the organization.”
He also coordinates the AWG Consortium at the University of Manitoba, an organization which, he says, unites scholars, students, professionals, and community groups to explore innovative ways of building peaceful and prosperous communities.
Recognized for his efforts, Okoi received the University of Manitoba’s Nahlah Ayed Prize in 2017 for demonstrating exceptional commitment and leadership skills. He was also awarded an Ambassador for Peace Award by the Universal Peace Federation in 2016.
Okoi holds a Ph.D. in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Manitoba, a Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of Windsor, and a Master of Public Policy from Wilfred Laurier University. He also holds as a Bachelor of Arts in International Development from Trent University.
In this election, he goes up against MLA Ron Schuler (PC), Sara Mirwaldt (Liberal), and Garrett Hawgood (Green) in the new constituency of Springfield-Ritchot.
The Manitoba Electoral Divisions Boundaries Commission announced in 2018 that following public consultations as part of a review of Manitoba’s 57 electoral divisions, 56 constituencies would be subject to modifications implemented in the next provincial election. Both Morris and St. Paul, the latter of which Schuler represented, were among the constituencies affected by these changes.
