Tracey Maconachie, PC Candidate for River Heights says that residents of River Heights want "an active voice in government," and need a representative who brings "a broad range of issues of concern to the table," including the economy, the need for job creation, education and environmental concerns.

"The economy is one of the biggest issues in this election and River Heights needs a representative voice who knows how to focus on economic issues and business development for small businesses that are the largest creator of new jobs in the Province," says Maconachie, who has led the Life Science Association of Manitoba (LSAM). The Association helps grow small and medium sized technology businesses, who work in the area of innovation in healthcare, agriculture and the environment. 

Maconachie, also points out that River Heights residents are very concerned about Manitoba's performance in the area of education compared to other Provinces, based on scores obtained in the Pan-Canadian Assessment Program of students in grade 8. "The NDP government has suggested that this lag is a result of issues of poverty in our province. But this is not a satisfactory explanation. Even our top performing students are 50% less than the national average. We have half as many students in the top tiers as other provinces," says Maconachie.

In her role as head of the LSAM, which conducts training and business development for technology companies, Maconachie has first hand knowledge of the fact that recent graduates are lacking required basic skills to perform well in the labour force. " I have employers who are looking to hire skilled employees with communication skills, but they find that often people entering the work force do not have the needed reading and writing skills."

As Maconachie says, "The Progressive Conservative party has committed to A Read to Succeed Program so that Grade 3 students will be reading above the national average. This will mean that they have a leg up such that we can move on to elevating math skills. "She further indicated that a PC government "will empower and consult with educators in Manitoba schools to ensure that students have the essential skills " such that we will not lag as a province in the education field. " The NDP government over the last 16 years has focused on graduating students, not educating them," Maconachie says. "Manitoba is not just below the national average. We are significantly below."

A life-long Winnipegger, Tracey graduated from the University of Manitoba (BSc. 1989) and, prior to her role at LSAM, spent two decades as a team leader with an international pharmaceutical firm and as the lead person on government affairs for Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Another area of concern that Maconachie is hearing about from River Heights residents is the health of Lake Winnipeg which " under the NDP's careless watch has become infested with zebra mussels, which could have been prevented if the NDP had taken proper preventative steps," Maconachie notes. She adds that such steps ought to have included enacting legislation, as has occurred in other provinces, to ensure that people with boats coming into Manitoba would have undergone inspection for zebra mussels, so that these mussels would not have infected Lake Winnipeg or any other Manitoba lakes. "Now, we are at risk of losing Lake Winnipeg. It could become a dead lake. We need a scientific based strategic plan for the Lake. The NDP ought to have put such a plan in place years ago, but instead did nothing. Instead they dumped several hundred tonnes of potash into Gimli Harbour and announced that this would stop the zebra mussel infestation. And they were very wrong. "

Maconachie notes that many in River Heights are cottagers or otherwise frequent Lake Winnipeg and other lakes in the Province and "want to see far better water stewardship than the NDP has provided." The Progressive conservatives will treat this issue with the required level of dedication and seriousness that is required."

Maconachie graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Sciences in 1989. She has also served on committees with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Saint John Brebeuf Parent Council, St. Boniface Hospital, Research Advisory Committee and on the Steering Committee of the BIOFIBE Conference.

Maconachie is of the view that "Manitobans want change in government, and that includes River Heights residents." She says "I am confident that the PC plan is resonating strongly with voters in River Heights."