The Decision Makers: Councillor Jason Nadeau (Part 2)

The AMM Conference, or Association of Manitoba Municipalities, is what municipal government and staff attend to mix and mingle with each other and with ministers at the provincial level. Nadeau stresses just how valuable these connections, and that conference in particular, are to the success of their work on Council, especially when it comes to larger projects. He credits the lobbying and relationship-building that has taken place over the last several years with helping to attract the new hospital to Neepawa.

Part of his focus, and the focus of this council, is on positioning Neepawa as a regional hub. This is not something that happens within the space of one council term, and he acknowledges the work of previous councils in laying the infrastructure needed and having a similar vision for Neepawa. Nadeau firmly believes that attracting more business to Neepawa, including another large industry such as HyLife, is only a matter of time.

One of Nadeau’s other roles on Council is as a member of the Spruce Plains Justice Committee. This is a purely volunteer group that focuses on restorative justice, to keep people out of the system and try to get them what they need to get back on track. They are referred cases by local law enforcement and, if they choose to take them, hear the case and come up with a resolution that fits the crime, such as working off property damages.

"Once you get a record, it's hard to get a job, it's hard to keep your job, and it destroys your family,” says Nadeau. “So if you make a mistake that you can recover from, this allows you that opportunity to make up for that."

Not only can the alternate resolution be beneficial to the person who committed the crime, but it is also about 10 times less costly than the court system to administer.

Nadeau would like to see a newcomer presence on council, or on a committee like the Spruce Plains Justice Committee, but he understands that the time commitment can be a limiting factor for many people, especially those with young families. Also, he says, sometimes you want to live in a place that is already functioning well, where you can just enjoy the services available. For many people, Neepawa can be that place.