MOOSE JAW — Britt Baumann is stepping into the political arena as the New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate for Moose Jaw-Lake Centre-Lanigan in the upcoming federal election.
A resident of Dundurn, Sask., Baumann said she is committed to providing a stronger progressive voice for the region in Ottawa.
“I think that we need a more progressive voice from Saskatchewan in Ottawa, and I hope to be that person,” she said.
Baumann highlighted key policies the NDP helped negotiate with the federal government, including the $10-per-day child-care program, the expansion of dental care, and the introduction of a pharmacare program. She said she hopes to build on those successes if elected.
“I think that we could do more of that if we continue to have a voice in Ottawa,” she said.
This is Baumann’s first time running for office — but she’s no stranger to politics. With a PhD in public policy and a master’s degree in sociology, she has built a career as a research academic. Her work has largely focused on First Nations policy development, particularly in negotiating impact benefit agreements and supporting Indigenous communities with resource management decisions.
“I’ve written a paper about land management on reserve lands,” Baumann said. “I think it’s really important that we do things like honour the treaties. This riding has Treaty 4 and Treaty 6, and I think it’s very important to honour those treaties.”
Baumann pointed to the Piapot and Whitecap First Nations as communities she hopes to build partnerships with, advocating for a collaborative approach to development on traditional Indigenous lands.
Platform priorities
Baumann’s platform addresses several issues she believes are critical to the region, including housing, economic security, and support for military families.
She advocates for the construction of 5,000 new military family housing units across Canada, aiming to ease what she described as a nationwide shortage.
“(Military personnel) are unable to pay rent in the community, so more and more people are wanting to live on the base again,” she said. “There are long lineups. People sometimes have to wait several months — or years — to get into military housing, and then they’re posted again.”
Baumann is also concerned about the economic impact of U.S. tariffs under the Trump administration, and said the federal government needs a robust plan to protect Canadian workers from potential job losses that could result from the tariffs.
A call for solidarity
Baumann said she believes the upcoming federal election could be one of the most important in recent Canadian history. She urged voters to stand together and uphold Canadian values in the face of what she called a growing threat of U.S. influence.
“We have this threat where the United States wants to annexe us,” she said. “But we’re Canadians, and we’re Canadians on purpose. We’ve got values that we want to uphold.”
Baumann emphasized the importance of economic resilience through domestic production and encouraged Canadians to support local industries.
“I think that we should be concentrating right now on buying Canadian, on sharing our Canadian values, and just being together in solidarity to help each other in this time of crisis,” she said.
To learn more about Britt Baumann and her campaign, visit BrittBaumann.NDP.ca.
The next federal election is scheduled to take place as soon as Monday, April 28.
