MOOSE JAW — Sask. Party candidate Megan Patterson says her life experiences and ability to overcome adversity make her the right person to be the next MLA for Moose Jaw Wakamow.
Patterson is going up against the NDP’s Melissa Patterson and the Green Party’s Michael Gardiner in the Oct. 28 general provincial election as they look to replace the retiring incumbent MLA, Greg Lawrence.
“I’ve always been interested in politics. I’ve been involved at a young age … ,” the Sask. Party’s Patterson said, noting her grandfather was an MP for 10 years when she was growing up, while there have been several politicians on her husband’s side of the family.
“… I think that at this point in my life, the combination of my education, my work experience, as well as my personal perspective, make me a really strong candidate that can be a strong advocate for the people within the riding,” she continued.
Patterson said she has a strong business background since she has a commerce degree and an MBA, has taken a securities course and is an instructor with the School of Business at Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Moose Jaw campus.
These have given her a better understanding of not only how the economy works — “the private sector is the engine of the economy” — but how the education system functions as well. Having three young boys in school has also helped her understand that sector.
Meanwhile, she has a comprehensive understanding of health care because of an accident she experienced decades ago. This led to her seeing hundreds of doctors and physical therapists and spending thousands of hours in waiting rooms during the more than 10 years it took her to recover.
She lived for nearly five years before she had her tracheostomy installed in her throat, which allowed her to breathe and speak better. It also took her years to adjust to that device.
“I don’t talk about it all the time (with voters) because I don’t think it defines me. You know, I prefer to talk about what my credentials are because I think I bring strong credentials,” Patterson said.
After graduating from Riverview Collegiate more than 20 years ago, Patterson acquired her degree from the University of Saskatchewan. She then moved to Toronto — where she met her husband — to work for Fortune 500 company Proctor and Gamble. They eventually returned to Saskatchewan to raise their family.
She worked in Regina for eight years for SaskPower as a consultant in renewables and energy efficiency before moving to Moose Jaw to work at Sask. Polytechnic.
Her passion for energy efficiency and renewables prompted her to run in the 2020 provincial election in Regina Lakeview because she thought few people understood how the province’s generation system worked, she said. She wanted to inform people that it was possible to provide residents with reliable, cost-effective power.
Because of her injury, Patterson’s other passion is ensuring workplaces are accessible for people with disabilities. She noted that the province passed the Accessible Saskatchewan Act, which she said is a good start to addressing these issues.
“I’m interested in inspiring and enabling people to reach their potential … because everyone has challenges,” she said. “And my experience with disability, I was told that (I was) likely never going to graduate university (and I was) likely never going to be able to work full-time.
“And had I listened to that, I’d be in a very different place right now. But I want to be a beacon of hope to some people … ,” Patterson continued. “I know how amazing the body is and the human brain and how you can adapt to your circumstances.”
Another of Patterson’s interests is mental health and addiction because the National Accessible Canada Act classifies those issues as disabilities. She noted that many people are having challenges with their health, so she wants to help address those concerns.
Patterson added that, if elected, she is confident she would be a strong advocate for residents and could bring their concerns to caucus.
