In this episode of WINNIPEG VOTES 2026, host Graham McDonald spoke with Season Kirkwood, a candidate for city councillor in St. Vital, where incumbent councillor Brian Mayes is not seeking re-election. Kirkwood is a Red River Métis community leader, entrepreneur and youth-recreation advocate.
Kirkwood said their priorities include improving transit access for underserved residents, with restoring bus route 55 near the top of the list.
“Right now, what we really need to do is bring back the 55, that bus route was paramount for our barrier-facing, non-driving folks to get to their grocery stores and to church and to all their other recreational activities.”
They also support increased transit funding.
“Transit is the one thing that serves all the citizens of Winnipeg,” Kirkwood said.
On policing, Kirkwood opposes a dedicated Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) station in St. Vital, saying officers are already visibly active in parts of the ward. Instead, they favour a resource centre that could include office space for the WPS.
Kirkwood said they support harm reduction and want more support for front-line service workers to address Winnipeg’s addictions crisis.
“What we need to do is bring back the support and the financial support for front-line service workers,” Kirkwood said.
They also called for an approach that anticipates problems rather than reacting to them.
However, Kirkwood said they would not endorse a supervised consumption site in St. Vital, despite previously supporting the concept. They cited what they described as closures of supervised consumption sites across the country as the reason for their position.
Kirkwood also supports easing restrictions on home-based businesses operating in residential areas.
To learn more about Season Kirkwood, their candidacy and positions, check out the full interview on U Multicultural Channel 14 in Manitoba, Bell MTS channel 1029 in Winnipeg, U Radio on 88.7 FM in Manitoba and U Multicultural’s YouTube channel.
Disclaimer: As part of U Multicultural’s 2026 Winnipeg Municipal Election Coverage, candidates were invited to share messages with our audience. The views expressed in this article are the candidate’s own, and this article does not constitute an endorsement by U Multicultural.
Graham McDonald, U Multicultural Journalism and Media Arts Centre