Warren Steinley, Conservative Party of Canada

Personal details. Name, age, hometown

Warren Steinley, 37, Rush Lake.

Tell us about yourself

I am the youngest of four. Growing up with two sisters and a brother on the family farm, things were noisy and busy. There was always work to be done but there was also always fun to be had. Looking back, I am grateful for my time on the farm, it was a great place to grow up and it also instilled in me values and a work ethic that I have utilized over the course of my career as a public servant. When not working I enjoy spending time with my family, wife Larissa, and our three kids. During my free time I love coaching my son’s hockey team and hanging out with the kids.

What’s a little-known fact about you?

I played junior A hockey in La Ronge & Crowsnest Pass and it’s experiences like this that provided me with the foundation for being part of a team.

Why should voters hire you?

As a father of three, I understand how important it is to plan for future generations. I am committed to ensuring that the government does not saddle today’s youth with a financial or an environmental deficit. I am also prepared to roll up my sleeves and work hard to make Canada a great place to do business, in turn creating good jobs and a strong economy. In order to do that, we need to ease interprovincial trade barriers and create a regulatory structure that is not constantly changing so we can get projects built, by Canadians and for Canadians. I believe we should try to leave things better than we found them for both my children and yours. I am no stranger to hard work and long hours. I believe it would truly be an honour and a privilege to serve the residents of Regina-Lewvan.

Since 2015, we have seen the Liberals and NDP MPs work together to block pipelines, raise taxes on 80 per cent of middle-class families and impose their costly, ineffective carbon tax. Saskatchewan and our city have been hit hard as our products get blocked overseas. We need to elect someone who will join Andrew Scheer as another strong voice for Regina to help everyone get ahead.

Who should we call for a reference?

Andrew Scheer.

What is your greatest strength? What is your greatest weakness?

My greatest strength is reaching things off the top shelf and my greatest weakness is bacon sour cream chips or Hawkins Cheezies.

Where do you stand on:

Gun laws? A Conservative government will put criminals who use guns behind bars for a long time. We would also work to beef up our border enforcement to stop guns from being smuggled into Canada. A Conservative government will also repeal Bill C-71 once and for all.

The need for more pipelines? There is a definite need for more pipeline capacity, using steel made right here at Evraz Steel. There is also a need to get large infrastructure projects built and our Conservative team has a plan to get that done. We have a six-point plan to get pipelines built and Andrew has a vision in regards to creating a National Energy Corridor.

Western alienation? Andrew Scheer and the Conservatives are committed to creating fewer barriers involving interprovincial trade and will work hand in hand with provinces to make this happen. A Conservative government will bring Canadians together, not divide them. Justin Trudeau has divided this country by unfairly punishing the west with punitive bills like Bill C-69 (the no more pipeline bill) and Bill C-48 (the oil tanker ban) and imposing a job-killing carbon tax upon unwilling provinces.

China? What should our approach be with some of our markets blocked? We need to stand up to China and support Canada’s agriculture market. As a Saskatchewan farm boy, I understand what these barriers mean for farms and families here in our province. I am committed to helping our agriculture sector and I know a Conservative government would do the same by immediately withdrawing Canada from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, increasing inspections on all Chinese imports and we would look at reviewing retaliatory tariffs that have great impact on China while minimizing harm to Canadian consumers.

Are we facing a climate change crisis? Is carbon tax the answer? I think climate change is an issue that we as a country should be tackling but the method of doing it needs to be effective and produce real results rather than merely taxing the hard-working people of this nation. In Saskatchewan we have already seen prices go up on every-day essentials. To reduce emissions, there must be a focus on green technology rather than increasing taxes, for both our industrial sectors and every-day families. One way a Conservative government will support families in the quest to become better environmental stewards is by introducing the Green Homes Tax Credit, which is a two-year plan that will encourage Canadians to improve their homes with emissions-reducing technologies. Conservatives have “A Real Plan to Protect Our Environment” that focuses on green technology, not taxes, creating a cleaner and greener natural environment and taking the climate change fight globally.

It’s a day off and you can do anything you want. What would it be?

I would start the day off enjoying a round of golf with my wife Larissa and then meet up with family and friends for brunch club. The afternoon would be spent with family; riding bikes, going to the park and enjoying a water fight in the backyard. Larissa and I love hosting, so I would definitely want to throw some burgers on the grill and have a few friends over for supper. I would cap the night off sitting around the campfire with good company, good conversation and maybe a few s’mores.

Who inspires you?

Growing up on a farm near Rush Lake, former MLA Jack Wiebe was our neighbour. He served as not only an MLA in the province of Saskatchewan but as the lieutenant governor and as a senator. I had many long chats with Jack over the years. Jack was someone who was respected by all political parties and I think that is something that all public servants should strive for.

I also had the pleasure of serving with former Premier Brad Wall who was a fan of the question, “Did you leave things better than you found them”? That is something that I endeavour to do throughout the tenure of my public service.

What is your hidden talent?

I do a pretty decent cartwheel.

What do you wish you could do but can’t?

A back flip.

Who are the three people, dead or alive, that you’d love to have dinner with?

Grandpa Steinley, Winston Churchill and Don Cherry.

How do you take your coffee?

Black.

What’s the one album you’d take with you on a desert island?

Anything Eric Church.

What embarrassing song do you admit to on your playlist?

Pop Goes the World by Men Without Hats.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Old John Wayne westerns and cheesy Christmas movies.

What is the last book you read?

Hockey Towns by Ron MacLean.

What is your favourite TV show? What are you binge watching?

Hawaii 5-0, Blue Bloods and Chicago PD.

What is your all-time favourite movie?

Tombstone, Braveheart, True Grit (John Wayne version).