Talon Regent, NDP

Personal details. Name, age, hometown

Talon Regent, 28 years old, Regina.

Tell us about yourself

I was born and raised on the prairies — and my deep roots in the area mean I know the challenges facing Saskatchewan families. I am a lawyer and businessman recognized by the Chamber of Commerce for business excellence every year since 2017, and recognized as one of Canada’s ‘Lawyers to Watch’ under 40. I have always been dedicated to building up my community, volunteering with the Human Rights Commission, and serving as a member of the Moose Jaw Elks and chairman of the judiciary for the Saskatchewan Elks. I often provide free legal services to charities and people with low income.

What’s a little-known fact about you?

I have a wide variety of interests and passions. This includes everything from motorcycles, hockey and skydiving to sci-fi, philosophy and video games. I take pride in the fact that I can find a common interest with almost anyone.

Why should voters hire you?

I love helping people. It’s just the way I was raised. I became a lawyer so that I could help members of my community. As a lawyer, I can help people on an individual level. As a Member of Parliament, I could help people on a much larger scale. I plan to be an ambitious and vocal advocate for the people of Moose Jaw-Lake Centre-Lanigan. I’m not going to represent just those people who vote for me; I will be a voice for everyone in my community. That means working hard for pharmacare, affordable housing, world-leading education, and more — because medication, homes, and education should not be reserved for the rich.

Who should we call for a reference?

Rob Clark, president of the Moose Jaw & District Chamber of Commerce, and Lorne Calvert, former Saskatchewan premier.

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

My greatest strength is my desire to see my community thrive. I have excellent analytical skills, a professional understanding of the law, and the communications skills needed to connect with my neighbours. However, all that would mean nothing if my heart was not in the right place. My greatest weakness is that I am a perfectionist. “It’s good enough” is never something I want to hear, which can slow me down and lead to unnecessary stress.

Where do you stand on:

Gun laws? I am a restricted firearm licence holder and used to compete. I was the provincial silver medallist for pistol shooting when I was a teenager. Under Harper, the Conservative Party pushed the most restrictive gun laws Canada had seen in my lifetime. The Supreme Court of Canada found these laws to be unconstitutional. The laws amounted to cruel and unusual punishment against gun owners, including a minimum of two years in prison for improper storage of a firearm. I vividly remember a case where a farmer was sentenced to two years in prison because he kept a loaded .22 at his back door to chase away coyotes. I urge fellow firearm licence holders, don’t vote for the Conservative Party unless you want to see these types of laws again.

I am the lawyer for Farmers Against Rural Crime, and I am actively involved in helping people understand their gun rights in both cities and rural communities. I support a person’s right to use reasonable force in defending themselves, their family, and their property.

The need for more pipelines? The government should interfere as little as reasonably possible in private markets. Kinder Morgan and other private oil and gas businesses determined another trans-mountain pipeline was not a profitable or wise investment. Trudeau invested over $4.5 billion of taxpayers’ money into a project that private industry concluded was bad investment. If we are going to invest taxpayers’ money into the trans-mountain pipeline, our first step must be to repair and replace the aging infrastructure already in place before we discuss expansion. Moose Jaw has seen firsthand the damage caused by ignoring the need to replace aging (water) pipeline infrastructure.

Western alienation? We have several Conservative MPs throughout the prairie provinces. When constituents are concerned about western alienation, they must look at their current MPs critically to determine if they’re working for their community or just their wealthy friends. I will be a vocal advocate for every member of my community, and I will ensure that my neighbours’ needs are not ignored.

China? What should our approach be with some of our markets blocked? As a businessman, I have spoken on numerous occasions about the need for diversification of our markets. The desire to maximize profits needs to be weighed against the risks. By selling to diversified markets, profits will be reduced slightly, but risk will be reduced dramatically. In the meantime, I support our farmers and I will stand with them in their request for federal financial assistance.

Are we facing a climate change crisis? Is carbon tax the answer? The science is settled. Climate change is happening. Humans are contributing. The crisis is real. We as a country are now spending billions of dollars combating the symptoms of climate change including forest fires, floods, climate refugee relocation, and more. The costs are only going to continue increasing.

The carbon tax is a great example of Trudeau’s preferential treatment of the ultra-wealthy; it increases costs for the average person, and he’s created an exemption for the heaviest polluters in the country. I support the NDP’s plan to create over 300,000 new jobs in the green energy industry. This plan has been vetted and applauded by independent economists and environmentalists alike. Canada can surpass the Paris targets and bring economic growth to our nation at the same time.

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

Skydiving in the morning, a home-made family meal at my mom’s house for lunch, spending the afternoon board-gaming with friends, debating philosophy and politics over a pint at supper, and ending the day by curling up on the couch with my wife for a movie.

Who inspires you?

Even if it’s a New Democratic cliché, Jack Layton inspires me — his message of hope motivated me to strive for a better world for everyone.

What is your hidden talent?

Martial arts. I have a black belt in taekwondo, Krav Maga, and ninjutsu.

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

Roll in the grass (I’m allergic).

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

Niccolò Machiavelli, Tommy Douglas, and Shigeru Miyamoto. Between a cynical political philosopher, an optimistic political leader, and a visionary video game developer, the dinner-table conversation would be highly varied, intellectually engaging, and total chaos, all at the same time.

How do you take your coffee?

Double double, like a true Canadian.

What’s the one album you’d take with you on a desert island? What embarrassing song do you admit to on your playlist?

Styx Greatest Hits (Blue Collar Man is my political pump-up song). They are one of my favourite bands, and even better that I got to see them live right in Moose Jaw. As for embarrassing songs, I’ll take anything from the ’90s Disney movies.

What is your guilty pleasure?

From a bag of chips to cookie dough to ice cream, comfort food is my guilty pleasure.

What is the last book you read?

A Healthy Society, How a Focus on Health Can Revive Canadian Democracy. By Ryan Meili.

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

My favourite TV show is Star Trek: TNG. I still have a faint hope that the holo-deck will be invented in my lifetime. I just finished binge watching Game of Thrones with my wife. Now I’m ready for all the drama and intrigue that comes with a life in politics.