Crossing Paths An interview with Minister of Education, Wayne Ewasko

By Linda York, RTAM member

Ifirst got to know Wayne when he and our son started curling together as high school students in Beausejour. Along with his parents my husband and I travelled around Manitoba cheering them on. Later upon graduating high school, he and our son roomed together at the University of Manitoba.

Later, after Wayne finished his education, he came back to Beausejour to teach at Edward Schreyer Collegiate with my husband. Seventeen years later, Wayne ran for provincial election and became our M.L.A. Now he is the Minister of Education! How time flies.

When I was on the phone with Wayne to have him fill in the blanks, I was shocked to learn that his two boys are 22 and 19 yrs. old! He still lives in the home that he and his wife Tracy built just outside of Beausejour. I asked Wayne how he is enjoying being an MLA and he said there is never a dull moment. The Lac du Bonnet constituency encompasses four towns, two Hutterite colonies, two school divisions and one First Nations community. Also, the constituency is home to several resort communities and their special needs.

Wayne is proud of the fact that he and MLA Cindy Lamoureux were strong supporters of an RTAM representative on the Teachers’ Retirement Allowances Fund (TRAF). When asked, he stated that he was not surprised to see retired teachers forfeit their leisure time to come forward as substitutes to help overcome system shortages. Once a teacher- always a teacher!

I end by wishing Wayne and his Beausejour men’s curling team good luck in the Manitoba Men’s Bonspiel in Neepawa.