Associate Minister of Health Brandy Payne.Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail
For her political debut, all Brandy Payne had to do for the New Democrats was take out a long-standing Tory in her Calgary riding. That she accomplished her goal was impressive; that she did it on a scant $250 campaign budget earned her special status as Associate Minister of Health, a position that hasn't always been used.
Of the current issues facing Alberta's health-care system, what needs immediate attention?
Our biggest challenge right now is going to be bending the cost curve in health care. Over the last couple of years, health has seen a 6-per-cent annual growth rate. We know that's not sustainable . So Health Minister Sarah Hoffman and I are working closely with the folks at Alberta Health Services and other departments to find ways so we can start to bend that cost curve. … We want to find the ways to provide the care that Albertans deserve while at the same time being mindful of the assets we have and a limited health budget.
Are you experienced or qualified enough to do that?
I've worked in management positions. I had my own business [as a yoga instructor]. For me, it was spending all those years talking about the important role the government has to play for public service. Finally, in 2015 it reached the point where I had to put my money where my mouth was and stand up for what I valued.
Who was responsible for getting you interested in politics?
The very first political conversation I ever had was in the early 1990s with my family at the dinner table. We were discussing the (premier Ralph) Klein budget and my dad said a balanced budget was important. Balanced budgets are important but you also have to take a careful look at spending and make sure you're not harming people by [cutting] services they rely on. That was my first political debate. Did I convert my dad? Ah, the jury's still out on that one.
You ran against a besieged incumbent, former justice minister Jonathan Denis, who had a restraining order put on him by his wife, a decision that was dismissed by a judge. Did you use any of that to your advantage?
A big part of it, when you're running for election, is not to think too hard about the person you're running against. I really tried to stick with a positive message throughout the campaign and focus on what I was doing and what I had to offer my constituents … On election night, did I feel overwhelmed, stunned, happy? I'd say all of the above. Most of the people I talked to said they had voted NDP or were voting NDP. It was really rewarding.
Mr. Denis spent $79,000 to get re-elected. What did you buy with your $250?
Leaflets, mostly. My campaign money was spent on leaflets that got out there and into the community.
This interview has been edited and condensed