2014 Winnipeg Civic Election

Why did you decide to run in the 2014 School Board Election?

This past year I began to seek opportunities to get involved within our city, and months ago I began researching Trusteeship. Back when I was Student Council Co-President at Glenlawn Collegiate, I attended various board meetings pertaining to the divisional budget; it was in May when I began attending the public board meetings again, and I also started reaching out to several board members. I love new experiences, and this is the perfect opportunity to give back to the community that I currently reside in, and also grew up in. The experience thus far has truly been very positive, and I am looking forward to the opportunity to represent the residents of the Louis Riel School Division while making the best decisions for our current and future generations of students.

What experience will you bring to compliment your role as School Trustee?

I am currently a second year student at the University of Manitoba, and along with my studies I am very active on campus. I sit on various committees and councils, and represent a very diverse population. I began taking on leadership roles in my elementary and junior high school days, and I continued to do so in my early high school days at Glenlawn Collegiate, I was involved in many extra-curriculars like Student Council, Youth in Philanthropy, and much more; in June 2013, I graduated as class Valedictorian. I kept the momentum going when I transitioned to post-secondary as in my second month of studies I ran for the position of Vice-President of the University 1 Student Council - a position and responsibility I still have today. I believe that if I were elected as School Trustee in Ward 1 of the Louis Riel School Division - I would bring a fresh perspective being a recent graduate from the division. Alongside my experience in school, I also have a lot of experience representing a wide-range of diverse individuals.

What are some issues that you would like to stand for in your role as School Trustee, and why are these issues important to you?

Some of the issues I would advocate for if elected would be, increasing inclusiveness - continuing to promote equal opportunities for all of our students by advocating for safe schools, and also advancing the programs and services available for our students with disabilities and special needs. Furthermore, I would advocate to sustain our French Immersion Programs, as learning our national language is not only pertinent to our culture, but it would also be an asset to our students' education. The Louis Riel School Division has many programs and initiatives in place to ensure that every student has the tools needed to succeed, and the division does a tremendous amount of work to ensure that students feel safe inside their school - these initiatives are a part of what I would hope to sustain if elected into the school board. For more detail about some of the issues I mentioned, I encourage you to read my blog posts on my website www.nagra4lrsd.com.

What is one thing in particular that you appreciate about the school ward or school division you wish to represent?

Being a graduate from the Louis Riel School Division, I am very appreciative to many of the programs that the division has to offer. I am also very appreciative of the amazing educators and staff members that nurtured me through my K-12 education. I have so many positive memories and experiences from my K-12 schooling, and I am really hoping to give back to the division, and to the community that I grew up in.

Do you have any other comments regarding your candidacy?

I am very pleased to have two of the current Louis Riel School Board Trustees supporting me, Trustee Gary Gervais from Ward 1 and Trustee Wayne Ruff from Ward 3.

“Tanjit is an articulate, intelligent, and energetic individual. Having served as a Trustee for Ward 1 for 8 years and as Chair of the School Board from 2010 to 2012, I believe that Tanjit will make an excellent Trustee. She is just the type of person that the Louis Riel School Board needs." - Gary Gervais

"Tanjit Nagra would bring a confident, intelligent and committed voice to the roll of school trustee. As an experienced educator at all level of public education for the last fifty years - I have learned to recognize leadership and Tanjit has the skill set to lead and to work for the education of all students in the Louis Riel School Division. I endorse her candidacy and ask that you also provide your voting support for Tanjit." - Wayne Ruff