FALL RIVER: Being the Minister of Advanced Education isn’t taking away from representing those who voted him in, said Brian Wong.
The MLA for Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank was asked that question during a one-on-one interview recently with The Laker News.
“One of the things I didn’t know coming in was we do have to find the balance,” he said. “One of the things that helps with that is having a great staff.”
Danielle Deveau was his Constituency Assistant, staying on in the role after MLA Bill Horne retired. Now she has retired, but has helped his new CA Dani Squires, who lives in Beaver Bank.
“I think it’s having great people support you when you’re not here,” he said, responding to the question.
“The thing is I work a lot at night, I do a lot of phone calls, meet people in person, I like to go to their homes.”
He said his Minister days are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursdays, leaving Monday, Fridays, weekends, and evenings for his constituency work.
“I’m fortunate to be a local Minister so I can have a meeting in the morning before I have to go in for Cabinet, or I can go back out in the evening,” said Wong. ‘I think I’ve found a good balance.”
Wong said he isn’t able to get to everything he absolutely wants to but does his best.
“I try to spread myself out and really get to more events, like wing nights,” he said. “I need to get to more of those.”
He said the best part on being an MLA and being a Minister is he’s a people person , and he loves helping people.
“I was an educator because I liked helping people,” he said. “This is a very familiar job only in a different context.”
Wong said he is passionate about his job and wants to make things better.
“I absolutely love it,” said Wong.
