by JENNIFER LAVIOLETTE

She may be new on the job, but she’s not new to the area. Shirley Bell has been adjusting to her new position in the community of Boissevain as the EDO.

“Boissevain is very inviting to people,” commented Bell. “I want to promote that to attract people to move here. I’m 100 percent focused on Boissevain.”

Moving here eight years ago from Ireland, Shirley and her family took up residence on a farm near Deloraine. At first she found the difference between Canada and Ireland very apparent, but as time passed, she sees the similarities.

When Bell lived in Ireland she obtained her HND in Business Studies with a major in Administration and Economic Development. She proceeded to work for a government agency in Ireland that was focused on setting up small business, manufacturing, and farming.

“I find my job now is very similar to the job I did back when I lived in Ireland,” she noted. “The two just have different titles but similar initiatives, it’s just moving a foreign concept over to a Canadian aspect.”

Shirley was no stranger to Boissevain, despite living in Deloraine, her family spends quite a lot of time in town for shopping, to visit family, for their farm’s agricultural needs, as well her children participate in art and karate classes.

One of the economic challenges Bell hopes to help the community to overcome is how our youth are leaving Boissevain and gearing to Alberta or to bigger city centers in hopes of finding higher paying employment.

“The opportunities in Manitoba are just as good,” remarked Bell. “When you look at the grand scale of it, the wages may not be as high, but the overall cost of living is much more reasonable and the quality of life is better.”

She hopes to help the community provide jobs to people that are not minimum wage jobs as well create more business for the town’s economy and assist those existing businesses to maximize their full potential.

Increasing the population is also something that is in the works.

“Our population got smaller, but the farms got bigger,” pointed out Bell. “We need to maintain our population to continue to steadily grow both economically and population wise.”

Bell hopes to get an immigrant initiative program in the works, that isn’t just to entice people to come to Boissevain and farm, but to open all forms of trade and employment to them. She feels that with the success and recognition the Homegrown Reunion has brought to the community that it will help attract people from other areas of Manitoba and Canada to come and settle here.

“Boissevain has a fantastic tourist appeal,” compliments Bell. “We have the image of being a progressive community, with strong homegrown businesses and an overwhelming community spirit.”

She is aware of our medical care profession lacking nurses and dentists, and is making it one of her main focuses to find a quick but lasting solution to the problem.

Working along side with Aggie Buhler has helped Shirley out tremendously. The two have built up a solid and great rapport in the community and have built a strong team. Our community will truly benefit from two great minds as opposed to one.