Politics
Gregory Hines: Canadian backup dancer and entertainer turned politician
GH: Well it stands for Dance On A Higher Level. Our whole focus was really trying to push dancers to get to the level of where we were and that was for those who wanted to get there. Some people did not know that they had the ability. Some people know that they have the ability and we just wanted to nurture that for our students. We wanted them to be already professionals without even having to do a music video yet.
KB: Ok. So from there, one day Kevin is on Facebook and he receives a notification to like Greg’s Facebook page and what do I see but Greg is now a candidate for the New Democratic Party. So how did that switch from dance to politics happen?
GH: While teaching and doing community events in Scarborough I came into contact with an incumbent MP. We had a conversation about politics and I let her know that I was always interested in politics, but I thought a lot later in my life. As she started to talk about what politics was really like I was intrigued. So I had to go through the process of understanding the NDP and seeking nomination as a candidate; it was another part of the process.
You can always be a candidate, but if the riding association in your riding does not nominate you then it does not work. So they all nominated me and I won my riding so I became the candidate. For me, failure is not trying. Failure is not starting at all. So if something is in front of me and I am able to attack it then that is success for me. Success always comes by doing it first. Just doing it; not by sitting back and saying I wish I could do it, but actually taking the chance, doing it and putting 100 percent into it.
KB: And what are some of the issues that are important to you as you get into this new phase in your career? What are some of those pressing issues that you would like to address if you get elected in?
GH: One is affordable daycare. If we are elected our party will create one million child care spots and will cap daycare fees at no more than CDN$15 (US$11.36) a day. I have four kids so I am telling you daycare is really expensive for me. I feel that in this country, we talk a good game about women being equal to men. A lot of times when you look at how people, or businesses, or corporations treat women they really do not give them that many options.
I am only saying that because my wife went through so much with our fourth child. Women, including my wife, should be able to choose whether they want to go and focus on a career or whether they want to stay home and be a mother to their child. They have that option, but it’s too expensive. That’s why a lot of women just choose to stay home. Then there’s only one income. So a woman ends up sacrificing her goals or her aspirations for family.
Our parents did it. Our mothers did it. They sacrificed everything for our upbringing and then when they were ready to do their thing it was much later in their lives. I am also passionate about the economy- helping young people train for good paying jobs, kickstarting manufacturing and cutting taxes for small businesses. The NDP is also concerned about health care. We want to hire and train more family physicians and nurses, and reduce wait times for home care and long term care. Repealing Bill C-51, which goes against the rights and freedoms of Canadians, is also a big issue for me. This is why I’m running; to help the voiceless and middle class families.
KB: You are making me want to run now. So you and I met at the church we were going to in Toronto; we were volunteering together. How has serving others or community service helped you to get to where you are today?
GH: There’s a Scripture in the Bible that says the greatest among you should be the servant. I think that people are too high on titles. Some people think that because they are a doctor, lawyer, or manager, that they don’t have to serve the people “below them”. The whole reason why people are elected is because the people who they are supposed to be serving are the people that matter.
