Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa

Inky Mark, independent

The 67-year-old veteran politician represented the riding as a member of the Conservative Party for 12 years before stepping down in September 2010.

Mark said he is now a member of the Green Party but he's trying to get back into the political game as an independent.

He's also been Dauphin's mayor anda member of Dauphin's city council.

Before getting into politics, Mark taught special education students for 26 years.

Born in China, he came to Canada in 1955. He and his wife of 43 years have two children and four grandchildren. The couple has run a clothing business and raised pigs, and been real estate brokers.

Mark said he's constantly trying to keep up with what's happening in the large riding, so he mostly listens to local talk radio as he makes his way on the campaign trail in his VolkswagenJettadiesel.

• FIND MORE: Inky Mark's Q&A

When it comes time to cheer for a team, Mark said he can't choose between the Winnipeg Jets or the Blue Bombers because "they're our teams, so you have to support both of them."

His last trip outside Manitoba was to Edmonton for a family reunion in June.

Robert Sopuck, Conservative

Sopuck is the Conservative incumbent of theriding, first elected in 2010 after a byelection and again in 2011 after the federal election.

Before becoming theMP, Sopuck spent a lot of time working on conservation and environmental policy and has done environmental consulting work all over Western Canada. Just before taking office, Sopuck worked in the oilsands doing environmental monitoring for Imperial Oil.

Environmental issues also blend into Sopuck's social life. The last time Sopuck left Manitoba was in June for a Conservative hunting and angling caucus event in British Columbia.

When in his riding, the 64-year-old drives a locally bought Chevy truck and likes to listen to Gordon Lightfoot's Canadian Railroad Trilogy.A favouritelocal act is the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, but Sopuck said he likes all types of music except jazz.

• FIND MORE: Robert Sopuck's Q&A

When it comes to Jets versus Bombers, he chooses hockey.

He left the city in the 1970s to "go country" and still lives that waywith his wife of 43 years. Sopuck has two children and three grandchildren.

Kate Storey, Green Party

KateStoreyis passionate about politics, but says farming is "what puts food on the table, literally."

The 57-year-old candidate was born in New York City but grew up inGrandview, Man. She gave up her dual citizenship when she was a teenager.

Storeyis married and has four children and two grandchildren, whom she visited a year ago in Germany.

Though she's held different jobs, she primarily raises Black Angus cattle, grows organic wheat and collects free-range eggs.

She drives around her farm and federal riding in a Ford Escape. While she doesn't have a song on repeat in or outside the car, she enjoys playing Celtic music in her band,Haste Ye Back.

• FIND MORE: Kate Storey'sQ&A

Storey's favourite Manitoban performer is Fred Penner.

Rather than the Jets or the Bombers,Storeyroots for theGrandviewSpartans, her hometown's high school basketball team, whichher kids played for.

Ray Pich, Liberal

The 52-year-old former RCMP officer and his wife Leipa have two sons, aged25 and21.

Originally fromEspanola, Ont., Pichhas lived in Manitoba since moving to Emerson at 22.

During his time there, Pichwas briefly elected a city councillor before new regulations concerning RCMP officers in politics forced him to resign.

After retiring in 2006, Pichbecame a liquor inspector for the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission. Now that the MLCC has become the Liquor and Gaming Authority of Manitoba, Pichworks as a licensing and permit advisor.

Although Pichdoesn't have a favourite Manitobaperformer, he does love music, especially bands from the '80s like Styx.

• FIND MORE: Ray Piche'sQ&A

He and his wifeshare a GMC pickup truck and a Ford Focus, and the last trip they took outside Manitoba was in the winter of 2014, when theywent to Mexico for a week-long vacation.

For Pich, winters are otherwise spent cheering for the Winnipeg Jets.

Laverne M.Lewycky, NDP

Lewyckyhas taught social sciences and communication studies at universities and colleges across the country, but said he's still a "local yokel" from his birthplace of Dauphin.

The 69-year-old and his wife Lois are also very involved in ministry work. The couple doesn't have any children, but preach and play piano for those involved in the ministry as well.

Other than Ukrainian comedian Walter Rutka, Lois is Lewycky's favourite Manitoban performer as she plays and cuts her own piano CDs.

The NDP candidate drives a 2012 Chrysler 300C, which won him first prize in the Winnipegosis Centennial Parade in July. While he's travelling, he said the most-played song is a hymn called How Great Thou Art.

• FIND MORE:LaverneM.Lewycky'sQ&A

Lewycky said he also thinks the Jets are great because, back in the '70s, Bobby Hull gave him free tickets for the children he was supervising for the Society for Manitobans with Disabilities.

The last time he travelled outside of Manitoba was toJapan with his wife for a vacation.