2022 Winnipeg Civic Election Results

Another election cycle has been completed and we welcome Scott Gillingham who replaces Brian Bowman who bows out after serving two full terms. We welcome first time Councillor Evan Duncan in Charleswood and returning Councillors Russ Wyatt in Transcona and Shawn Dobson in St. James.

I'm not sure we have seen the last of Kevin Klein or Shawn Nason and a number of others who were not successful in this civic election. In fact, Klein is already the nominated candidate running provincially for the PC's in Scott Fielding's former riding of Kirkfield Park. A byelection is due there by this December.

As far as the new mayor goes, Gillingham has filled the Executive Policy Committee with loyalists but kept his word at one fewer members. He has at least 14 positions in the mayor's office to fill and unlike Bowman who had a mix of Liberals, NDP and PCs hired, the new hires come from PC or civil service ranks and have worked with him before. Stability is the key and relationships important as we see Lukes, Chambers and Browaty on EPC.

This week Gillingham has met Premier Stefanson a few times, one for a provincial announcement on a new integrated police warrants unit to go after repeat offenders. It was the type of meetings that Bowman couldn't get. But then Pallister did not meet anyone save for demanding to meet with the prime minister to ask for more transfers even when they increased every year he was in office. He wanted them all for tax and service cuts. Stefanson is now left to deal with gutted departments and a deep distrust and unpopularity.  Forging cordial and productive relationships with Mayor Gillingham could spare her government a thrashing in a year. Maybe. 

The falling voter turnout numbers and acclamations points to a citizenry disengaged and apathetic about the system working for them. However, government would do well not to be smug that it doesn't matter. It could be their own supporters who stay home. For civic elections, the experience of voting has gotten easier but incumbency means that positions only open up when someone dies or leaves of their own accord. Rarely is an incumbent unseated in Manitoba. It raises the case of term limits or ranked ballots because while experience is great, if there is no change for decades, it stagnates the system.

There was a wide variety of mayoral candidates from progressive to conservative. Many had political party links to provincial of federal parties. But being a Liberal did not guarantee Liberal supported as witnessed by endorsements of Lloyd Axworthy for Gillingham or Shannon Sampert there as well. Why the endorsement? I can guess. Axworthy was former transport minister and while there are parts of the infrastructure plan he might disagree with, he probably agreed with a tax increase that was both reasonable and targeted on fixing things. For Sampert, it could have been the various indigenous groups that felt they had a partner in Gillingham. It might also been his appearances at Pride. As a former Christian pastor, he showed the aspects of faith in people that showed personal growth and a caring heart.

Small as the turnout was, it can be surmised that the voters wanted stability, a plan and credibility. The tax freeze/2.3% rise seemed to meet skepticism when Murray and Klein talked about it. It probably was because alternative funding depending on other governments or unspecified savings was hard to swallow. Gillingham also had some proposals such as Kenaston and Peguis requiring provincial and federal contributions but the public greeted the tax proposal as more realistic than other candidates.

One thing the public seemed to have no appetite for was someone who was looking to get in bun fights, culture wars or just looked like they could not work with others. Jenny Motkaluk had as much fight in her for The Forks as she did for her fellow candidates. Don Woodstock seemed to have more fight for Jenny Motkaluk than for other leading candidates. Scott Gillingham did raise the issue of Glen Murray's past record at the debate but it was after weeks of revelations by CBC that did not seem to have anything to do with springing a surprise on the former mayor.

It is unclear when the tide turned in the election and made it possible for Gillingham to win by four thousand votes, One thing is clear is that there was not a lot of polls released publicly. And too many decisions on who could participate in debates was made based on very early polls. 

To the candidates who lost, the question has to be: Is the mayor's job the only one suitable for you? It seems to me that some candidates could be effective Councillors but never seem to run for that job. 

As for the new mayor, crime remains a priority and he needs to keep working with the province because the Stefanson government has more levers to pull when it comes to the courts, social work, prisons, Crown prosecutors and mental health. Not to mention poverty, housing and addictions. The mayor though needs a better handle on policing.

The mandate is four years but I expect we see change early. Let's just see if a healthy dose of realism comes with it.

Civic Election Debate 2022 - Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood/St. James Debate

 

Kudos to Assiniboia Chamber of Commerce and to the Holiday Inn Airport West for sponsoring and hosting the candidate debates for for two city council wards at the same time.

Video of the whole event is here:

https://www.facebook.com/AssiniboiaChamberMB/

Each ward had 5 candidates for the open seats left by Scott Gillingham in St. James and Kevin Klein in Charleswood. However, only four candidates each came. Word was Covid kept someone away although that was not conveyed in any announcement

A big hall was needed for those in attendance. Thanks to Holiday Inn Airport West. People were truly needing a final look at before deciding who to vote for. Certainly, I was in that category.

I voted the last next day after the debate based on what I heard and saw. Election day is Wednesday, October 26, 2022.

The format let each candidate have a few minutes before and after to make statements about who they were and why they were running. After a moderator, covered a host of topics from crime, to taxes. I will let people judge from their own viewing of the event if they are undecided.

Brad Gross was absent from the Charleswood side. Shawn Dobson was absent from the St. James side. It has not been easy finding details on candidates and I have tried. I have received flyers, I have checked out the community papers and I have searched online. I have not seen a lot on policy and this is what the debate tried to inform the public on.

Candidates who have been slow to release policy, donor info or were late getting to people at the door will find that thousands of people have already voted. And it might not be for them. Those running come from varied backgrounds but there have been several community activists and volunteers, a number of those who followed the Freedom slate of ideas, former candidates, business people. And as far as council, sadly, no women.

Like a lot of people at the debate, I wanted to hear policy. Moreover, there was a hunger to hear workable policies. Beyond the introduction, some candidates did get into policies and stated where they stood on tax. Some had innovative ideas but there were some focused on narrow areas. Experience campaigner were able to get their points across more clearly. Those that stood got more attention than those that sat.

There was a criticism in the St. James side about a candidate who works for IKEA. The association of of the person to the corporation's store location and sprawl was an unexpected spark of criticism. Candidates did interject on policy statements but that was an attack based on where a person works. 

On the point of IKEA, their land development was a brownfield redevelopment, The land was industrial. They paid for the intersection changes at Sterling Lyon and Kenaston. They built sidewalks when the city built none. The Outlet Collections Mall included a bus loop and residential development was included in the overall plan and non-stop housing has been built the last 10 years. IKEA itself has the most advanced geo-thermal plant. More housing has gone up at a former railyard and value added to the tax base inside city limits than almost any place else in the city. They are a $100 million business here and prior to arriving, people from the province ordered from the catalogue and had it shipped. There are 400 full and part-time workers employed.

 

IKEA doesn't owe any apologies to anyone in Winnipeg. And no one working there does either. If only every mall built the last 50 years included that much housing. The mall could easily be in Headingley.

There was some talk on infill which has been an issue in the city. IKEA above could be considered retail and residential infill. Certainly Kapyong will be infill of a military base. One candidate said there should be a three floor limit on Charleswood multi-unit development. Sadly, that likely won't be enough for those aging in the community to remain there. Is it is wonder they are moving to Seasons of Tuxedo?

On the issue of crime, there was a lot of talk of prevention, addiction and poverty. With two candidates from Justice and police, there was some interesting talk on reform and budget in that area.

Audience questions were written in and we were told that an email would come back with candidate responses. In my case, it will be too late. Based on the information I did have, I voted already.

Here is how I came to my decision on my vote:

What was the driving force that led them to running?

What connection did the candidate have to the ward?

What was their grasp of the issues?

Did they seem to be able to articulate a vision?

Did they seem to have the temperament to be in office?

Every election there are candidates for mayor, council and trustee who fall into categories unfit for office. One of those is the candidate that is there to get publicity for their brand. Prime example of that is Donald Trump who even his admirers know was there as much for his business brand and to make money. We had a mayor like that in Winnipeg.

Without guardrails, such a person in office will always run afoul of where their interests lay and where the public's lay.

Another type of candidate is the one that doesn't start in the mail room but believes they are are suited for the CEO's office.  Now, not everyone needs to work their way up from trustee to premier. But there ought to be an indication of life and work experience that might suggest a higher position. For example, Brian Bowman had no Council experience when he ran. But the feeling was that his job as a lawyer and life experience along with his platform was suitable for mayor. Even still, his lack of experience led him into political traps that any Council experience would have informed him on. Case in point: Portage and Main.

Another type of candidate is the one where Council seat is her first step to being Prime Minister. We have seen short term people move right on up including former mayor Glenn Murray.

Lastly, there is the firebrand candidate. We have a few Freedom Convoy types running, we have a few pro-Labour or pro-Commerce types, we have some special interest types running. We seem to have a few people running who would like to get into culture warfare. Invariably, this seems to be a recipe for fighting all the time. 

If one thing was clear, the Charleswood and St. James wards seem to want someone to commit to longer than 4 years, who knows the ward well, who is engaged in policy, can work well with others and is approachable.

I can't really vote for candidates I haven't seen or heard much from. In St. James, former Councillor Shawn Dobson seems to have the lead in signs. But I don't know his policies except he has talked about potholes a lot. For those in Charleswood, Brad Gross probably needed to do more to make people aware of him and what made him the best candidate.

I voted in St. James ward. There were four trustee candidates. One of them was caught on a Ring camera and was going through the mailbox. Not good and not easily explained. The other three were either incumbents or new and seemed intent to do the job of trustee. I voted for them. 

For council, I saw a few people running in St. James who were earnest, educated and community minded. Given that I think that crime is a leading issue, I considered police and changes in policing to be critical. For that reason and because of much experience in the Winnipeg Police, I voted for Tim Diack. He talked police reform and I think his knowledge there is unmatched.

For mayor, I looked at a number issues. Three of the present candidates, I have voted for in a number of elections in the past. However, I look at a host of things that had me evaluate this election if I could vote for them again. With inflation as big an issue this year as it is, with a number of collective bargaining agreements about to be decided and with infrastructure such as water and sewer and roads needing to be fixed, I looked at any tax freeze as possibly a double digit cut in city spending. Even committing to a 2% rise with inflation means an 8% cut.

Some candidates for mayor were not being candid about what cuts they were about to make. Or realistic they could cut wages or benefits and run afoul of the law. Again. And making proposals that depend of the province making your dreams come true is unrealistic. And while there will be federal money every year, it won't pay for all city functions.

I like Shaun Loney quite a bit but feel he is going to run smack right into fights because of other Councillors. Being able to work with Council is not overrated. It is an imperative. I am not completely happy with my pick and not even sure if he will win but I voted for Scott Gillingham. But I did think his proposal on taxes was most realistic even if I think there is no predicting on tri-level government support of his idea of Peguis and Kenaston expansion. Let's just say that is a while lot of negotiation still to happen.

Lastly, I can't vote in Charleswood but lived there many years and after attending the debate, I can say Evan Duncan is exactly the person that you like to see in office. His Justice experience, his long time community involvement and disposition overall should make him a valued member of City Council.

So to review, I voted for:

Mayor: Scott Gillingham

Councillor: Tim Diack

Trustees: Rachelle Wood, Craig Glennie, Michael Cabral

I'm just one voter. If you are more progressive, more conservative or want radical change or no change, you might choose someone different.

Whoever wins, I wish them well. And those not successful this time, remember that many candidates who did not succeed in being elected at some point often were elected some other time.

Crime is Number 1 Issue this Civic Election

It isn't just hysterical media. Tom Broadbeck says crime was worse in Glen Murray's time. It was. We were in an arson and car theft death spiral. It declined by 2014 through better car theft protections from manufacturers and focused police efforts. Likewise, the arson squad arrested some of the worst repeat offenders and it helped. We are about to head back to school in days and you have to wonder: Are we headed for an ever worse crisis?

Safe to say that hard drugs is likely the the culprit in the rise of violent and non-violent crime we are seeing post pandemic now.  And what is getting people is that police response time is just not where it needs to be. Case in point. CTV was reporting a fireworks retailer at 4 PM has an alarm going off, the owners on the phone with 911 and an employee hiding in a backroom while someone is able to go methodically through every drawer to steal as they please. The 911 operator did not believe the threat and the police did not respond. On the same weekend a father posted to TikTok how his 14 year old son and his friends were robbed of their backpacks and possessions and still faced assault with a hammer. The 911 operator argued with the father and said police could not come to every assault. They eventually showed up at 1 AM to talk to the sleeping traumatized son.

Bike theft is not even reported anymore by many because the solution rate to the crime is tiny. The police did arrest two in River Heights who had four bikes and other contraband with one heck of a lot of weapons. One had an outstanding warrant. Excellent work.  Hopefully they are not out Monday and back at it. And hope that some people who had their bikes stolen recover them.

This should not reflect on individual police but if we are at emergency readiness every minute of every day, the police chief should call a news conference and state what he needs. We need answers. What should the response time be? Are we in a state of emergency? Do we need 50 more officers, 100 more officers, 500 more officers?

And city candidates, we about to head into the first days of September this week. What are you going to do about it? What? Random murders are happening. Police shootings. Break-ins and theft all over the city. We cannot have people hiding in bedrooms, backrooms and behind counters with no police response. The holidays are over. It is starting to feel like a war and we are losing.

Civic Election in Winnipeg 2022 - Part 3

Another tough few weeks for crime. Two homicides to add to a possible record year.

Starting last Friday a stolen car rams police and takes off with pursuit called off. Police were not finished with the subject though as they located them the next day. While executing a search warrant, they located the man and a 10 hour stand-off took place. This is important because police were short all weekend from responding to some other things. The man eventually gave up and faces a load of charges.

In another incident on the same street of Langside, policed executed a search warrant for guns. Suspect led them on a foot chase

Two uniformed Transit workers off duty and near where the Fort Rouge Transit workplaces are were assaulted. Suspect is still out there.

Around the same time someone was assaulted last Saturday on the Osborne Bridge. Police are asking for help with any witnesses.

Various homeowers in St. James and River Heights are confronted and in one case assaulted by break and enter thieves. No police immediate police response. The reason is that they are involved in ever growing multiple officer involved violent incidents.

At midnight last week a 15 year old tried to hold up five people twice with a gun. They fled the first time and the second time stood their ground. He was overpowered by and held for police. The gun was a realistic air pistol.

---

Who will you vote for in the the upcoming city election? Me? I haven't a clue. 

The mayor's seat is open with Brian Bowman not seeking a third term.

My council seat in St. James is open as the Councillor Scott Gillingham is seeking the mayor's job. It has five registered candidates including one former Councillor and one former mayoral candidate.

For the mayor's job we have 14 candidates including a few Councillors, former mayoral candidates, former MP, former political leader and former mayor.

It is still very early and candidates are still announcing their candidacy and often people don't pay too much attention until after Labour Day. The problem is the fall is so busy and election day will come fast and undecided voters like myself will still be sifting through candidates.

There are five weeks left to the cut off for nominations so some Councillors with no challengers have till then to find out of they are acclaimed. I am not keen on acclamation. Only one time in my ward when I was back in school did that happen. The Councillor was well respected but it struck me as a failure to have an open discussion of ideas. Incumbency scares off would be candidates who have to step down from jobs, sometime permanently to run. I'm not for term limits but is there no way to support a run if a candidate gets a certain percentage of vote?

The real power in civic government lies with the province. And when the province refuses to meet as we saw with the Pallister government, it is hard to run and finance the city or make legislative changes aside from by-laws. Pallister at the stroke of a pen was going to eliminate elected school boards for boards appointed by him. It was probably this move that led to the revolt in his party. Notwithstanding the fact that school boards have the lowest voter turnout and control hundreds of millions, the decision to end them with appointed people loyal to the premier brought out anger.

In Canada, the constitution says local government is the "creature of the provinces" which means we play by rules set by the government of the day. When we vote and what powers our elected officials have are all decided by the province. Education is a shared area with the province which till recent years was largely funded by property tax. The province like much of Canada is moving away from that model but it will take years. 

I am looking at whether candidates are firmly rooted in reality. This doesn't mean they can't have vision but if they say they will end homelessness, or cut waste from city government, they had better indicate how. I understand there is a learning curve for those elected. If that is the case then I am looking at skills, knowledge of the issues, an indication that there is a willingness to build a team or work with partners, a scrupulous adherence to honesty and a plan. 

The plan is is the most important part. I have voted for candidates in the past for well thought and considered plans. I like to assess if the person is on an ego trip or running to get their brand out there. In other words, do they want the glamour of running and maybe winning but don't have the stamina or wherewithal to sustain actual work. And make no mistake, it is work to attend all those meetings. Governing takes work and it requires making agreement because it requires getting the votes to make decisions.

Lastly, if a mayor wants to be away every weekend, they will miss something like a Remembrance Day and infuriate the public. A mayor and council have to measure their roles as public figures and leaders. Sure, you can go on holiday. Assign someone to stand in, state you will be on holiday and be transparent. And if you intend to quit early, consider not running. The term is four years. Once again, whatever your thoughts on Brian Bowman, he is serving his full term, was transparent that he would not run again and leaves enough time to transition to the next democratically elected leader. Mark that contrast to the province where we have had the premier quit, a byelection called and a leadership convention for a new premier a few years ahead of the next election.

 So who to vote for in the next election? Looks to see who best can represent you in council and mayor. Push the candidates to release policy ideas, question their commitment and not let them rely on celebrity or familiarity to put them in office. Hold the media to account by comparing and contrasting candidate experience, policies and overall vision.

Crime and Safety in Winnipeg in 2022 Part 8

In past posts I have detailed what local, provincial and federal governments might do. There are plenty of things private citizens, organizations and companies can do as well to help with safety and reduce crime. Let's start on the individual level.

- Continue to support Bear Clan and Peace Walker teams. They are volunteers so provide them your support both in person and in donations. Find space for them to use. They are not police but they do so much to make people feel safe and supported. Osborne Village is the latest to engage this group. 

- Better video security at home, office and public spaces. It may not stop all crime but is a valuable preventative and investigative tool. Ensure that privacy issues and security of footage is abided by. It shouldn't need saying but cameras in bathrooms and change areas is not security. It is a violation. However, a camera looking out the front or back of your house or around your work or a public park are fine within the confines of privacy laws. And good quality cameras really do count.

- Shoplifting has not completely ended in liquor stores but checking IDs at the door and keeping door locked has stopped swarming, under the drinking age and habitual theft from happening. And when product goes missing, there is a good idea who took it. Cannabis stores have been well protected from the beginning. Regular stores are reluctant to operate with locked doors because there is a good percentage of lost sales from people annoyed by it. For liquor, cigarettes and cannabis, people just accept it if they want those products. However, given the fact that stores like 7/Eleven are closing in various places in Winnipeg, you have to wonder if the locked door policy pending ID will spread.

- They are ugly as can be but with so many windows being many businesses are turning to metal shutters. The plywood up on windows is an indication how bad things have gotten. Pre-pandemic it was more rare but with fewer people on the streets, this type of attack is costly. In these cases, cameras have likely caught what happened but damage is done when your window is destroyed and a slow response time means thieves are come and gone by the time police or security or business owner arrives. I imagine that is a lonely and sad time waiting for the plywood to open outside your shop. A metal gate might seem to be your only hope. Eventually areas start to look like Beirut though.

- Re-direct all package deliveries to local post office. Your front porch is an invitation to theft if you are not home to receive it. Want to keep your local post office alive, use it. If there are package lockers to receive goods, use them. Not surprisingly, people follow the Amazons trucks in Winnipeg. If you want your house to receive regular visits by thieves, this is the way to do it.

- Cars on streets are always vulnerable to theft, break-ins and the like. Some people in River Heights have gotten in the habit of leaving nothing in their cars and the doors open. That doesn't seem to stop the broken windows. Only police patrols and arrests eased the problem. But is has been consistent over the year in various neighbourhoods. In the 1970s many people had one car and it was parked in a garage. Now cars are parked end to end on every block of the city including places with double and triple garages. So many cars. A tracker can help with outright theft but vandalism is possible any time in public as well as parts theft. When possible, get parts printed with the VIN number. Don't leave anything visible on seats or console.

- Not sure how many times this has to be mentioned but don't hand out money to roadside panhandling. People have died on the road because of it and many others have likely been hurt by overdoses. Panhandling means people can bypass health and care services in favour of getting money that results in pandemic of overdose and rescue. Money for assistance should go to organizations who do make a difference on the streets. No one will stand on a corner if the result is zero money. Addiction means seeking cash. Our help has to come from different options.

- Support women's shelters. Women and children need to know there is a safe place to go. Domestic violence continues to be where we too high a rate of harm. Women shouldn't have difficulty getting to or finding places that are safe.

- Volunteer and donate. Food banks, safe walks, community clubs can always use help in people and money. Want safety in your area? Make it look like people live, work and have recreation there. Don't live in a fortress.

- Fix broken windows, cover over graffiti, maintain properties. Some places are repeatedly broken into and set fire to because no one cares for them. 

- Offer safe parking for bikes. What is the point of biking if it they are stolen every day? Make your business/residence a place where people can trust their bike will be there when they get back. This applies to schools, community clubs, apartments and condos, restaurants and everything in between. Riding bikes is something families do. When they put official bike trails in Assiniboine Park in the 1970s people used them and still do. But what if you want to go for ice cream and come back and find your bike gone? Do better. Have a secure lock-up area.

- Keep people apprised of what you are doing? Dating someone new? Let someone know. Selling something? Let someone know. It is easy to become a victim.

- Remember crimes can happen even when you are at home. Be aware that commercial crimes, blackmail, extortion and others things can come while in the safety of being at home. Have those discussion with seniors, teens, vulnerable people and for yourself, consult when you don't know.

Reclaiming our safety and reducing crime is going to be multi-pronged. Learn from what made you vulnerable to past security issues. But don't live in fear. 

Civic Election in Winnipeg 2022 Part 2

 

As the city election looms, three Free Press columnists reflect on the past mayor and the future mayor. In the first column Peter Denton correctly points out a few things in regards to Mayor Bowman. He indicates that part of the assessment of how successful the mayor was has to be couched with how Premier Pallister literally refused to meet or take calls. This wasn't isolated to the mayor and the broken relationship can't be pinned on the mayor or the city. The only call the premier wanted was from the PM and more federal money with no strings to presumably not spend or issue as a tax cut.

Denton also points out the pandemic for the inability to exit office triumphantly. It is a point taken. Winnipeg will be struggling for a while. And Covid is still making people sick, some very badly so. I will say a few things about Bowman. I believe he has been trying to root out the corruption in regards to the police headquarters. He has had zero help from the province on that. He has tried to rein in the above inflation increases in spending on police pensions and remove a union fire head from the public payroll. I think he has incrementally tried to do his part for reconciliation and Pride when other leaders turned their backs.

For his troubles, there are a number of councillors who believe they are mayor and act like it. Their goal has been to block any initiative they didn't come up with. Some do it for small government and some the opposite. It is why the mayor uses the executive policy committee as a cudgel rather than a steering committee to ensure enough votes for any initiative. Some councillors are permanently on the outside because party politics continues on in secret alliances. It is no wonder why the mayor probably thought two terms was enough. And this is where we should be thankful he was not coy. He stated well in advance he was leaving and this is why we have 14 people lined up for the open mayor's chair. A number of experienced Councillors have stepped forward who otherwise might have stayed in place had the mayor stayed on or even announced very late that he wasn't running

The second article of interest in the Free Press was by Barbara Bowes who detailed from a human resources standpoint what we might look for in a mayor. She said to pay attention to their reason for running. Is this an ego boost only? What are their objectives and goals? Perennial candidates like Nick Ternette were not insincere when they ran. They ran as activists. And while they didn't win, they won respect? No one thought Ternette was looking for a cushy job. He ran do change things.

Other questions Bowes asks are: What experience does a candidate have? Running for mayor and bypassing Councillor or other elected office means a learning curve unless other experience comes into play. Are they business people, run an organization, been in academia, been an activist or had some political experience? If they ran last mayor's election, what have they done in the interim to prepare for another run.

What leadership and communication skills do they have? And even if you check off all those boxes, do you have popular people skills? One story I just heard is from when someone used to have Glen Murray as Councillor and a got a parking ticket. They gave full blast on the Councillor's voice mail. Murray called personally twice to tell the constituent they thought they had the basis to contend the ticket. I'm not sure if the ticket was won but it earned Murray a voter then and now. This type of retail politics can work. It earned John Harvard a seat in a Tory blue riding but Glen Murray could not capture Harvard's support in same riding because they were two different men, had different interactions with people and Murray did not have enough time to create roots of retail politics in the area.

Finally, Royce Koop's column on Friday spoke of how crime will be a focus of the civic election. It would be a mistake to assume Glen Murray's anti-helicopter stance is anti-police. If he pushes the beat cop approach, it could resonate. Not everyone is a fan of the helicopter based on cost and how much time is required to repair it versus it being in the air. There may be a variety of opinion on what type of policing is needed. This is as much a political opinion as a practical opinion. Defend the helicopter and senior police might have to say how it is better than say...six police on the ground. And woe to anyone who says we need both without showing projected stats on how crime will go down.

Conservatives might find simply saying we need 200 more cops now could face questions from their own supporters asking for costing of that promise as well as proof results will occur. Progressives who ask for cops to be cut had better show how redirected money also reduces crime and show proof of that. Promises that lack substance will be chewed up. Yes, crime will be an issue and it could be a progressive who comes down strong on that area that steals the fire from a conservative.

And given how many people are in the race, expect things to get dirty. Any questionable matter that a candidate thought was buried will come up such as any legal issues, addiction problems, domestic issues, race issues, misogyny or links to criminals, financial records, business ties, donor lists or vote counts records. Not all will be crippling. Some things will be baked into the equation. Some will require explanation. But in a close race, expect an October surprise.

---

I received one of those telephone polls on Monday. It asked at that the time if I would consider a vote for Paula Havixbeck and Hal Anderson. I thought Anderson was an outside chance having the radio job he probably has wanted for a long time. However, like Geoff Currier, he probably was drawn to local politics and an open seat is Charleswood is as good as it gets. Only candidate so far is Brad Gross who has tried his hand at runs for mayor and at least council seats. I believe he lives on the other side of the Red River. There are no rules on running in your region though but it comes up every election. Anderson's last day was today where he asked his listeners to vote for him.

Media types have run before. Some win like John Harvard, others lose like Garth Dawley. I mentioned Geoff Currier from CJOB already. Anderson endorsed Kevin Klein for mayor and has supported more police. His politics are right-leaning. In a race of two people thus far, he stands a good chance of winning. However, endorsing Klein means his position in council might be tougher if another candidate wins.

Interesting times.

---

Glen Murray continues to get endorsements. He landed the firefighter union early on and now has the Labour Council with count 40 unions among its members including CUPE 500, the large city employees union. The police have not said who they are supporting or if they will support someone yet although some leaders are supporting Klein.

---

Suburban candidates who think crime is a downtown issue would do well to pay attention to the machete wielding, sawed off rifle carrying individual at Kildonan Place out do some shoplifting. These occurrences are not just media hysteria. They are reminders that there is no safety bubble in the city. Rampant theft of catalytic converters continues as Rana Bokhari can attest to with her campaign vehicle crippled and Kildonan Place with the machete incident show the suburbs are not immune to what is happening.

Crime and Safety in Winnipeg in 2022 Part 5

The problems cannot be solved by running around in police cars responding though with no plan, no training and no objective measurement. Not to mention creating bottlenecks in remand, court dates, provincial and federal prisons, parole, mental health assessments, halfway houses and social work. It is so slow turning the policy ship around. Sadly, one of the least powerful of the government bodies in making change is municipal governments. A mayor and council lack sufficient legal, budgetary and regulatory resources to do the work asked of them. But they can do something. On the local side, the police are a powerful tool but can be a blunt one. As we near a city election, here is what some politicians should commit to.

- Daily in-person police briefings carried out on city website and social media. If crime is a crisis then treat it like one and keep the public informed seven days a week. The question of whether enough information about attacks on women on public trails last year still stings. This includes news releases and briefings.

- Commit to bodycams for police and a policy for their release in investigations and for public transparency. Likewise, all patrol cars should be equipped as well. For those that say cameras have no effect on anything, they are wrong. Be prompt about release. Nothing is more corrosive than holding back footage or editing it to dissemble to the public.

- Support a CCTV camera program. Ensure that a consultation phase takes place, that it applies to public places where there may be a pressing need, have rules in place on privacy, have signage to indicate public security and who is watching and how long data is retained. Independent audit and evaluation.

- More police on the beat.  The patrol car responding to crimes as they happen or after they happen will always be required. But true prevention is probably only going to occur with a cop who knows every business in his area, knows the kids, knows the schools and builds trust and by his mere presence is able to prevent things from happening.

- More community patrols and supports for them. Bear Clan Patrol and other community patrols are needed and wanted. They should have community offices to store patrol equipment such as flashlights, communications, orange vests, water, first aid kits, disposals for sharps. It is very hard to commit crimes when 10 to 30 people in orange vests walk down the street. Moreover, it is a lot easier to accept help when a group like this comes by to offer food or water.

- Hire more crime analysts. Good data means more safety, security and policing. Today's property crime is not just pawn shops but social media platforms where stolen good are sold. Crimes taking place on the Internet require expertise there. Breaking encryption, GPS tracking, analyzing numbers in where, when, what and how crimes are taking place can determining the who and why of crime. For example: if a whole bunch of crimes take place with bear spray, the analysts find out how this crime takes place. Where is it coming from? This can lead to who.

- Safety audits to determine parts of city that could use more police presence, better lighting, mirrors, panic buttons, safety walks or any other assistance.

- Safety also means looking for fire hazards, needles and neglect that can lead to crime or safety issues. Not every matter a city deals with is a police issue. Illegal dumping, fire threats and buildings left to rot all lie within city domain. Not the province or the feds.

- Lastly, zoning. Single room occupancy used to support 1,000 people in Winnipeg. The city zoned it out, drove it out and now we have 1,500 homeless people. An aggressive plan to approve SRO needs to take place. Much like the cannabis industry, it is better to legalize, zone and regulate. The closure of all the downtown Main Street hotels has led to rampant homelessness. While the hotels are never coming back, the housing lost needs to be replaced. There are some fine examples of former hotels converted to SRO along Main. If we had 30 more hotels converted like the Occidental, the burden on homelessness would be far less. 

It might seem overwhelming but the city has to get away from the crisis of police and fire rushing all over the city in war mode with sirens blazing. If it is truly a war then every city employee should be out on the streets emptying out garbage, taking control of boarded up houses and buildings, cleaning up needles, assisting every single person in a transit shelter to get housing this year. Right now. Not later. See above on SRO. That is how a crisis is handled. Treat it like forest fire and act like in an emergency if that is what gets the job done. 

A reporter recently said that candidates in the election were making promises that had no basis in reality because they were never fully costed or assessed as being possible. In fairness, many on council don't even get good budget numbers as they seem reserved only for the mayor and executive policy committee. How decisions get made sometimes doesn't even get to the mayor's office. 

Still, the above should be achievable through zoning and management of fire and police. The city doesn't have to build thousands of units of housing on their own. It can come through zoning. Extraordinary spending is not needed. Just stop driving the lowest cost of housing to extinction thinking you are cleaning up the city. This power lies within the city and with council to do this.

Civic Election in Winnipeg 2022 Part 1

Brian Bowman was elected in 2014 and in 2022 will have served a full two teams. Some time ago the mayor announced he would not be running again giving a year and a half or more to prepare for potential candidates. Nearly no one took up the mantle. At least publicly. In fairness, Bowman himself did not announce he was running until May of 2014, six months before the October election.

It takes a while to announce a candidacy for many. Presumably, most have to discuss with family, take time off whatever work, retirement or home situation they are in, measure the risk of not being able to return to that situation, judge how much money, organization and support a candidacy with garner and lastly, think on what reason you are running for. 

While running for mayor without prior political office is common in Winnipeg, it is extremely difficult to gain traction and recognition or be taken seriously as a candidate. Presumably money helps. But what the message is and where the money is spent is important. Social media presence should not be presumed to be a key to office. It is just as likely to be a lightening rod and a time waster than a vote getter.

One candidate announced early. His name is Shaun Loney and has started several social enterprises. He is a NDP member and for a very long time the NDP has tried to capture the mayor's office to no success. He is distancing himself from the party but the connections are as important as those with Conservative and Liberal connections insofar as how influence of policy, money and associations go. Perennial candidate Don Woodstock has also tossed his hat in the ring.

It is an open seat for mayor which could draw the most candidates in a decade for the job. This means that the debate stage may feature two dozen people with some perennial candidates who could be just polishing their brand. Historically, some candidates could be charitably called eccentrics while others are activists. No matter, in terms of debates, organizers are under no obligation to invite two dozen people to a stage and no more than a minute or two of engagement. Candidates could outright refuse to be part of a spectacle. Some way of determining public debate qualifications should be determined. That could be public opinion polls or completion of questionnaires to qualify for the debate.

One of the reasons we don't see more City Councillors run is because they have to to quit their Council job to run for mayor. I believe this would never survive a constitutional challenge but no one has ever attempted it. The list of Councillors saying they won't run is long. Resigning their Council seat is a major fact in staying put. But an open seat is too big a chance for some on Council to pass up. This is why John Orlikow in River Heights-Fort Garry has indicated he is running.

The announcement now is to discourage other Councillors from entering the race. It likely won't stop at least a few other Councillors from trying. Kevin Klein from Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood will likely announce soon. Scott Gillingham St. James is also on that trajectory. But then so is Markus Chambers  St. Norbert-Seine River. It remains to be seen if one of these four lose their nerve before the May 1st lick off to registering as a candidate. If not, all four seats will have to be vacated before they can officially run. That would leave four open Council seats and they don't come around too often either.

Early days yet but a lot of open seats should bring out a full house. The question is: Will anyone be able to figure what any of the numerous candidate's platforms are? Will it even matter?

Winnipeg Civic Elections Endorsements

I have been terribly undecided all this civic election.

I think I had my school trustee selection for Ward 1 in Pembina Trails decided before any of my other candidate selections.

Without further adieu here are my selections for trustees.

I am voting tomorrow for Dianne Zuk and Eugene Melnyk, the incumbents. Why? I think Pembina Trails so far has been managed fairly well and they have the experience to watch for the big changes coming in Waverley West. The new trustree I am voting for is Jaime Glenat who is endorsed by retiring incumbent Gail Watson. I was leaning toward Glenat even before hearing that though.

For Charleswood-Tuxedo councillor I am voting for Evan Duncan. Why? He speaks passionately on the issues and seems intent on representing the ward. Why him and not others? I was concerned about some candidates having two jobs in business and in council and not having significant separation between the two. I was concerned some candidates were too party connected.

In the end, politics isn't personal. The person I don't vote for this time can be the person I vote for next time. That is also vice versa.

In the last election, I voted for Judy Waslycia-Leis. I won't this time. I have not been certain she can be her own woman once elected. I have thought I'd vote for Brian Bowman to ensure JWL doesn't win. However, I have been disappointed in the candidate from time to time. I have been impressed with Robert-Falcon Ouellette even when I don't always agree with him.

What can you say about Steeves? While some might agree with some of his policies, the campaign has been a three ring circus. As for other candidates, it is a crowded field and standing out is hard.

For mayor, I will be voting for Robert -Falcon Ouellette.

I am often on the losing side of elections. It isn't as important to me as feeling happy with that vote. And just every so often, my candidate wins.

I am one voter. Just vote for the candidate you think is right.

Charleswood-Tuxedo Fun Questions - Kevin Nichols

Question 1: What is your favourite form of recreation?

I just like being outdoors, working around the house or working on my cars.

Question 2: Do you have any hobbies?

My hobbies include working on my cars and woodworking.

Question 3: Do you support any charities?

I donate to various charities, no one in particular.

Question 4: What is your favourite book(s)?

Favourite book – The Iron Maiden

Question 5: What is your favourite movie(s)?

Too many to list, but of them all I would say Vision Quest, then Top Gun, then Days of Thunder.

Question 6: What is your favourite TV show(s)? 

NCIS is up there as a favourite, Magnum P.I. was a great one too,again, too many to list

Question 7: What is your favourite sport(s)?

Football hands down

Question 8: Who is the most important person(s) in your life?

Well I suppose I could say the person who cuts me a cheque every two weeks, but I better say my wife is the most important person in my life

Question 9: What is the last sporting event in Winnipeg that you attended?

The Bomber game, season ticket holder(obvious from #7)

Question 10: What is the last artistic event that you have attended in Winnipeg?

Not really the art type, I guess going to Gimli drag races doesn’t count, although I think it is an art to take 3500 lbs and make it do 200 mph in a quarter mile.

Question 11: What is your favourite type of music?

Heavy Metal, Rock(classic)

Question 12: Who is your favourite musician(s)?

Iron Maiden

Question 13: Who is your favourite author(s)?

I don’t really have a favourite

Question 14: What is the mode of transportation you use daily?

I use my car in the summer and my truck in the winter

Question 15: Who is the person you admire most outside of your family?

I wouldn’t say it is one person per se but more a group, I admire anyone that volunteers, that is the person who I admire.

Question 16: What school did you graduate from?

I graduated from John Taylor Collegiate in 1982

Question 17: What was the first job you ever had?

I worked concession at the stadium and arena as my first job

Question 18: What was your dream job growing up?

Always dreamed of being City Councillor

Question 19: What countries have you visited?

I have always lived in Canada

Question 20: Do you have a cottage?

I do not have a cottage, don’t need one, I live in Charleswood

Question 21: Do you have a second winter home?

I don’t have a second winter home

Question 22: Where was your last holiday and how long were you away for?

I vacationed in the States, 10 days driving

Question 23: What would be your dream holiday destination?

My dream get away, somewhere warm in the winter, Florida, Texas, Arizona

Question 24: What languages do you speak?

Well before my morning coffee I speak gibberish, my main language is English

Question 25: What is your favourite dessert?

Puff Wheat cake

Question 26: What is your favourite food?

 Roast beef with red pepper jelly

Question 27: What is your favourite restaurant?

Don’t really have a favourite restaurant, love all kinds, especially Chinese food

Question 28: What radio stations do you listen to?

I listen to 92.1, Wheeler in the morning and Shadoe at night

Question 29: What local or national newscasts do you watch on TV?

I watch Global news

Question 30: What provincial politician do you admire the most?

Duff Roblin – his foresight has yet to be matched

Question 31: What federal politician do you admire the most?

I don’t really have one that I admire

Question 32: Who in history would you want to have dinner with if you were to get the chance?

Bruce Lee

Question 33: Who is your secret celebrity crush?

Princess Di

Question 34: Which are better dogs or cats?

I don’t know if they are better or not but I do prefer dogs over cats

Question 35: What is your favourite season of the year?

Spring

Charleswood-Tuxedo Questionnaire - Kevin Nichols

Question 1: What is your name?

Kevin Nichols

Question 2: What is your profession? What business holdings do you have in Winnipeg and beyond. How would you avoid conflict of interest as an elected official with what you do now?

My profession- Safety Technician for the City of Winnipeg, I have no business holdings in or beyond Winnipeg. As a City employee of 28 years, I deal with conflict all the time. To avoid conflict of interest I would back away from anything that may even be perceived as a conflict of interest.

Question 3: How old are you?

Age- 50

Question 4: Can you tell us about your family?

My family – I am married with 3 kids

Question 5: Why are you running in Charleswood-Tuxedo?

I am running for Council for Charleswood – Tuxedo – Whyte Ridge because I feel that our needs have not been addressed and have gone unheard. I feel I can do the job that will restore public confidence and benefit all the citizens in the ward and the City.

Question 6: How long have you lived in the ward? Do you live full time in Winnipeg?

I have lived in Charleswood for 22 years, I was born and raised in the City of Winnipeg. Lived here all my life.

Question 7: Have you had any past political affiliations in provincial or federal politics?

I have no political ties what so ever.

Question 8: Who did you vote for in the last civic election both for mayor and councillor and why? How would you rate the last council and mayor?

I honestly don’t remember who I voted for, but I do know it wasn’t for the current mayor and councillor. I would rate them as failing miserably.

Question 9: Do you feel your political views are left, center or right? How would you describe your political views?

 My political views are neutral. While there are good ideas from all parties, there are equally bad ideas. My beliefs are that a politician is elected by the people and should represent all the people. I believe that people should vote for common sense, not a party. I also believe that party politics has no place in the City Council.

Question 10: What do you think are the major issues for the city of Winnipeg?

Infrastructure is a major issue, without a doubt there has been some neglected infrastructure throughout the City. Urban sprawl is another one, and very poor planning implementation.

Question 11: What do you think are the major issues for the ward of Charleswood-Tuxedo?

The major issues are the disappearing green space, the lack of indoor facilities for programs to run and the big one coming is the development of Ridgewood South.

Question 12: Do you support a tax freeze or do you believe that taxes should go up to re-build infrastructure and support programs?

Before we talk about tax freeze, tax increase or anything to do with taxes, we have to look at where the money is going and how can we be more efficient. If we are only getting 60 cents on the dollar for work that is done, we need to find out why and get better at what we do. Questions have to be asked of many people to ensure that our tax dollars are spent efficiently to get the best bang for our buck. Then and only then can we look at what an increase or freeze will be.

Question 13: Do you support cuts in the city of Winnipeg budget? Where?

We need to look at our wants and needs. Based on those, we can look at where to cut and where to increase. If it costs less to hire more fire fighters than to pay overtime, then it makes more sense to hire fire fighters. This holds true for all City departments.

Question 14: Do you support increases in the city of Winnipeg budget? Where?

See question 13.

Question 15: Do you support an increase, decrease or a freeze in the city budget for police officers? Do you believe we need more police officers? If so, would you support a tax increase for it?

The budget and what we spend on will give an indication of increase, decrease or freeze. I believe that more police need to walk the beat downtown, this does have a direct impact on the amount of crime. I believe that resources need to be deployed where they are needed most and a better use of those resources needs to be looked into. The cadet program is a wonderful program but it needs to be carried further. This program should be more of an apprenticeship where they shadow police officers to learn.

Question 16: What is your view on crime in the city of Winnipeg and what can you as councillor do about it?

I have seen the crime stats and they vary in degrees of violence, kinds of crime and numbers being committed. I believe as a councillor I can see that resources such as training are provided to ensure we prevent crime rather than just investigate it.

Question 17: Do you support rapid bus transit or light rail transit? Do you have any other ideas for rapid transit? Do you believe Charleswood is well served for public transit?

As Rapid Transit is designed right now, I can’t get behind it and wont. I believe that the City would be better served by adding more buses and more operators to man those buses. I would also like to see Cadets ride the buses as a deterrent to crime on buses such as assaults. Transit needs to provide increased service to all areas, transporting 10 people fast is not efficient. The diamond lanes seem to be working very well, moving people fast and causing less disruption to Transit operations.

Question 18: Do you believe a city should fund a zoo? If yes or no, please indicate why. 

I do believe a City should fund a zoo, and promote it as a major tourist attraction. When the zoo was handed over, it became too commercial and less attractive to those on a fixed income. It used to be a great place for parents to take kids on a nice summer day. Now it seems as if it is a “go once” type of thing and that’s it because it is too costly for parents to take their kids every day. I have been to a few zoos and for what other zoos charge, we are far behind in attractions.

Question 19: Do you believe a city should fund arts and culture? If yes or no, indicate why.

Yes, we do need to provide subsidies to the arts to a point. Arts in many forms help to enhance the city and promote creative thinking.

Question 20: Do you believe the fire department should have an increase, decrease or a freeze in their budget? Would you support a tax increase for the fire department?

See question 13. We need to look at all city departments to find efficiencies.

Question 21: Do you believe that roads, water and sewer should receive an increase, decrease or freeze in their budget? Would you support a tax increase for roads, water and sewer?

I believe there are efficiencies to be found(seeing the work done first hand) and before discussing budgets we need to look at what is really needed to maintain the roads and all infrastructure.

Question 23: Would you support the city of Winnipeg having a sales tax in addition to property tax?

No, I believe this will drive more people to shop elsewhere. I believe developing a municipal income tax coupled with a property tax decrease would be far more beneficial to everyone and bring in more revenue for the city.

Question 24: Do you think Winnipeg should have a tax cut? If yes or no, explain why?

See question 21.

Question 25: Do you believe that the present city of Winnipeg budget is adequate for the city of Winnipeg? If yes or no, explain why.

I believe we have to look at how we do business and what we spend money on. We also need to look at the overspending that is done such as for a new police station. We also need to look at contracts such as those for CAO’s that don’t work for us anymore but still receive a paycheck from the City.

Question 26: Should education be funded through property tax or through general funds from the province?

The province should look at different ways to fund schools and it should not be funded by property taxes.

Question 27: Do you support term limits? Will you be serving a term limit even if there are no rules in place? How long will you serve?

I believe a person’s term is decided by the constituents, if you have a great person in place, why get rid of them. If the people are not pleased with the elected official, then change will happen.

Question 27: Do you think housing should be allowed at The Forks? If yes or no, explain why.

No, the Forks is a gathering place for all, not just those that live there. The Forks has become too commercial and has strayed from its original intent in my opinion.

Question 28: What changes (if any) should be done to upkeep our city parks and recreation programs? 

More trees need to be planted in certain areas, this will cut down on the amount of grass to mow, which costs the city money. We need to ensure that new developments have adequate green space in the form of fields, not walking paths. We need to enhance green space not build on it.

Question 29: What do hope to see in the Kapyong Barracks along Kenaston?

Widen Kenaston is top of the list for Kapyong barracks. After that I would say high density housing close to Kenaston gradually tapering to regular housing to match the neighbourhood backing onto it.

Question 30: Do you support a moratorium on development on old railway lines in favour of rapid transit and bike corridors?

This should have taken place long ago, we had the chance to make a bus lane on the abandon line running north/south paralleling Kenaston. We crammed residential development into it instead.

Question 31: Do you support widening Kenaston to three lanes in each direction?

See question 29.

Question 32: Do you support the creation of service roads for any further shopping developments?

Yes, we should have made them along Kenaston south of Taylor.

Question 33: What is your view on city taxes helping to build professional arenas and stadiums?

In some major projects, I believe a reasonable amount of help is essential to help the community. However, I think that lavish spending must be curtailed if funds are provided.

Question 34: What is your view of a possible call for taxpayer help to expand  attractions around the MTS Centre? Would you support it? 

No, the arena was upgraded/funded in order to rejuvenate the downtown, if the surrounding businesses cant survive with this kind of help, then funding should not be put forward.

Question 35: What do you believe the city should do to ensure a vital downtown? Do you believe it is important as a councillor to support it?

Lots of proposals have been put forward to help downtown and not much has helped. I believe that a plan to get more people living downtown and more grocery stores available will help to draw people downtown. I would support any plan that is reasonable and sustainable to help ensure downtown does not end up a wasteland.

Question 36: Do you believe that some city service should be privatized? What services (if any) would be candidates for it?


I believe that some city services would be best served in a private industry, such as when specialized equipment is required. I believe the City has gone too far and has too much private enterprise involved. An example is garbage collection. When it was city owned and operated, the guys may occasionally drop some garbage. They would take the time to pick it all up, now, the ditches have garbage in them all over the place because no one even gets out of the truck if something falls out.

Having worked for the city for 28 years, I have seen worker pride and morale decrease, I would like to bring back worker pride, increase morale. As anyone knows, a happy employee produces more in a more efficient manner.

Charleswood-Tuxedo Questionnaire

Last election, I sent out a questionnaire for the candidates of Charleswood-Tuxedo and this year I am doing the same.

I am still undecided and slowly making my way to a decision. I have formed the questions to be informative as well as fun. They were mailed out to all of the candidates and I post the results in complete form when they come in.

Here are the questions:

Questions for the candidates for Charleswood-Tuxedo Ward

Question 1: What is your name?

Question 2: What is your profession? What business holdings do you have in Winnipeg and beyond. How would you avoid conflict of interest as an elected official with what you do now?

Question 3: How old are you?

Question 4: Can you tell us about your family?

Question 5: Why are you running in Charleswood-Tuxedo?

Question 6: How long have you lived in the ward? Do you live full time in Winnipeg?

Question 7: Have you had any past political affiliations in provincial or federal politics?

Question 8: Who did you vote for in the last civic election both for mayor and councillor and why? How would you rate the last council and mayor?

Question 9: Do you feel your political views are left, center or right? How would you describe your political views?

Question 10: What do you think are the major issues for the city of Winnipeg?

Question 11: What do you think are the major issues for the ward of Charleswood-Tuxedo?

Question 12: Do you support a tax freeze or do you believe that taxes should go up to re-build infrastructure and support programs?

Question 13: Do you support cuts in the city of Winnipeg budget? Where?

Question 14: Do you support increases in the city of Winnipeg budget? Where?

Question 15: Do you support an increase, decrease or a freeze in the city budget for police officers? Do you believe we need more police officers? If so, would you support a tax increase for it?

Question 16: What is your view on crime in the city of Winnipeg and what can you as councillor do about it?

Question 17: Do you support rapid bus transit or light rail transit? Do you have any other ideas for rapid transit? Do you believe Charleswood is well served for public transit?

Question 18: Do you believe a city should fund a zoo? If yes or no, please indicate why.

Question 19: Do you believe a city should fund arts and culture? If yes or no, indicate why.

Question 20: Do you believe the fire department should have an increase, decrease or a freeze in their budget? Would you support a tax increase for the fire department?

Question 21: Do you believe that roads, water and sewer should receive an increase, decrease or freeze in their budget? Would you support a tax increase for roads, water and sewer?

Question 23: Would you support the city of Winnipeg having a sales tax in addition to property tax?

Question 24: Do you think Winnipeg should have a tax cut? If yes or no, explain why?

Question 25: Do you believe that the present city of Winnipeg budget is adequate for the city of Winnipeg? If yes or no, explain why.

Question 26: Should education be funded through property tax or through general funds from the province?

Question 27: Do you support term limits? Will you be serving a term limit even if there are no rules in place? How long will you serve?

Question 27: Do you think housing should be allowed at The Forks? If yes or no, explain why.

Question 28: What changes (if any) should be done to upkeep our city parks and recreation programs?

Question 29: What do hope to see in the Kapyong Barracks along Kenaston?

Question 30: Do you support a moratorium on development on old railway lines in favour of rapid transit and bike corridors?

Question 31: Do you support widening Kenaston to three lanes in each direction?

Question 32: Do you support the creation of service roads for any further shopping developments?

Question 33: What is your view on city taxes helping to build professional arenas and stadiums?

Question 34: What is your view of a possible call for taxpayer help to expand  attractions around the MTS Centre? Would you support it?

Question 35: What do you believe the city should do to ensure a vital downtown? Do you believe it is important as a councillor to support it?

Question 36: Do you believe that some city service should be privatized? What services (if any) would be candidates for it?