the Manitoban

Tag: municipal election

  • Is it time for term limits?

    Is it time for term limits?

    As the civic election heats up with the finalization of official candidates this past Tuesday, all levels of electoral races remain wanting.

    When Winnipeggers go to the polls on Oct. 26, they will have a choice between nine candidates for mayor that are men, and only two candidates that are women. If we are to believe the Probe Research poll, the front runner is a candidate who resigned mid-term the last time he was mayor of Winnipeg to run as a member of parliament. 

    Most bleakly for voters, many candidates are borderline if not outright career politicians, with backgrounds ranging from failed civic and federal races to already poor political performances.

    Worse yet, their campaign promises have been made without the existence of or proposals for infrastructure to back up their plans. 

    The mayoral race is uninspiring to the point of disillusionment.

    And yet, the mayoral race isn’t the only disturbing category in this civic election. The race for councillors isn’t much better.

    Out of Winnipeg’s 15 wards, two incumbent councillors are already acclaimed having reached the candidate deadline unopposed — Devi Sharma of Old Kildonan and Markus Chambers of St. Norbert-Seine River.

    Even for the wards with competition, there are incumbent councillors who may as well be running unopposed as they have become such a part of the fabric of Winnipeg politics. Their runs are basically, to use a golf term, gimmes. 

    Long-time incumbents Jeff Browaty of North Kildonan (councillor since 2006), John Orlikow of River Heights-Fort Garry (councillor since 2009), Ross Eadie of Mynarski and  Sharma (councillors since 2010), Brian Mayes of St. Vital (councillor since 2011), Matt Allard of St. Boniface and Janice Lukes of Waverley West (councillors since 2014) will be nearly impossible to unseat.

    Moreover, Russ Wyatt, whose term as councillor of Transcona ran from 2002-2018 and who faced a sexual assault charge in 2018 that was stayed in 2019, has once again put his name down on this 2022 election ballot for a fifth term. In a recent interview he was unironically quoted as saying “I think we need a change.” 

    While Sharma — who’s running for her fourth consecutive term — made history in her first term as the first woman elected by city council to be speaker of the council, she was quoted recently expressing her disappointment in running unopposed, because competition in politics for a seat is “democracy in action.” 

    My question to these incumbents, some of whom are running for their fourth consecutive term, or even fifth term as councillor, is this: is running for a political seat term after term after term after term “democracy in action?”

    If the incumbent or most recognized name always wins, isn’t it undemocratic to not step aside and let other unknown candidates take over the job?

    With these long haul councillors, then, is it not time for term limits to be introduced in Winnipeg civic politics?

    On the subject of term limits, if elected, this will be Glen Murray’s third term as mayor, regardless of the fact that he quit halfway through his second term. This begs the question: should there be a two-term limit on all civic candidates?

    The argument against term limits is often the “lame duck” opinion, meaning that if a politician knows they will not be able to run again, there is no guarantee that they will perform their duties in the second term of their elected tenure.

    Is having an elected official in their fourth or fifth consecutive term, who is oftentimes elected simply for name recognition’s sake, any better? What if there is a better candidate than the incumbent, but with the downward spiral of democratic interest from the public in recent years, they are not elected?

    I don’t believe democracy in action looks like a person vying for their second decade in the same civic seat they’ve always held.

    All this being said, the school trustee part of the ballot should be making just as many headlines — now more than ever — as teachers continue to work through this pandemic. 

    It may just be that with the voter turnout last election being the lowest since 2006 at 42 per cent, and with the lack of inspiring candidates, that Winnipeg will hold the most apathetic civic election to date.

  • The end of an aura and one candidate’s pledge for change

    The end of an aura and one candidate’s pledge for change

    I took a four-month hiatus from Winnipeg this summer, working in four different provinces across Canada. 

    As a native Winnipegger of 20 years, I hold a certain gratitude and admiration for this city, as it raised me to be who I am today. Though upon return, much of my prior appreciation for the city and its character has vanished.

    Seemingly in a blink of an eye, the aura Winnipeg once gave off — that of a lively home for local artists, restaurants and exhibits — had disappeared.

    In gauging public complacency regarding Winnipeg’s declining nightlife scene, a political studies student told me, “you don’t realize how little there is to do here until you go somewhere else.” 

    He took the words out of my mouth. Seldom after a soirée elsewhere do I think to myself, “Winnipeg does it better.” 

    Students are not the only ones who have growing concerns with our nightlife downturn. Mayoral candidate Shaun Loney has plans to, upon election, appoint a “nightlife mayor.” 

    The idea for the position came from Thomas Sparling, executive director at Creative Manitoba, who has been a long-standing advocate for Winnipeg’s arts and culture scene. 

    The duties of the nightlife mayor, according to a news release from Loney’s campaign, are to accelerate the licensing process for businesses, create safe hubs where Loney’s proposed MetroMobility transit service can offer safe late-night transportation and improve working conditions for shift workers, such as performers, bus drivers and bartenders. 

    On a macro-scale, Loney explained in a press release that he will ask the “nightlife mayor” to get community feedback about establishing a dedicated nighttime district, closed to vehicles on a seasonal basis, with a variety of venues including art galleries, theatres and co-working spaces, as well as bars and clubs.” 

    The merits of implementing this position would be three-fold: it would produce a more vibrant nightlife for Winnipeg’s residents and increase our tourism economy, all the while supporting Winnipeg’s local entertainment, art and cultural communities. 

    This position is not the first of its kind. The role originated in European cities, namely Amsterdam, Paris and Zurich. Canadian cities have taken notice of the role’s success and are in the process of implementing similar positions.

    In fact, earlier this summer, mayor of Vancouver Kennedy Stewart announced his plans to enact an “office for night time economy,” which includes the hiring of a “night advocate” next fall. 

    Loney hopes to bring this role to Winnipeg upon his election as mayor. 

    With the chance to revitalize Winnipeg’s nightlife, perhaps a “nightlife mayor” is the way for Winnipeg to move forward, especially after the pandemic has messed with potential efforts at rekindling the fun aura of our city.

  • Official website for 2022 municipal elections launched

    Official website for 2022 municipal elections launched

    With the 2022 Winnipeg municipal and school boards election approaching this fall, the city has launched an official election website for prospective candidates and eligible voters to find information on registration, nomination processes and important dates leading up to the election.

    ‍In a media release, senior election official Marc Lemoine said, “We wanted to ensure we provided as much information, as early as possible, so that potential candidates and the public understand the process of running for public office.”

    ‍“We hope the easy-to-use, mobile-friendly website will also help engage voters early in the process.”

    In a statement from Oct. 23, 2020, incumbent Mayor Brian Bowman said he would not be seeking re-election in 2022.

    “I want to be open with Winnipeggers about my personal plans for the future, plans that do not include a career in elected office, plans that do not include running again for re-election as mayor.”

    “It is my hope that Winnipeggers will elect a new mayor in 2022 that has the integrity and work ethic needed in the office of the mayor.”‍

    The website contains a wide range of information for both potential candidates and eligible voters. Prospective candidates for mayor, councillor and school trustee can find information on eligibility and the registration process as well as the nomination process and campaign period.

    For each of the three elected positions, candidates must be Canadian citizens, 18 years old or older on election day and a resident of Manitoba. For the school trustee position, candidates must also have been a resident in the school division they are running in since April 26, 2022.

    The website also includes rules and regulations for the proper use of campaign signage as well as legislation relevant to prospective candidates, such as the City of Winnipeg Charter and the Municipal Councils and School Boards Elections Act.

    Voters, meanwhile, are able to find information on voter eligibility as well as what their identification requirements are.

    To vote for mayor or councillor, an elector must be a Canadian citizen, be 18 years old or older on election day and have residence or property in the city of Winnipeg for at least six months since April 26, 2022.

    ‍Aside from information for candidates and voters, a list of frequently asked questions can also be found regarding the election, which will take place Oct. 26, 2022.

  • The sham debate driving the civic election

    The sham debate driving the civic election

    If you have been following local news at all over the past few months, you will have had extensive exposure to what has become the main, and to some the only, relevant issue of the mayoral election: the re-opening of Portage and Main.

    This is itself a tragedy.

    While a city with great potential, Winnipeg has a long way to go in fostering a society that works for everyone, regardless of race, religion or socioeconomic status. The issue of Portage and Main only serves to divide and distract from other far more pressing issues facing the city.

    A far less publicized issue, but with far more significance, is the infrastructure deficit.

    Specifically, it will cost $6.9 billion more than what is allocated to maintain roads, sewers, water mains and buildings in disrepair over the next 10 years.

    To put this in perspective, the Portage and Main project has been estimated to cost in the ballpark of $11.6 million — effectively making it fiscally 595 times less important to our city than the seldom mentioned infrastructure deficit.

    Winnipeg has also all but pushed aside any incentives put forward by the federal government in pursuit of green energy.

    Ottawa has repeatedly emphasized that it will incentivize municipalities to roll out green energy plans by covering up to 40 per cent of the cost of these new projects.

    While Winnipeg-based bus manufacturer New Flyer is making record-level numbers of electric busses, they are being sent to cities like Montreal and Toronto.

    Instead of leading the movement to transition to green energy, Winnipeg lags behind other cities, including Toronto, which plans to have an emissions-free fleet by 2040.

    Another far more important issue plaguing the city, which has received a criminally low level of attention, is the epidemic of opioid consumption.

    In 2017, 122 people died of overdoses in Winnipeg and nearly half were fentanyl-related.

    This is an issue that requires a focused and direct approach to healthcare, the economy and social service.

    Unfortunately, the mayoral and city council candidates have done little to help further the conversation on these key issues.

    Incumbent mayor Brian Bowman only lightly hinted that Winnipeg could be open to the idea of safe-injection sites without the approval of the provincial government. While this is a small step toward addressing the crisis, as the only solution being offered, it papers over the multidimensional nature of the problem.

    The sad reality is apparent: discussing the issues that truly impact Winnipeggers is simply no longer politically expedient.

    Why would a candidate bother to create a serious and bold platform when it is far easier to spout platitudes and rile people up in a relatively meaningless debate?

    While lacking any shred of moral fibre, councillors who engage in these tactics knowingly steer the public debate into the trivial. They understand that mobilizing voters means electrifying the electorate. Our municipal leaders achieve this by making irrelevant issues the centrepiece of the discussion and engage in intense, protracted debate on those immaterial issues.

    In this election cycle, it seems incumbents too are playing this game. Jeff Browaty, incumbent candidate for the North Kildonan ward, has devoted an ungodly amount of time through his online media presence focusing on the dangers he perceives surrounding opening the Portage and Main intersection.

    Regrettably, this strategy appears to be working.

    It seems the loudest, most obnoxious and polarizing candidates on the issue of Portage and Main have flowed to the front of the public eye.

    While grassroot candidates fighting for the issues that truly matter may seem hard to come by, they do exist in Winnipeg.

    Josh Brandon, Daniel McIntyre ward candidate for city council, has successfully run a grassroots campaign based on issues that will affect Winnipeggers: reducing crime by addressing the root cause, facing the opioid epidemic and pushing for safe-injection sites, more affordability in public transit and throwing his full support behind the effort to raise the minimum wage to $15.

    It is this type of leadership, combined with a grassroots base, that will surely lead to successful campaigns in the future.

    But more than this, these policy proposals will have a positive, lasting impact on Winnipeg as a whole, rather than the tactics of division and anger, which only serve to divide us as a means of political expediency.

    Winnipeg as a whole must reassess the issues which truly warrant discussion and debate.

  • City hands loaf to corporation, leaves crumbs for citizens

    City hands loaf to corporation, leaves crumbs for citizens

    With only a few weeks until the municipal election, politicians should be more eager than ever to make sure their constituents feel heard.

    Unfortunately, this is not the case at city hall.

    A $550 million dollar multi-building complex from True North Real Estate Development and Northland Properties — True North Square — concluded last week. The complex includes a public plaza, two separate office towers and luxury residential rental.

    But even as the final touches of the brick and mortar were being perfected, key questions remained unanswered. Among the most important were how much True North would see in terms of tax breaks and financial incentives and what exact benefits citizens of Winnipeg could expect to see from the project.

    Those questions were largely answered just a week before the square was finally unveiled to the public.

    True North and Northland expect to receive a combined $8.6 million in tax breaks over the next 20 years. This is on top of the $11.8 million the city contributed to the cost of the public square for skywalks, sidewalks and other infrastructure, all on top of the $8.8 million the province pledged toward the public amenity spending.

    Taxpayers have fronted $29.2 million to erect True North Square. Determining what taxpayers will reap from this is paramount.

    And it was not clear until Sept. 20 how taxpayers would benefit, apart from getting to enjoy the pleasant view of the 56-jet water feature in the plaza, for their hard-earned money. Unfortunately, what they got was an empty bill of goods.

    The existing city-provincial program for tax breaks for large apartment projects such as those at True North Square ensures that 10 per cent of the rental units are earmarked for affordable housing. In this case, around 19 of the 194 units built.

    The City of Winnipeg’s executive policy committee ignored this, approving changes that removed this 10 per cent regulation unanimously. Its reasoning was that the program that legally enforced the regulation has expired.

    So city council put down the plow and steamed ahead with the public financing of the project with the taxpayer strapped to the front.

    It was only until councillors were caught red-handed, and housing advocates began to call out their disgusting display, that any changes were proposed to this clear corporate giveaway.

    Councillors, as a result of the pressure, begrudgingly agreed on a deal where True North and Northland would contribute $200,000 toward affordable housing. This amounts to only 10 per cent of the property tax refunds the new complex will receive over the next five years.

    After $29.2 million of public funds, Winnipeg has luxury apartments only affordable for the wealthy, a deluxe water fountain and a measly $200,000 for affordable housing. What a stunning deal for what amounts to a back-alley shakedown.

    Sadly, this seems to be a recurring theme in Winnipeg. Corporations make out like bandits smelling like roses while city hall sticks taxpayers with a bill they never agreed to pay.

    This should shatter the illusion that our city councillors have their constituents’ interests in mind. They just put the profit of a few more luxury apartments for True North over important affordable shelter for working-poor Winnipeggers.

    Councillors can make well over $100,000 per year, so naturally it is simply not in their personal interest to ensure that people struggling to get by on $11.35 per hour have housing they can afford. Council simply does not understand the crushing experience of spending nearly all one’s income on rent.

    Grinding your life away against the relentless stone of underpaid, soul-sucking work means nothing to the councillors who are complicit.

    But the millionaires and billionaires behind True North Square deserve empathy and access to our wallets, according to city council. The city is sick and city council is the contagion.

    We, as citizens, must change this. Municipal elections are quickly approaching and we must do everything in our power to elect councillors who will not pad the pockets of corporations and billionaires. Rather, we must elect those who will govern for the middle and working classes.

    A politician who genuinely cares about their constituents would be proactive, not reactionary. Instead of using the fact that a 10 per cent affordable housing requirement expired as an excuse, they would introduce new legislation and go a step further by upping the percentage, given the rising cost of living in our city.

    A negotiation between True North and politicians who truly represented the city’s constituents would have included at the very least the original 10 per cent affordable housing requirement plus another several million in cash towards affordable housing. And even if the final deal was less favourable than that in the end, politicians who play hardball and collectively push for more inevitably receive more in the end.

    This is how politics is played. If you show up to the negotiating table asking for a full loaf, you end up with half. If you ask for half a loaf, you end up with crumbs.

    As of now, a vote for someone who takes a harder approach and truly represents their community is the best course of action.

  • Equal Voice Manitoba hosts municipal election boot camp

    Equal Voice Manitoba hosts municipal election boot camp

    A day-long training workshop titled “Municipal Campaign Boot Camp” was held at the legislature Jan. 27 in an attempt to get more women involved in the municipal elections coming fall.

    Co-hosted by the Manitoba chapter of Equal Voice and Myrna Driedger, speaker of the Manitoba legislature, the event offered networking opportunities for women interested in running for office or women keen to undertake various roles within a political campaign.

    Since its inception nationally in 2001, Equal Voice’s mandate has been to increase the representation of women in all levels of government and to lobby for changes at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels to encourage the participation of women in politics.

    Only 26 per cent of the members of parliament elected in the 2015 federal elections were women.

    Similarly, of a 15-member city council, only four Winnipeg councillors are women, amounting to 25 per cent of council.

    Winnipeg’s female councillors – Jenny Gerbasi, Cindy Gilroy, Janice Lukes, and Devi Sharma – engaged with the attendees through a panel discussion on the challenges women face in politics.

    Delaney Coelho, co-chair of Equal Voice Manitoba, said, “My hope for today was to start building or build on a community and network of women who are interested in running or supporting other women to run and have women walk away with some tangible skills that they could apply to their campaigns.”

    The boot camp featured a “Civic Campaign 101” session with Rebecca Blaikie, president of the federal NDP from 2011 to 2016, and “Dealing with the Media: What to Expect” with Shannon Sampert, the first female op-ed editor of the Winnipeg Free Press.

    Manitoba’s chapter of Equal Voice started in late 2016. The municipal elections to be held in October will be the first elections since the chapter has been active in the province.

    “We have seen a consistent amount of women and people who support more women in politics coming out to events,” Coelho said.

    “We are seeing continued support and continued encouragement and women are excited and I think that women and people who support more women in politics are eager for this,” she added. “They want to see a change.”

    Equal Voice welcomed all who had an interest in seeing more women get elected in government.

    Participant testimonial

    Ayat Mneina, a political staffer at the Manitoba legislature, said she attended the boot camp to learn about the campaign process leading up to the elections, although she does not intend on running in the civic elections.

    Mneina said she has been involved in political campaigns, performing various roles and in different capacities, without any exposure to formal training and workshops.

    “If I could get a how-to manual, that would be really helpful because campaigns are really dynamic and exciting times,” she said. “I felt like I would like to see how others have done it.

    “A lot of people in the political world have come from places where they’ve been exposed to politics for a very long time or it’s not their first campaign, not their first rodeo, and find that I’m on the newer end of the spectrum. So I am here to learn.”

    #MeToo campaign

    The #MeToo campaign, which began with women in Hollywood speaking out against sexual harassment, has made its way into Canadian politics as well.

    Within the last week, well-known politicians Patrick Brown and Jamie Baillie – leaders of the Progressive Conservative opposition in the provinces of Ontario and Nova Scotia, respectively – resigned after complaints of sexual miscount were made public.

    Federal Liberal Kent Hehr, member of parliament for Calgary Centre, resigned from cabinet last week after being accused of sexual misconduct. Hehr served as minister of sport and persons with disabilities. He remians a member of the Liberal caucus.

    Commenting on the campaign, Myenina said, “We have heard from women in various roles in municipal council in their own experiences in political life and how they might have had to grapple with sexual harassment or their relation to the #MeToo campaign,” Myenia said.

    Myenia said workshops like the one organized by Equal Voice are critical to increasing female representation within the political arena.

    “I do not think it’s a one-off,” she said. “I think it’s an ongoing conversation and making women feel safe to come into these spaces and seeking women out.”

  • U of M students come up short in races for school trustee

    U of M students come up short in races for school trustee

    Two University of Manitoba students who ran for school trustee have lost their respective races in Winnipeg’s municipal election.

    When the polls closed on Oct. 22, Tanjit Nagra and Luigi Imbrogno were both defeated.

    In Louis Riel School Division – Ward 1, Nagra placed third among three candidates, receiving 2,956 votes. Candidates Louise Johnston and Cindy Turner received 6,484 and 4,979 votes, respectively, and with two seats to be filled both candidates were elected.

    In Winnipeg School Division – Ward 1, Imbrogno placed sixth among seven candidates, receiving 561 votes. Candidate Sherri Rollins was elected to the ward’s single seat with 2,324 votes. Heather Cardona received 2,044 votes, Sheri Oberman received 784 votes, Paul Guise received 661 votes, David Lobson received 609 votes, and Marilyn Simon received 477 votes.

    Nagra told the Manitoban that she was happy with the amount of support she saw from voters and volunteers.

    “At first I was—as normal—a little discouraged because I had put in a lot of time and effort into my campaign. However, after a few days I had a lot of time to reflect on the whole process and the past few months and it was a very, very rewarding experience. I learned a lot about the electoral process and a lot about myself as well.

    “For a young candidate, I think I did very well. And in the future I’d love to put my name forward again. Obviously in 2018 we’ll have to see what I’m up to then. But I mean it’s definitely something I’d love to do in the future.”

    When asked if she would consider running for office in other levels of government, Nagra did not rule it out.

    “I’m all about new opportunities and new experiences. If a new opportunity does pop up at anytime I would for sure look into it. I mean, four years is a long time. At the beginning of 2014 I didn’t know I was running for trustee. I just knew I wanted to be involved. And then April, May is when I really started looking into trusteeship. So just in a few months I encountered a new opportunity. So four years from now, you never know.

    “This whole process has been so humbling and so positive. I personally think I ran a positive and strong campaign and I hope other people saw that too.”

    Imbrogno was also happy with his first jump into municipal politics.

    “I’m very happy about the results [ . . . ] For 561 people to actually go to a polling location with the intention of voting for me made me feel amazing.”

    Imbrogno also did not rule out future bids at political office, saying that he was not discouraged by his sixth-place finish.

    “This experience definitely motivates me to pursue public office in the future. I’ll just have to start earlier and campaign more!”

    Both students will continue to hold elected positions at the U of M. Nagra remains the vice-president of the U1 Student Council until the end of December and also serves as the vice-president external for the Undergrad Political Studies Students’ Association. In January, Imbrogno will be starting a year-long term as president of the U1 Student Council.

  • “Vote – anywhere” with advanced polling stations

    The University of Manitoba campus’s advanced polling station stayed open over a span of three days—Sept. 30 to Oct. 2—during which 290 people cast ballots for Winnipeg’s 2014 municipal election.

    The station was located in room 112 on the main floor of University Centre – off the tunnel to the Engineering Building. Polls were open from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 30 and Thursday, Oct. 2 and from 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 1.

    A polling station set up at the U of M over a span of two days for the 2010 municipal election saw a similar turnout, with 293 people having voted. Marc Lemoine, senior election official for the City of Winnipeg’s city clerk’s department, provided the voter turnout figures to the Manitoban.

    Advanced polling stations were identified as a success story in the 2010 municipal election when 30,000 people showed up to vote before the day of the election, doubling the number of advanced voters compared to the 2006 municipal election and accounting for approximately 15 per cent of the total ballots cast in the 2010 election.

    This time around the voter turnout increased slightly while the number of advanced ballots cast stayed the same, sitting just above 30,000.

    At advanced polling stations – branded “vote – anywhere” locations by the city – people were able to cast ballots regardless of which ward and school division they would be casting ballots for. Normally voters are required to go to a specific polling station where ballots are cast for the local candidates. This model was meant to encourage increased voter participation.

    However, no polling stations were set up at the U of M on the day of the election.

  • Winnipeg under new management, Bowman in the hot seat

    Winnipeg under new management, Bowman in the hot seat

    Winnipeg is under new management, and citizens, along with University of Manitoba students, can expect big changes over the next four years.

    That is the message of mayor-elect Brian Bowman, the 43-year-old privacy lawyer. With 111,504 votes (47.5 per cent) Bowman won the race for mayor last week over a crowded field of candidates that included former frontrunner Judy Wasylycia-Leis, a past New Democratic Party member of parliament and member of the legislative assembly.

    “This was a clear demonstration that Winnipeggers were ready for positive change,” Bowman told the Manitoban.

    “You can win a campaign without having to sell out and become part of the problem and part of the old-school negative politics that previously [have] worked and been very effective.”

    Bowman, who proposes to raise property taxes no more than the annual rate of inflation, ran on a detailed platform that included a plan to bolster investment through a bigger tax break for small businesses and a vow to have all six of the city’s proposed bus rapid transit lines built ahead of schedule, by 2030.

    In a month that will see a critical referendum period on the U-Pass—a subsidized bus pass for University of Winnipeg students and University of Manitoba undergraduate and graduate students slated to be included in the cost of tuition—the mayor-elect expressed support for the student-led proposal.

    “I fully support it and I’ll do whatever I can to make sure that it happens sooner rather than later,” he said. Bowman added that bus rapid transit—including transit-oriented housing and commercial development—is an integral part of his agenda for the next four years.

    “For those Winnipeggers concerned with suburban growth and suburban sprawl, this really is a significant piece of the puzzle when it comes to growing up as much as we’re growing out.”

    Bowman has big plans on issues that resonate with students and young professionals: high-density development, a strengthened technology sector, and an improved transit system. Two experts interviewed by the Manitoban—political analyst Curtis Brown and city politics expert Jino Distasio—argued that the mayor-elect could face an uphill battle to fund these measures without a substantial tax increase – let alone to get them passed by city council.

    “He has no specific political experience,” said Brown, vice-president at Winnipeg-based polling firm Probe Research. Brown added that the city faces a severe budget shortfall in 2015.

    “This is his first full-on, true elected office and I think there is going to be a very steep learning curve for him just in terms of figuring out how things work and how to get his agenda passed.”

    Beyond the change in the mayor’s office, Winnipeg voters—traditionally known for returning incumbents to city council—generated vast turnover, booting out three incumbents: Thomas Steen (Elmwood-East Kildonan), Grant Nordman (St. Charles), and Harvey Smith (Daniel McIntyre).

    In addition to these changes, city hall governance is slated to change considerably under Bowman.

    The mayor-elect has vowed to only appoint councillors to his executive policy committee (EPC)—the mayor’s de facto cabinet—that are elected by a majority council vote. This means that, unlike his predecessors, he will be unable to handpick the members of his inner circle.

    “The mayor is a pretty powerful person, but at the end of the day they have one vote,” said Distasio, associate vice-president of research and innovation at the University of Winnipeg. Distasio argued that relationship building will be crucial to any policy success Bowman may have over the next four years.

    “He needs to figure out a way to surround himself with councillors—regardless of EPC or council floor—that are going to support his ideas.”

    Bowman expressed optimism in his abilities: to work with council to get his long list of priorities accomplished and encourage educated young people to stay in Winnipeg after they graduate from university or other post-secondary institutions.

    “There is no single answer to attracting or retaining the best and brightest young minds in the city,” said Bowman, a U of M alumnus.

    “But really it’s going to come down to making sure there’s a growing, thriving economic development initiative and a lot of good, high-paying jobs here in Winnipeg.”

    According to data from the Canadian Socioeconomic Information Management System database by Statistics Canada for 2011-2012, four major prairie cities—Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton and Calgary—have experienced a net gain in migration among people between 20-29 years-of-age. On the other hand, Winnipeg has experienced a net loss.

    Student unions respond
    In response to the civic election, the University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) and the University of Winnipeg Students’ Association (UWSA) reacted differently.

    “We supported the vote and the democratic process but we certainly did not endorse a candidate because we knew we’d have to work with whomever won,” said Al Turnbull, UMSU president.

    Turnbull added that he is hopeful UMSU can work with Bowman and new St. Norbert Councillor Janice Lukes when it comes to the U-Pass and other transit initiatives.

    “That was a staunch contrast with the UWSA but, mind you, they wear their colours a little bit bolder or more apparently than we do here. We try to be inclusive to all students because we know a lot of the students have voted for different candidates across the board.”

    Rorie Mcleod Arnould, UWSA president, expressed disappointment in the results given the election of several right-of-centre candidates, singling out Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan), Russ Wyatt (Transcona), and Scott Gillingham (St. James-Brooklands) for scrutiny.

    “Generally speaking, I don’t think that they represent the politics of the future, the politics of tomorrow, the politics that will make our city a more interesting, dynamic, attractive, magnetic environment for young people,” Mcleod Arnould said.

    He added that left-leaning candidates like Jenny Gerbasi (Fort Rouge) and Ross Eadie (Mynarski)—both backed by the provincial NDP in 2010 and the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the Winnipeg Labour Council in 2014—better fit that description.

    A new face for St. Norbert
    St. Norbert—the city ward that includes the U of M—also has a new councillor after last week’s election.

    Janice Lukes, a former community assistant for past St. Norbert councillor Justin Swandal, won the seat. Lukes told the Manitoban she is committed to working with UMSU and other student groups to facilitate greater communication between students and city council.

    “I would like to be able to regularly engage and understand what some of the student issues and challenges are and opportunities they see,” she said, adding that the key to keeping young people in Winnipeg is economic development.
    “We have to have job opportunities. So this council, going forward, we must focus on economic development and generating economic revenue that will help us create a vital, exciting city to live in.”

    Lukes brings transportation expertise to the job, having served on the active transportation advisory committee that informed the first phase of the city’s rapid transit plan. When it comes to assessing Bowman’s broader rapid transit plan, Lukes told the Manitoban that she believes it ambitious, and an “encouraging sign.”

    “If he is thinking that far ahead, that inspires me,” Lukes said of Bowman’s plan to build the six-bus rapid transit lines by 2030.

  • Profile: U of M students running for school trustee

    Profile: U of M students running for school trustee

    Two University of Manitoba students are running for school trustee as part of Winnipeg’s 2014 municipal election, taking place Oct. 22.

    The Manitoban asked both candidates about themselves and their experiences running for office.

    Tanjit Nagra

    Tanjit Nagra is an 18-year-old arts student majoring in political studies. She’s also the outgoing vice-president of the U1 student council and the vice-president external of the undergrad political studies students’ association.

    Nagra is one of three candidates for school trustee in Ward 1 of the Louis Riel School Division. She is facing off against incumbent Louise Johnston and labour endorsed Cindy Turner. Two of the three candidates will be elected to represent the ward.

    Nagra said if elected she’ll bring a fresh perspective to the position while sustaining what has been done over the last four-year term.

    “Things I’d like to advocate for is inclusiveness – providing equal opportunity for all students, whether that’s LGBT* rights or whether its students with disabilities or special needs. I think it’s important that they have the tools they need to succeed.”

    Nagra isn’t a francophone—although she’s taken French as an elective and speaks it at a basic level —but said that she’s also campaigning on sustaining French immersion programs in the Louis Riel School Division.

    Nagra said two of the major barriers to students participating in elections are the time commitments associated with classes and knowing how to get involved in the process.

    “Being a student is obviously time-consuming. I am taking a lighter course load. In the summer I took extra courses just so I had the option of only going to school part-time this year that way I can fully commit to my campaign – but I think sometimes it’s also just not knowing how to get involved or who to reach out to.”

    Nagra said she did not know she would be committing to candidacy in the 2014 election last year.

    “It’s just something I started researching. I started attending the public board meetings the division has and I really started enjoying it. And I started reaching out to trustees, just kind of seeing what it would be like if [I was] in that position.”

    Luigi Imbrogno

    Luigi Imbrogno is another candidate for school trustee in the 2014 election. Imbrogno is an 18-year-old U1 student pursuing a science degree at the University of Manitoba. He was recently elected president of the U1 council at the U of M and has worked as a volunteer for Jon Gerrard, Manitoba’s only Liberal MLA.

    Imbrogno is running in Winnipeg School Division – Ward 1. The ward is arguably the most contested in the city with seven candidates in the running and only one to be elected.

    River East Transcona School Division – Ward 1 also has seven candidates running but is electing two. Louis Riel School Division – Ward 3 has eight candidates running but is electing three of them. Similarly, Seven Oaks School Division – Ward 2 has nine candidates running but is electing four of them.

    Other candidates for the ward include Heather Condona, Paul Guise, David Lobson, Sheri Oberman, Sherri Rollins, and Marilyn Simon.

    Imbrogno said the thing that sets him apart from the other candidates is the fact that he still knows what it is like to be a student.

    “I just went through the Winnipeg School Division system. It’s all fresh in my mind so I have that hands-on, practical knowledge of what’s going to help students my age and what programs [we are] spending money on that we don’t need to spend money on.”

    Imbrogno said he has been engaged in a lot of door-to-door campaigning in his bid for school trustee and that he has encountered people who are skeptical about him as a candidate because of his age, but that overall most voters are very receptive.

    “I think it’s more that people won’t take you seriously at first. They’ll think it’s kind of a joke.
    “There’s that stigma [that] you need to be experienced and an older person to run for office outside of a student body council.”

    Jeremiah Kopp

    UMSU vice-president internal Jeremiah Kopp ran for school trustee for Louis Riel School Division in a 2011 by-election. In the eight-person race, Kopp came in second place with 817 votes, losing out to Colleen Mayer who received 976 votes.

    Kopp said he had no regrets about his run for school trustee.

    “It was definitely a fantastic experience. In many ways it prepared me for working for UMSU in terms of running campaigns and being involved and being a politician.

    “I hope it’s been rewarding process for them as well. I know them personally, they’re two outstanding young leaders in our community and regardless of the outcome of this election they will play important roles in Winnipeg’s future. Both fantastic individuals, both very young but can bring a lot to the table.”

    Kopp said he was happy to see young people getting involved in politics and hoped to see more young people getting involved in the future.

    “Just put your name out there. Put your ideas out there. Always work hard and never get discouraged if things don’t go the way you want them to. Keep trying.

    “Politics is a very noble thing to get involved with. You’re always going to have people who are trying to hold you back but ultimately if you’ve got a vision and if you’ve got a passion for it then you have to keep pushing and keep trying no matter what.”