This paper has a treat for you. For the next four editions, Elaine Hnatyshyn will be sharing her thoughts on the upcoming civic election. Elaine’s opinions are strong and well thought out.

Well folks, it has been a while since I’ve put pen to paper, or more accurately, fingers to keyboard, but the advent of a civic election beckons like the song of the siren. As much as I try to ignore the abject stupidity of some civic decisions, I care too much about this City to let an election go by without reminding voters of the importance of placing people on council who represent voters’ hopes for our city.

The race for the Mayor’s Chair has started with Gord Wyant and Cynthia Block announcing themselves as candidates. Ironically both implied that they struggled with indecision as to whether to pull the trigger and offer themselves up for the greater good of the public. It is the first example of campaign insincerity committed by both these candidates. Both knew they would declare; they were simply waiting to see who the competition would be and what issues their competitors would campaign on. I do not have a dog in this fight, a horse in the race or whatever other adage that would imply I am “for or agin” either of these candidates. I do know both candidates and would say that both are good and decent people, and both share some very similar political tactics and traits. What remains too been seen is their vision for our city. I think I have a handle on where Block wants to take us, but Wyant is a little more elusive.

Homelessness is and should be a forefront election issue. Block said she would form a mayor’s task force. (It begs the question why she didn’t ask for that as a councillor over the last several years.) I don’t know how another civic committee solves this problem other than council can pass the buck on unpopular decisions as the advice given from the committee. So far, the best Block and her current colleagues have come up with is a very expensive toilet facility.

Wyant limply said we must engage other levels of government to provide the support they should be providing. Ho hum, how illuminating. He was involved in that “other” level of government so he should know how successful that ask would be. What we should expect is some very concrete answers from both Block and Wyant on what each would do to address this problem. Otherwise, like my old teacher used to say (before we were all so politically correct), “poop or get off the pot.” Block is already trying to cushion her support for the downtown entertainment centre, clarifying her support is contingent on money from other levels of government and private investors – but no property tax hikes for this legacy! Bollocks! If you believe that I have some snake oil for sale. Wyant must have worn slippers to his announcement event because he soft shoed his answer with kudos to council for developing the project but saying “we really need to understand how we are going to pay for it.”

Given the government experience both these candidates have touted, we should expect a little more than powder puff responses. The last sentence is a great nexus as to why we allow experienced political candidates, or their campaign teams and some media, to belabour the idea that unless you have had council experience you couldn’t possibly expect to be mayor.

Why not? If you are running for mayor, I expect you are already on top of all the major issues facing the city. Regina’s mayor seems to have done all right even though she had no experience prior to being elected mayor. She is a case study that fresh eyes may be better than tired experienced eyes with tunnel vision. She isn’t bankrupting her tax base, and the city isn’t in chaos. What we need is a candidate with some common sense, good listening and communication skills and an understanding of economics. Yes, it’s a tall order. It already seems that gender is going to play a part in this campaign with some touting for a first female mayor. Frankly, I am just looking for the best candidate who is deserving of the vote and I don’t really care whether that person is male or female.

I do admit there was a time when two candidates presented as equally qualified that I leaned toward the female candidate hoping to level the political playing field. However, women have advanced since that era, and I am confident that female candidates can hold their own without any tender consideration for their gender. All the usual suspects (the unions, the business organizations, Indigenous representatives, etc.) will emerge trying to rally support for the candidate of their choice. And although political parties claim not to be involved in local elections, they are, in reality, involved.

However, there is a new group called “A Better YXE” that the local newspaper seems portray as a collection of vile people trying skew the election through intimation and misinformation and tie it to a particular political party. I don’t know much about this group but have heard the names of a few people that are involved, and I would say the people I heard about are good solid citizens. Anyway, the more the merrier, but it would be nice to keep it clean and focus the dialogue on the differing issues rather than trashing individual participants. Another tall order! And we will have more citizens declaring their candidacy. Cary Tarasoff makes the mayor’s race more exciting with his brain-twisting comments that provoke thought. And again, rumour has it that Don Atchison will grace us with his presence. But this election is not just about the mayor’s race. It is to fill council seats as well, which may be more important. Reviewing council’s performance over the last several years reminds us of the brain numbing decisions around the public library and utilities.

Yes, council does have some control over the library system. Remember the City owns the libraries, it can yea or nay the library budget, and appoints (and can appoint new) unelected citizens to manage the day-to-day operations. Then there was the fumbling of the organics program. The City “invested” in the green bins and then gave a contract to a corporation that didn’t have a facility to intake the organic material. After that corporation failed to secure a site for the facility in another jurisdiction, the city had to pay a local contractor its demanded fee and then decide to “invest” $20 million-plus building its own facility.

There are a few brains at City Hall that should be tossed in the green bin! And of course, the cost of all of this is paid for by taxpayers, over and above their property tax. The excessive tax increases, increasing fees and levies, removal of services formally covered by property tax are deserving of a separate column. Stay tuned. What is of major concern now is the blanket zoning council is considering which will greatly impact on many residential neighbourhoods in order to qualify for our prime minister’s promised money for the affordable housing initiative. Blanket zoning in essence means no zoning regulations. Instead of a few people lining up to oppose a zoning change on a single lot, there will be whole neighbourhoods lining up and there will be nothing that can stop the carpetbaggers. However, there will be huge long-term repercussions on our underground and surface infrastructure. (By the way, I believe several other cities are saying no thanks to this offer.) Any councillor that votes for this should lose their seat at the council table in the upcoming election.

Well, I’m out of space but will continue this spiel in the next publication.

ehnatyshyn@gmail.com

-Elaine Hnatyshyn