How long have you been living in Thompson?
Forty-eight years.
What do you do for a living?
I work at Assante Wealth Management.
Why did you want to be on city council again?
I’d like to continue working on the things that this past council started working on. I also want to be a part of writing a chapter for the next part of the City of Thompson’s history. We have changed, I think, as a city. Our footprint has changed. I’d like to be a part of that change. I think we’ve changed from how we always focused ourselves on being a mining community and with the smelter and refinery closing we need to focus more on enhancing our position in the region as a service centre instead of as a mining community. And I think as leaders we have to help change that mindset within our region and within our own city.
What is the biggest local issue you want to address if you’re elected?
For me, right now, it’s going to be our loss of revenue streams, both on the operating side, obviously due to the reduction of our grant-in-lieu and the reduction in revenue streams on the capital side with the province announcing that the end of the Manitoba municipal road grant program for infrastructure.
Why should someone vote for you over the other candidates?
I’m a leader with a vision for the long-term sustainability and viability of this city into the future, not just into the next four years. I make decisions for the long term. I’m a hands-on councillor. I try to get the information firsthand by doing the ride-alongs with the RCMP, doing one with [Thompson] Fire & Emergency services. I like to know firsthand before I make decisions and get the information for myself.
Anything else you want to add?
I’m proud to be a part of a council that passed a resolution to adopt the Truth and Reconciliation [Commission’s] 94 calls to action and we’d like to continue our partnership with the Thompson Aboriginal Accord and those partners around the table are huge.
