All but two of our 25 candidates for Moose Jaw City Council presented their views and thoughts at the Kinsmen All Candidates Forum Wednesday night. In our first report we look at our candidates for mayor.

 

It was designed to inform, enlighten, and help to make up a few minds as we prepare to vote October 25th for a new City Council.

The Moose Jaw Kinsmen All Candidates Forum was well attended Wednesday night at Peacock Collegiate as local voters learned more about the people that want to represent us in City Hall.

The event started with five minute prepared speeches from the mayoral candidates in the order they filed their papers. Dale McBain took to the podium since he filed months before the call for nominations was even made.

Off the top of his speech McBain focused on the importance of a new sports facility. "I am in favour of the multiplex. We need to build it! We need to build it all! We need to build it right! The other big question is location... location is going to be decided by the new City Council and is going to be based on the best economic advantage for the City of Moose Jaw."

McBain also touched on the Union Hospital upgrade saying its something that needs to be dealt with. "The provincial government wants the City of Moose Jaw to pick up 35 per cent of the cost... while Regina and Saskatoon enjoy 100 per cent funding. As mayor, I will lobby the provincial government and work with my colleagues on SUMA to eliminate this inequity in provincial funding."

McBain believes with proper fiscal planning, both the multiplex and the hospital expansion can be completed at the same time leading to another plank in his election platform. Long term fiscal planning. "This city needs a long term plan. A plant that will prevent us from bouncing from a windfall of money, to a shortfall of money, and back again with disastrous consequences which led to the reduction in police personnel and threatened our fire service. As mayor I will encourage long range planning which will enable council to fund programs and services that can be sustained for the long term."

McBain is a retired Moose Jaw teacher who went on to serve as a city councillor, before setting his sights on mayor.

Following McBain at the podium was current councillor Jim Carr who believes more fiscal planning is needed before any project is approved when it comes to the multiplex. "Yes we need a new multiplex however it depends on funding meaning we may have to build it in stages. We should design the total project and then build it in parts with the arena, then the curling, and then the field house. Regardless of the approach, and if possible I would like to build it all at once, the mayor's office must continue to lobby the provincial and federal governments for funding for this project."

Carr also focused on the dedication needed to hold the office of mayor. Something his family is willing to help him out with. "I am dedicated to this city and I want to see it grown and prosper. To ensure the City of Moose Jaw gets the leadership that it deserves I view the position of mayor as a full time position and in this regard I plan to put in the hours of work that are required. My wife, daughter, and staff will take over the operations of the family business and I will dedicate my full attention to the concerns of the city."

Carr also announced his intentions to work with the youth of Moose Jaw to find ways of growing the city though a Mayor's Youth Task Force. "This task force would consist of 13 to 19 year olds who would meet with myself and other interested parties to advice the mayor and council on ways to make this city a better place for them. By working with the youth of this city we can make the city a better place for all of us."

Carr has just finished his 5th term as a City Councillor and believes his experience makes him the better candidate for mayor.

The final mayoral candidate to take to the podium was Gaye Stewart who didn't sugar coat his position on the multiplex when it came to location. "I have let it known that I am not in favour of a downtown location just on the fact that I think we can build it cheaper if we already own the land, there's environmental issues, probably, there's been 5 garage stations around there over the years. I think that with the hospital program coming up, we have a sewage problem that's coming up that's going to cost us some money I think we should try and find some places that we can cut back and if you own the land already we can have some cutbacks."

In the end Stewart supports the basic idea of a multiplex but just not as it stands right now. He has said in the past he would like to see curling stay at the Hillcrest Sports Centre instead of being included in the proposed project.

Another issue raised by Stewart at the forum Wednesday night was the teamwork associated with council or the lack there off when it comes to this council. "Why does council sometimes just go on and on and on when it should be respecting another persons opinions. As mayor I would like to see council vote on an option that you have, the game is over and after you go out for a beer with everybody. That's the way it should be."

When it comes to growing our city, Stewart focused on seniors as the future for Moose Jaw saying we need to attract more and make our community a retirement community. "Alberta is sucking up all of the young people and that's a fact that's not going to change. The people that are older in Alberta have to be thinking that they can't keep up with the hustle and bustle anymore. If we advertise you can sell your home in Calgary for $1 million, buy a house in Moose Jaw for $200,000 and your happy and you can go south for the winter if you want to go south. Our seniors are our strength and if we are going to be that kind of community then lets build in our senior's strength."

Stewart is currently the Moose Jaw Unit Manager for the Canadian Cancer Society and is taking his first shot at municipal politics.

Tune into 800 CHAB on your AM dial or Country 100 on your FM dial as our coverage of Wednesday night's forum continues. In the coming days we'll hear from every candidate leading up to the October 25th election.