Municipal election candidates answer community’s questions

Tim Brody - Editor

Councillor-at-large and mayoral candidates spoke about themselves, challenges and opportunities they feel the community has, and answered questions from the audience at a municipal election candidates forum held on Oct. 5 in the Upper Legion Hall.
Organized by local residents Anne Saltel and Dick MacKenzie, who also moderated the event, Municipal councillor-at-large candidates Joan Cosco (incumbent), Reece Van Breda (incumbent), Darlene Angeconeb (incumbent), Neil Michelin, Joe Cassidy (incumbent), Bob Gould, and Barb Molstad were in attendance to answer questions from the community.
Mayoral Candidates Doug Lawrance (incumbent) and Mike Quince also participated in the forum.
Mayoral candidate Alex Legros and councillor-at-large candidate Jordyn Angeconeb were not in attendance.
Candidates were given three minutes to make opening statements at the beginning of the evening and were given four minutes for closing statements at the end of the evening.
The rest of the evening was dedicated to answering questions members of the public had brought forward. 
Questions included what mayoral candidates would do about the “overabundance of non-essential employees and the not needed high wages in the town office”, what specific ways candidates have volunteered or given back to the community in the past year, if candidates feel mayor and council “have a role in our community becoming more age friendly,” and if mayoral candidates would use Strong Mayor Powers, if elected.
Other questions included topics such as homelessness and public safety, the future of the Blueberry Festival, and if candidates were elected, would they vote in favour of passing a formal climate emergency declaration through a municipal resolution.
Asked her thoughts on the evening, Saltel shared, “I thought it was wonderful. We had so many people here.”
More than 60 people attended the forum. Saltel said the turnout exceeded her hopes.
She said she believes it’s important for the community to have an opportunity to hear from the candidates in person and for the public to be able to ask questions.
A video of the forum, recorded by Sioux North High School (SNHS) Teacher Mike Laverty and two SNHS student volunteers, can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZk77-_c_knE
Voting begins in Sioux Lookout, using Internet and Telephone voting, on Monday, October 19 at 8 a.m. and will end on Monday, October 26 at 8:00 p.m.