The five candidates vying to become mayor of Saint John municipal election answering various questions ranging from poverty to accessibilty to helping newcomers to the city at a forum at UNBSJ’s Grand Hall in the uptown.
During the debate Don Darling spoke of not taking a band-aid approach when it comes to poverty, saying that we need an organized approach. He also said we have to do something about the fact that there are five priority neighborhoods in the city. He spoke with us post-forum and he tells us poverty is a massive issue in Saint John.
“I think my policy is to move forward in a positive way for the entire community in Saint John,” says Darling.
Current deputy mayor Shelley Rinehart said during the debate that council has to own the poverty situation and take on an active role. She also said that she’s supportive of Saint John-Rothesay MP Wayne Long’s petition to have Saint John designated as a demonstration site for a national poverty reduction strategy. After the forum she told us that there are systemic reasons for every issue.
“So we can either band-aid the problem where we’ll just throw money at it and hope that it goes away or we can really investigate what the cause of that issue is, and work to fix it,” says Rinehart.
Councillor Bill Farren says city transit needs to be improved and calls it “shameful” that the transit commission that wouldn’t allow visually impaired people to ride buses for free.
“The people that finally lift themselves up to be able to get a job can’t get to the bus station because it’s so far away and when they do get to it it only brings them partway,” says Farren.
Howard Yeomans attributes part of the poverty problem in Saint John to people who just don’t want to work. He says that we’ve become a welfare city in so many ways. He believes Saint John needs to be sold to the world.
“We used to be the powerhouse economy of the province and it’s time we become it again,” says Yeomans.
Former councillor Patty Higgins says her main priority, if she were to become mayor, would be reinstating the flouridation program.
“That was a big mistake to stop that. Alberta, Calgary dropped their program a couple of years ago and Edmonton kept theirs and already there’s a radical difference in dental health,” says Higgins.
There will be a candidates forum tonight at 7pm at the Saint John Arts Centre that will be focused on arts and culture.
The municipal election is being held on May 9.
