24°c Partly cloudy
18°c Cloudy periods
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
So-so turnout brings mixed result
Council divided between left, right
Judy Wasylycia-Leis addresses her supporters Wednesday night following Mayor Sam Katz’s victory. (WAYNE.GLOWACKI@FREEPRESS.MB.CA )
Related Items
-
Articles
CITY hall is once again split down the ideological middle, with one wild card who could control Mayor Sam Katz's fate: rookie councillor Devi Sharma.
There are four new faces -- Ross Eadie in Mynarski, Sharma in Old Kildonan, Thomas Steen in Elmwood-East Kildonan and Paula Havixbeck in Charleswood-Tuxedo -- but the left-right split that has existed for most of Mayor Sam Katz's administration remains. In fact, it could tilt ever so slightly to the left, depending on Sharma.
Katz is left with five traditional allies who were re-elected Wednesday night and two new councillors who will likely side with him -- Steen and Havixbeck, both Tories.
On the left, six opposition councillors were re-elected and can add Eadie, a New Democrat, to their ranks.
It's Sharma, who replaced her former boss, right-leaning Liberal Mike O'Shaughnessy, whose tie vote could kill any of Katz's crime, transit or budget initiatives or rubber-stamp them. She says she's an independent, not aligned with any particular faction on council.
"I'm an independent thinker, an independent voice," she said moments after her victory. "I will be doing what's best for the residents of Old Kildonan, voting on integrity, not political loyalties."
Other new councillors said they won't be pigeonholed so soon, either.
Ex-Jet Thomas Steen said last night his focus as a rookie councillor is purely to look after the voters of Elmwood-East Kildonan. He said no one should mistake him for a full-blown supporter of Katz.
"That's what they say I am. That's not what I say I am," he said. "The No. 1 thing for me is Elmwood and East Kildonan. Its residents are key."
With voter turnout hovering at 47 per cent, an unusually intense campaign lured hundreds out to ward and mayoral debates and nudged thousands more to cast ballots early in advance polls.
It was clear fairly early Wednesday night that Katz had won his third term, but candidates in several council races, including Charleswood and Daniel McIntyre, were too close to call for some time. Former NDP-backed Harvey Smith won a close race in Daniel McIntyre after losing the party's official endorsement to contender Keith Bellamy. "It's always great to win," the 73-year-old said.
In Charleswood, Havixbeck's victory over Jarret Hannah was so narrow -- about 50 votes -- that a recount is inevitable.
Havixbeck's campaign was backed by Tory supporters including MP and junior cabinet minister Steven Fletcher and MLA Heather Stefanson.
All in all, it was a municipal campaign short on creative policy ideas, heavy on robo-calls and American-style attack ads, and dominated by public anger over new active transportation projects, the confidential Veolia deal and a spate of violent crime, especially in the campaign's waning days.
City council, now including four rookie politicians, will grapple with those problems plus taxes, rapid transit and the new football stadium deal in the coming months.
Katz said the 13th council since Unicity was born would be no different than the one he faced in 2004, when he was first elected.
"I'm looking forward to working with the new councillors," said Katz, who had not yet heard all the council-race results.
Council returns to work Nov. 2.
-- With files from Bruce Owen, Melissa Martin, Bartley Kives and Larry Kusch
maryagnes.welch@freepress.mb.ca
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 28, 2010 B3
More Local
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
More Local
(1 of 29 articles for today)
Video Child in critical condition after West End crash
3:55 PM 0
Poll
Most Popular Local
- Court told driver hysterical after vehicle fatally hit highway worker
- Child in critical condition after West End crash
- Basic arithmetic back in class
- Winnipeg man given 2-year sentence for coma-inducing 'sucker punch'
- Province blows off wind megawatt goal
- City-wide average mosquito count drops
- Known as kind, outgoing men
- Man convicted of drunk driving in Henderson pile-up
- Poolside feeding prompts eviction
- Committee wants report on free replacement for garbage, recycling carts
- Safeway stores likely to close
- Squirrel crawls out of Winnipegger's toilet
- Poolside feeding prompts eviction
- Stoppage of play off the field
- Game-day planning a must
- No mad dash for concessions
- Kenyan wins Manitoba Marathon
- Traffic heavy as Bomber fans flock to U of M
- St. Norbert's hopping
- Court told driver hysterical after vehicle fatally hit highway worker
- Father blasts 'horrific' movie
- Safeway stores likely to close
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Car in deadly crash stolen?
- UPDATE: Now with FAQ: Keeping the e-party going without the party-crashers
- Squirrel crawls out of Winnipegger's toilet
- Daycare provider charged with abandonment
- Poolside feeding prompts eviction
- Two people killed in crash north of Winnipeg
- Basic arithmetic back in class
- Province blows off wind megawatt goal
- Strong may they run: Manitobans reflect on that fateful day in Boston
- At 55, I'm wise to what's real in life
- Court told driver hysterical after vehicle fatally hit highway worker
- Known as kind, outgoing men
- City-wide average mosquito count drops
- Killer 'should stay in prison'
- Winnipeg man given 2-year sentence for coma-inducing 'sucker punch'
- Bible Belt's bogeyman still haunts town
- Basic arithmetic back in class
- Squirrel crawls out of Winnipegger's toilet
- Safeway stores likely to close
- Doctors blamed for death
- App could give Winnipeggers chance to report bad parking, get paid
- $110-K worth of nickel plates stolen from Thompson mine
- A day in the life of 13,380 Manitoba Marathon participants
- Stoppage of play off the field
- Bomber fans wowed by new stadium
- Strong may they run: Manitobans reflect on that fateful day in Boston
- Basic arithmetic back in class
- Squirrel crawls out of Winnipegger's toilet
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Father blasts 'horrific' movie
- Teachers support adding sexual-orientation themes to all curricula
- The crime fighter's revolution
- Safeway stores likely to close
- Car in deadly crash stolen?
- Fishing for fashion
- City's first urban reserve born
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
Have Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscribers only. why?
Login SubscribeHave Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press Subscribers only. why?
SubscribeThe Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.