Sanders mourned as ‘conscience of city’

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This article was published 13/06/2016 (3398 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

David Sanders, an outside candidate for mayor with a unique insider’s knowledge of city hall, died over the weekend.

His death was confirmed Monday by family members.

“My father was the conscience of this city,” wrote Sanders’ son, Jim, on a Facebook post. “He worked so tirelessly to help others. His belief in social justice and equality spanned his whole life and inspired me in all that I do. I will miss him dearly. I know his spirit now overlooks our city, this province, and will infuse the hearts of all those dreaming and working for a truly beautiful city where we are all together as one.”

Sanders, who was 69, had been in hospital for several weeks with recent and long-term health issues.

Sanders was a common sight at city hall, where he was a mainstay at almost every council and police board meeting in recent years. It was typical of him, as a private citizen, to present multi-page reports that pointed to errors or questions with the city’s processes and decisions.

Sanders was a late entry into the last mayoralty election, which was won by Brian Bowman. Sanders then became chairman of the province’s taxicab board.

Bowman said in a statement that Sanders “cared deeply about his community and our city.

“Throughout the 2014 election, David was very passionate about Winnipeg, and cared deeply about making Winnipeg better.

“David was dedicated to our community, and he demonstrated his commitment through active participation and leadership in university, schools, sports, community and charitable organizations.

“My thoughts and condolences are with his family.”

Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of the civic infrastructure renewal and public works committee, said what Sanders brought to city hall, when he appeared as a delegation, was similar to what she used to do before she was elected.

“I was an advocate for many years,” Lukes said on Monday.

“I watched him come down to city hall. There is always, always value in advocacy work people do and lots of truth to what people bring forward as an advocate and he brought forward a lot of truth.

“He brought forward a lot of very, very interesting perspective and thoughts.

“He was detailed. He was concise. He had his (own) perspective, which could be subjective, but… (his death is) very sad.”

On behalf of the province, Premier Brian Pallister offered his condolences to Sanders’ family.

“A lifelong advocate, David cared deeply about making the city of Winnipeg and the province of Manitoba better for their citizens,” Pallister said in a statement. “David was dedicated to his community, family and government.”

With Bowman as mayor, Sanders continued to question how the city is governed, most notably finding fault in the city’s southwest rapid transitway. He refers to it as the “billion-dollar boondoggle.”

Most recently, he was a witness in the public inquiry into the expropriation of land needed for the completion of the transitway. He openly criticized the city’s decision to choose the dogleg route for the project.

Sanders’ obsession with civic politics dates back to 1965, when he was a reporter with the Winnipeg Tribune, covering Metro council and Winnipeg city council.

In 1972, he joined the newly created provincial department of urban affairs, responsible for co-ordinating all provincial-Winnipeg financial relationships and amendments to the City of Winnipeg Act.

He served as deputy minister of Urban Affairs twice, assistant deputy minister (planning) for Municipal Affairs, chairman of the Provincial Interdepartmental Planning Board, co-chairman of the Canada-Manitoba Agreement on Recreation and Conservation on the Red River Corridor.

He chaired the Canada-Manitoba-Winnipeg officials committee, which developed the first Winnipeg Core Area Agreement (which secured the funding for the purchase of The Forks).

He earned a master’s degree in political studies and economics, and a law degree. He was a certified management consultant, a commercial real estate agent and he continued to practise law until his death.

He designed and taught post-graduate courses in city planning, political studies, public administration and natural-resource management, and a certificate course in public-sector management and purchasing management.

When not at city hall or chairing meetings of the taxicab board, he handled property and business-assessment appeals for commercial and institutional property owners across Winnipeg.

Sanders’ wife, Francoise, said he died Sunday at 6 p.m. at Victoria General Hospital.

He is survived by six children and 12 grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

-With files from Kristin Annable