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This article was published 03/10/2022 (250 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mayoral candidate Jenny Motkaluk lashed out at what she deems “the woke mob” and “COVID theatre” during a fiery campaign speech at The Forks canopy Monday, while promising to ensure the site resumes hosting its traditional Canada Day parties.

“This summer, the woke mob decided… when I said that it was wrong to cancel Canada Day, they decided that I had to be shut up and shut down,” Motkaluk said of the social media backlash she faced in June.

At the time, Motkaluk took to Twitter and Facebook to share her disappointment in news the “It’s a New Day at The Forks” event would replace a specific celebration of the country.

On Monday, she promised, if elected Oct. 26., to fire and replace the city’s three appointees to The Forks North Portage Partnership board to ensure Canada Day is not “cancelled” again.

As she spoke, a supporting crowd of a few dozen people at times cheered, one waving a “mandate freedom” sign, echoing a common phrase from the so-called freedom convoy to oppose COVID-19 public health orders.

Motkaluk also doubled down on her refusal to wear a mask at a University of Manitoba mayoral forum last week. While the Winnipeg-based institution requires masks to be worn indoors, Motkaluk bluntly criticized the U of M for implementing that rule.

“It’s their own warped idea to think they can control their students, control their faculty and control their employees and I made it clear that I would not wear a mask to take part in an election forum. I will not take part in any more COVID theatre,” said Motkaluk.

She also told the gathering she rejects “critical race theory and the attempt to disrupt the community with fake news, fake labels, and collective guilt for our imperfect past,” as well as “equity policies because they are discrimination in disguise and I don’t discriminate against people.”

Motkaluk complained her team was briefly told it couldn’t hold the news conference on outdoor The Forks property Monday, before she opted to do so anyway.

As a rule, political campaign bookings are not granted at The Forks, so the group was informed of that fact, said Clare MacKay, The Forks vice-president of strategic initiatives.

“In order to be transparent and equitable to all, we do not take bookings for any campaign announcements from any candidates, regardless of level of government or candidate,” said MacKay, in an emailed statement.

The Forks board has 10 members, including three each appointed by the city, the province and the feds, and one unanimously selected chairperson — so it’s not clear how much control the three city members would have.

However, Motkaluk said she believes she can also convince federal and provincial leaders to appoint people who also support Canada Day.

“I would be shocked to discover that the premier of Manitoba and the prime minister of Canada do not love this country and do not want to celebrate its national holidays,” she said.

Elsewhere on the campaign trail, mayoral hopeful Scott Gillingham is proposing a one-time, 0.25 per cent dedicated property tax increase to support parks and recreation. He estimates the levy would raise $1.8 million per year between 2023 and 2027, which could help improve field maintenance, park accessibility and add new sports areas.

“It’s time to invest in Winnipeg, both in our capital and operating budgets. It’s time to improve city services, invest in our infrastructure across the city,” he said.

To tackle the challenges staff shortages pose on delivering recreation services, Gillingham says he would also create a program that offers incentives for post-secondary students who commit to work for the city for a minimum of a few years or a few consecutive summer seasons. He said that could include tuition subsidies and/or “competitive pay packages” to help retain employees, noting the exact details would need to be worked out with city unions.

“This is a targeted initiative to address a labour shortage of lifeguards,” said Gillingham.

He also promised to also seek partnerships that could help expedite recreation project funding.

Gillingham and mayoral contender Shaun Loney have now each released a list of all donors who gave $250 or more to each of their campaigns, with Loney challenging all other candidates to do the same.

If elected, Gillingham said he would ask council’s governance committee to require monthly donor disclosures for mayoral and council candidates in future election campaigns, beginning in 2026.

Meanwhile, mayoral contender Don Woodstock is demanding an apology from those he claims “slandered” him by labelling him a racist.

During a Sept. 22 mayoral forum, Woodstock said Indigenous men must “come to the table” to address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

The candidate has since stressed his widely condemned comments did not generalize all Indigenous men. On Monday, he challenged all politicians he feels deemed him a racist following the remarks to publicly apologize.

Winnipeggers will elect their next mayor and council Oct. 26.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga