St. Boniface city council candidates

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/10/2014 (1769 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

On Wed., Oct. 22, voters will elect a new city council candidate for the St. Boniface ward. Longtime councillor Dan Vandal is leaving the position to pursue federal politics. The candidates are Matt Allard, Ryan Davies, Brad Gross and Paul Najda.

Name: Matt Allard

Age: 32

Occupation: Small business owner and CEO of the Francophone Chamber of Commerce.

Why are you running? "St. Boniface is my life. It is my home, it is where I raise my family, where I have built my career, and where I volunteer.

"I have a proven track record as a community and business leader. As president of the Old St. Boniface Residents’ Association, I have spoken out for my neighbourhood and, as CEO of the Francophone Chamber of Commerce, I have brought together and supported local business. As a volunteer, I have worked to give back to my community by lobbying for dog parks, fundraising for the St. Boniface Cathedral to make it a community gathering place, advocating for traffic improvements at Marion and Archibald, building Habitat homes with working families, helping improve Provencher Park, supporting local cultural organizations like Folklorama, and collaborating on crime prevention.

I have the skills, experience and the desire to further contribute to the community I love. I believe that my neighbourhood level experience and small business background make me uniquely suited to be a strong and well-connected voice for St. Boniface."

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Name: Ryan Davies

Age: 34

Occupation: Previously a sales and marketing manager for a Forbes 500 Company.

Why are you running?
I have a deep and abiding passion for this city, its people, and its institutions. I have been raised to believe that public service is the highest calling, and that working to improve our community and society is an obligation for all those who are able. My father met his obligation to serve by flying a C-130 Hercules in the Canadian Air Force. After obtaining my bachelor of arts in political studies, I worked in the private sector to gain valuable experience. Now that I have established myself, and learned many valuable life lessons, I’m ready to fulfil my obligation by working to improve St. Boniface specifically, and the city of Winnipeg as a whole.

I am the best candidate for the people of St. Boniface because I am running to represent them, not any special interest group, and not any political party machine. I have a vision for the ward, and the city. Ideas matter. Policy matters. This is not a vanity campaign, but a campaign based on structured, thought-out ideas and how to make them work best for the people of St. Boniface. Artful rhetoric alone isn’t enough to improve the quality of our lives. Neither is vision without being grounded in reason. I believe strongly in vision with reason, not rhetoric. My ideas are grounded in reality. They are pragmatic, possible, and not based on partisan dogma. My vision can be achieved, and if the people of St. Boniface elect me, I will work tirelessly to achieve it.

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Name: Brad Gross

Age: 48

Occupation: Realtor

Why are you running? I believe most politicians don’t look for long-term saving and betterment of the city. I feel I have some very strong ideas to keep our costs down as we move forward into the future. In terms of traffic flow, St. Boniface is the main route to other sections of the city and it’s clogged from 3 to 6 p.m. most days. I feel I have ways to streamline traffic out and safely, which include safer streets with LED rope lighting and brighter street lights. I feel my negotiating skills will help produce more common sense in a city council setting.

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Name: Paul Najda

Age: 72

Occupation: Retired teacher currently working in the home health care field.

Why are you running? (As first printed in The Lance on Oct. 1):

The longtime Norwood resident, classic car enthusiast and former drag racer is dissatisfied with the current administration at city hall and believes taxpayers deserve a greater level of accountability and transparency.

"I’ve become disenchanted with the goings-on at city hall and some of the things that have been happening," Najda said.

"There’s been a mismanagement of dollars. How much did the new police headquarters cost in the end? In my mind, in many ways, Winnipeg is stuck 50 years in the past. We’re at a standstill."

Noting how there used to be a "revolving lane" system on Norwood Bridge during rush hour, another example of Najda’s local concerns addresses the distribution of traffic flow on the bridge.  

"There’s a dedicated diamond lane on the side of the bridge by Dominion Shopping Centre, which is 24/7. It’s bicycle and bus lane, but I’ve seen people abuse it. Why not open up it up during off-peak times? "

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