[登录] [注册] 手机版 微信公众号 安卓App下载 手机站 首页 加国新闻 电视直播 中国新闻 评论专栏 世界新闻 视频新闻 英文新闻 移民留学 团购网购 电子报纸 人物专访 一带一路 商家黄页 郭晓明 Peter Lam 汇泽 陈国治 TD道明财富 Edward C. Corrigan 当前位置： 首页 >> 评论专栏 >> Edward C. Corrigan >> 查看详情 LONDON CITY COUNCIL WARD ELECTIONS 来源： 红枫林新闻网 日期：2018-09-22 03:13:59 点击： 6664 分享: By Edward C. Corrigan Map of London Wards for the October22, 2018 Elections. Each voter should inform themselves on each candidate in their Ward, try to attend a Ward debate and question each candidate on the issues that concern you. Here is my take on the Ward elections. WARD 1 This race is interesting with three well qualified and politically experienced candidates. Melanie O’Brien is a new comer to public elections but has extensive political experience due to the fact she worked for Federal Member of Parliament Irene Mathysen. She does not support BRT in its current form because it does not adequately serve the residents of Ward 1. Bud Pohill, who was defeated by Michael Van Holst in the 2014 election is returning for a rematch. Pohill has served 16 years as councilor and 10 years of Board of Control. He was defeated in 2014 to a large extent because he was associated with the “Fontana 8” who held secret meetings before City Council meetings that were found to be illegal and violations of the Ontario Municipal Act by the Ontario Ombudsman. Even after the Ombudsman ruled that these meetings, which included a quorum of City Council, were illegal the “Fontana 8” were caught holding another meeting. This apparent disregard for the law resulted in many incumbents being defeated. Pohill also was involved in a controversy where he and 3 other defeated candidates, including Stephen Orser, purchased new tires for their vehicles out of their Councillor Expense Accounts. Pohill does not support BRT. He provides a lot of experience in City Council matters but is limited by that past experience and the problems that continue to plague London. Michael Van Holst is the incumbent for Ward I. He serves as a full time councillor. He defeated Bud Polhill in the 2014 Municipal election winning over 50% of the vote. Before he quit to become a full-time councillor he taught science. He lives in the Ward. He is focused in addressing “unemployment, poverty, homelessness, addiction and mental health. He is opposed to BRT. WARD 2 Bill Armstrong is the current representative for this East end Ward. He is a small business owner and a Paralegal. He has served 24 years on City Council representing the area. Bill Armstrong is married to Teresa Armstrong the NDP Member of Provincial Parliament for London-Fanshawe. Armstrong is the longest serving member of London City Council. As such he provides useful historical context behind past Council decisions. He lives in the Ward. He believes that housing is the most pressing issue in the Ward. He supports the BRT but states that if CP could use the CN rail tracks, “It would be a game changer.” Allan Jackson has withdrawn for the race in Ward 2 and has instead endorsed Shawn Lewis. However, his name will appear on the ballot and may complicate the counting of the “Ranked Ballot” in Ward 2. Shawn Lewis is also running in Ward 2. He has worked as a Constituency Assistant for NDP Federal Member of Parliament Irene Mathyssen. He was a local media personality on AM 980 Radio and on Rogers Cable TV. He does not live in the Ward. Lewis has strong political credentials and experience that, however, relates primarily to federal political issues. His main concerns are jobs, homelessness and the lack of affordable housing and inadequate and crumbling infra structure. Lewis is opposed to BRT. WARD 3 Mo Salih is the current Councillor for Ward 3. He won 52.52% of the votes in the 2014 Municipal election. Here was no Incumbent running in 2014. Salih has recently retired from the Canadian Armed Forces and is presently employed as a Government employee. According to virtually all reports he has represented his Ward very well. He voted against the current BRT plan on Council but he wants to improve London transit including rapid transit. Harry Prince is also running in Ward 3 but did not respond to the London Free Press Municipal Election Survey. Two other candidates withdrew their names and will not appear on the ballot. WARD 4 This election is shaping up to be a rematch between incumbent Jess Helmer and the individual who previously lost the election in 2014, Stephen Orser. Helmer served as a full time Councillor and his previous experience includes being part own of a web design company. He generally is a respected member of London City Council. He supports building BRT to help alleviate traffic congestion and to move London forward. Xuemei Jiang is also running. She is a lawyer and this is her first foray into politics. She opposes the BRT. Tricia Lystar is a business owner and single mom. She does not support the BRT in its current form. She is of a conservative bent and says that the present councilor she hopes to emulate is Phil Squire. Stephen Orser represented Ward 4 between 2006 and 2014 before losing to Jesse Helmer by more than 2,000 votes in the 2014 election. Orser has an ability grab headlines. Orser lost the election to Helmer to a large extent because he was associated with “the Fontana 8” and met secretly with 7 other City Council members, on at least 2 occasions, which was found to be illegal and a violation of the Ontario Municipal Act. After his defeat he also used his Council Expense account to purchase 4 new tires from defeated Councillor Bud Pohill. Orser is opposed to the BRT. Orser could be called “the Sign King” of London politics. He has acquired some political baggage. However, you cannot count out Orser as his political opponents have under estimated him in the past. Connor Garrett is also running but did not respond to the London Free Press Survey. WARD 5 There are 6 candidates running to represent Ward 5. In my opinion there are 3 serious contenders. Maureen Cassidy is the current representative. She ran for Council in 2014 after Joni Baechler, who represented Ward 5, was appointed Mayor after Joe Fontana was forced to resign. Baechler, a very popular councillor, endorsed Cassidy in 2014 and also in this election. Cassidy is a long time resident of the Ward and was a longtime community activist. She is articulate and a very good speaker and communicator. She strongly supports BRT. She states, “Any candidate staunchly opposed to BRT should indicate how they expect to pay to upgrade existing roads and infrastructure plus build these new roads without raising property taxes.” Cassidy’s term was marred by the extramarital affair she had with Mayor Matt Brown. The election will determine if the voters in Ward 5 have forgiven her. Stephanie Marentette Di Battista is a fresh face running for City Council. She is a lawyer and a ballerina which suggests that she can argue and also dance around political issues. She states “I have a very thick skin and I can take criticism.” Di Battista has strong community involvement including Ronald MacDonald House and Big Brothers, Big Sisters and the London Chamber of Commerce. The present councilor she hopes to emulate is Phil Squire. This suggests that she has a conservative bent. She does not support BRT in “its current form.” Randy Warden ran in the 2014 election coming a distant second to Maureen Cassidy. He is currently the Executive Director (Southwestern Ontario) for St. John Ambulance. He promises regular correspondence with the constituents and town hall meetings to get input from the Ward. Warden’s model with who he hopes to emulate is Jack Burghardt. He served one term as a Liberal MP in London West. This suggests that he is a centrist. In the Survey when he responded to the question, did he support the BRT. His answer was no. Shane Clarke responded to the London Free Press Municipal Election survey as did candidate Charles Knott. Ward 5 candidate Shiv Chokhani is also running but did not respond to the London Free Press election survey. WARD 6 There are only 2 candidates running in Ward 6. Mike Bloxam ran in the 2014 Municipal Election and came a respectable 3rd with nearly 1200 votes. He is the Owner Operator of Sun Tal Technologies, a local solar installation company. Bloxam is also the Community Harvest Co-ordinator at the London Food Bank. His emphasis is fighting poverty and the need for affordable housing. He also promises to work on job creation. He supports BRT. Philip Squire is the current representative for the Ward. He has previously served on the London and District Catholic School Board and ran and was elected in the 2014 Municipal Election. Squire is a lawyer and is the lone Conservative voice on the present Council. He also serves as Chair of a Non-Profit organization. Squire is not a supporter of BRT but strongly supports transit. In my opinion Squire will be tough to beat. However, voters in Ward 6 will have two decidedly different candidate from which to choose. WARD 7 There are only two candidates standing for election in this Ward. Joe Kolenko is 40 years old and a lifelong resident of London. He works at the London branch of a leading North American environmental services company. He is their Sales and Services Representative. He maintains that City Council does not listen to Londoners’.