Mayoral Candidates Outline Aboriginal Platforms
Monday, October 02, 2006 at 14:13
The four men vying to be mayor of the city of Prince Albert held an all-candidates forum on Aboriginal issues over the weekend.
The forum was held at the downtown headquarters of the outreach group Women of the Earth.
About 30 people showed up for the town hall session, which saw residents question each of the four candidates over their Aboriginal platform.
Challenger Brian Clavier spoke at length about his university background and knowledge of public policy. He pledged he would set up a coordinating body for the city and its Aboriginal groups, if elected.
Former mayor and fellow challenger Gordon Kirkby said he tried to change the racial situation years ago during his first stint in office, but found a lot of opposition. He said he hopes to have more success the second time around, noting the cost of igoring the issue is too great.
Another challenger, Jim Scarrow, noted there are too few services in the West Flat right now and that needs to change. He also promised to work more closely with volunteer organizations and outreach groups.
Incumbent mayor Jim Stiglitz defended his work on the Aboriginal portfolio. However, he admitted race relations and the employment of Aboriginal people has to improve even more. He also insisted he hasn’t forgotten his roots.
Feedback from the forum was mixed. Some attendees said the candidates were out of touch with the issues, while others complimented them for at least showing up.
The election takes place October 25th.