Municipal Election Races Heat Up In The North

Municipal Election Races Heat Up In The North

Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 14:26

 

 

Nominations for mayor and council positions have closed in some northern communities.

 

In Creighton, Bruce Fidler was acclaimed to another term as mayor, after no one chose to run against him.

 

It’s a much different story in Green Lake, where four people have tossed their hats into the ring for the right to run against incumbent mayor Fred McCallum.

 

The four challengers include Jim Laliberte, Ric Richardson, Calvin Roy and John DeWolf.

 

In the hamlet of Jans Bay, just two people made the nomination deadline.

 

Patsy Laliberte will be running against incumbent mayor Tony Maurice.

 

Meantime, nominations are still being accepted in the Town of La Ronge and the Village of Air Ronge.

 

Anyone interested has until Sept. 30 to file their papers.

 

Long-time La Ronge mayor Joe Hordyski will not be running in this year’s contest, though.

 

Current town councillors Al Loke and Thomas Sierzycki have both declared their intentions to run for mayor.

 

Sierzycki drew headlines three years ago when he became the youngest Saskatchewan councillor ever at the age of 18.

 

He says since that time he’s learned a lot about governance and politics, but he also believes his age gives him insight into what youth are thinking.

 

“I see youth promotion as a big topic. Being young, it helps out for young people and young families. I also have some good advisors that are younger than I am, in the school system, but they have different topics and issues than I might, or than a young family might. (There’s) that whole diverse youth issue that needs to be covered,” Sierzycki says.

 

Over in Air Ronge, current mayor Gordon Stomp is being challenged by Jeff Simpson.

 

A number of other northern municipalities are in the midst of finalizing their lists.

 

Voters in most Saskatchewan municipalities head to the polls on Oct. 28, but a number of northern communities are holding theirs either later this month or in early October, as they are permitted to do under the Northern Municipalities Act.