And Soon we get to the counting

Prince Rupert Civic Centre
was a busy place Saturday

A fabulous North Coast day greeted electors in Prince Rupert and Port Edward on Saturday, providing just one more positive trend for those looking to see a good turnout for the 2014 Municipal Elections.

With Free Transit also being offered in Prince Rupert on this election day, those in the city certainly had no valid reasons to make, when it came to not wanting to make the journey to the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre to cast a ballot.

And by mid afternoon, the omens were looking good for the get out the vote hopes, as the City began to roll out the ongoing count of the ballots cast during the day.

Parking Lot at the Civic Centre
was full as far as 9th St exit Saturday

With the 3PM hour highlighting the gains already made in participation for this years vote.

The 3 PM count listed the total number of votes cast as 3346,

Meaning, that by 3  PM  the vote total had already surpassed the total votes cast of 2011 when 3,184 of the 9024 eligible voters of that year made their choice.

By 4 PM that number had grown to 3625.

5 PM delivered the total of 3871 votes cast thus.

To give you an idea as to the push so far in the 2014 election, the Civic Info BC website lists the number of eligible voters at 9430 in Prince Rupert for this years election process.

Which means by 5 o'clock this evening Prince Rupert already had a 41 percent participation rate in place, with three hours to go until the polls close

Port Edward's number of eligible voters is listed at 411. No numbers on Port Edward's vote count thus far have been delivered as of yet.

With the City of Prince Rupert  making use of two vote tabulator machines this year, it's anticipated that the turn around time to deliver the numbers tonight should be significantly reduced, once the voting period comes to an end at 8 PM.

Vote totals after the polls close will be available from the City website page dedicated to tonight's election results, as well as through CityWest Cable 10 for those with Cable vision in the city.

With that quick run down on the numbers taking part in the process today as our preamble, we will follow tonight's vote tallies as they come in from the City's election officials, looking at trends and comparing the vote in 2014 to that of 2011 for the incumbents.

Readers may also wish to follow along with the world of twitter tonight, where we'll be adding our items, relaying any links we find of local note, as well as to add a few quick thoughts of our own. All of which can be found on the hashtag  #PRelxn spot on the social media site.

Join in with us if you wish to review the returns as they are released.

And so with that, as we head towards the final call for the polls  at 8 PM, we shall keep our watch!

Our first item will come up after 7, featuring a review of 2011 and what tonight's bump in voter participation may mean for those that won seats in that election.

Items will be archived below according to the block of time we have reviewed.

7 PM  - 8 PM 
8 PM - 9 PM  
9 PM - 10 PM

It was a Brain Wave!!
Voters send a mix of new faces and old hands to City Council for four years
School District voters mix it up for Trustees race

Cross posted from the North Coast Review

Voting, as simple as filling out a lottery card!

When Prince Rupert voters arrive at the polling station during this years Municipal election, the process will be just a little different, as the City makes use of a vote tabulator, a project which the City believes will speed up the delivery of the vote totals on November 15th.

Those that have taken advantage of the Advance polls, have already had their chance to test drive the new system.

A process which uses ballots that to a fashion might resemble a lottery card, with the voter making their decision by filling out the bubble beside the candidates name.

Voters then take the ballot to the voter tabulator machine, which records your vote.  Those that may not feel comfortable with that process can hand their completed ballot to the clerk who will take care of the last stage of the voting for you, inserting the ballot into the machine for validation.

A short video of the process can be found below, featuring the machine being used by the City of Prince Rupert, the DS200. More background on that machine can be found here.




The move to the voting tabulation machines was introduced by Prince Rupert City Council  on July 7th, a topic which generated little in the way of discussion at the time.  The full review of the Voting Bylaw and introduction of the potential use of the vote tabulator process was outlined as part of the Agenda for the July 7th session, (scroll to the very end of the Agenda package)

Council subsequently approved the Voting Procedures Bylaw by way of a Special meeting on July 30th.

The City's corporate administrator Rory Mandryk outlined the process for Council at the July 7th Council session.  (his overview can be found from the Video Archive below, he outlines the process at the one hour, forty one minute mark)




This is the first year that the City has moved towards an electronic means of vote tabulation, though it should be pointed out these are not the same as the machines of recent years made famous in the American electoral process, some of which have proven to be a tad controversial.

Looking around the ES and S website, we perhaps get a short glimpse of what the future may hold for voting in the years to come.

One option that may one day boost the voter participation levels is the ballot on line Home Ballot Marking system, which would take the balloting to the home of the voter.

Another interesting concept for the voting process comes from the ExpressVote UVS system hybrid version that combine a touch screen process with printed ballots.

With vote percentage totals in the mid thirties for recent elections, finding ways to engage the voter and simplify the process might be the best way to secure more participation in the process in the future.

For this year however, while the new technology offers up the prospect of faster results and a streamlined process.

The key aspect of the whole exercise is that the ballots still require some form of marking and more important than anything else, the entire process requires participation.

Council recently discussed the need to engage they public more in the electoral process, looking at how they try to encourage voter participation in other Northwest communities.

For Prince Rupert the chance to boost those participation numbers comes up with the next Advance poll, which takes place on Wednesday, November 12th from 8 AM to 8 PM.

For other special polling information see our previous item on Advance polls from October 30th.

The General Election day for the Mayoralty, Council seats and positions for the School District 52 Board takes place on Saturday, November 15th at the Prince Rupert Civic Centre.

For more items related to the 2014 Municipal election campaign see our archive page here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review

Major Industrial prospects and the small business environment makes for theme at campaign end

Twin narratives of economic development for the region made for a portion of the conversation in this week's municipal election campaign.

The focus of the potential of LNG development and all of the challenges that it may bring, was examined as was the need to try and offer some kind of assistance to the small business sector in the community.

The two topics provided for the current of the recent Mayoralty Election Forum at the Lester Centre, with the candidates providing variations of the same answers for the most part.  With the four candidates looking to stake out some space to provide their own interpretations of the same theme.

LNG Issues

When it came to the overview regarding the prospects for LNG Terminal development, much of the conversation was framed by the news cycle of recent weeks on the topic, with three key points providing for the background on the discussion.

The announcement of the pause by the BG Group for their proposed project at Ridley Island, the ongoing developments related to the Pacific NorthWest LNG plans for Lelu Island and the city's own ambitions for Lot 444 and the City's Legacy Corporation created to oversee the developments in that region.

Mr. Brain addressed the issue of LNG as a means of diversifying the local economy, adding it as a mechanism for the local economy. Making mention as to how if LNG doesn't go ahead, then something else would follow, he outlined how the City would be looking to develop major industrial projects on City owned land.

He made mention of the prospect of LNG development for the Lot 444 area, suggesting that it could provide revenues for the City, as any potential revenues would not be capped by the Port.

Mr. Briglio approached the issue  framed more as an discussion as to what the City is going to do for itself, as opposed to putting their hand out to any business that plans to come to town, highlighting for him how that seems to be the message that the City appears to send out.  Observing for the audience that for many would be investors, there is a perception that Prince Rupert is the last place that anyone would want to do business in.

He pointed out that the BG group was but one group of many proposed for the area, and that there others.  Offering up his belief that the BG group was taking a cautious approach towards development and will make their decision, when they make their decision.

He then took the discussion on LNG towards, offering up his belief that regardless of how the LNG industry may or may not develop,  the City has to make their own decisions on how best to take our own destiny into our own hands.

Sheila Gordon Payne put the pause on the speculation over the BG pause for development, advising that the projects take years to develop and suggesting that people stop in at the newly opened BG offices, to seek out a wider overview of the plans from that company.

She spoke to the need of the City to remove any obstacles towards any development including LNG, and highlighted the potential of the employment levels that could come to the community should the LNG prospects take hold in the region.

She offered up the concept of welcoming LNG to the area, suggesting that the City work with the proponents to develop the industry and then they will in return work to help for shared benefits in the community.

However, like the majority of those on the topic, she didn't deliver any detailed overview as to the steps the City should take to deliver any form of LNG development to the region.

Mayor Jack Mussallem outlined that in some cases when it comes to the development of LNG that the ability of some of the current proponents to deliver is questionable.

A theme which led him to outline how the city had to decide not to be reliant on those industries, but to create its own opportunities, developing its own raw land resources and to determine what we want in this community and how it may affect the quality of life we have here.

During the course of the discussion during the Forum, Ms. Gordon-Payne raised the issue of the Lot 444 developments related to LNG and the workings of the Legacy Corporation. Including the hiring of Dr. Barb Faggetter, who has expressed opposition to the Lelu Island LNG proposal in the past, suggesting that the approach the city was taking was one that needs to be explained better.

As part of his response, the Mayor reviewed some of the recent developments on the Lot 444 issue, including the terms of the hiring of Dr. Barb Faggetter who has been tasked to review how development in that proposed site might impact on the area around that area.

He further added that the City would be holding a public information session and hearing related to development of the Lot 444 area. Adding that it would be up to the citizens to determine if they want a development to take place there.

Mr. Brain also had a short reply to Ms. Payne's questions on the Legacy Corporation and Lot 444,  comments which the Mayor took issue with suggesting that Mr. Brain had his facts wrong, an interjection and approach which the Forum moderator over ruled calling for the Mayor to respect of those at the table.

Returning to his Lot 444 comments, Mr. Brain suggested that the Legacy Corporation could be used to deliver General revenue, noting that Dr. Faggetter was hired through the Legacy Corporation  and that she would make her observations based on science and would deliver her review independently and objectively.

He suggested that some of the proposed LNG projects may go ahead and some may not, the key to make sure that percentages of that income start going into Legacy Funding.

For the most part, the full range of the LNG discussion, offered up mainly general observations on the nature of what the City could receive from the Industry, but less in detail what the candidates would see the City providing as far as a blue print for their planning on the issue.

Small Business Considerations

As for the topic of the Small Business sector and how the City should consider that theme, all candidates again stressed the need for an approach that would make for an easier path for current business owners and any new ones to come to develop their business.

For Sheila Gordon-Payne the topic provided for a few stumbles, first as she provided a fairly lengthy preamble before addressing the topic and then as she stopped at one point, appearing to collect her thoughts. Which considering the theme, was something that probably surprised many of those that were taking in the electoral forum.

As to her message, she observed many of the same concepts when it comes to small business as the others.

Calling for the need of the City for staff to work on the budget process, which would result in growth and the ability to stem the need for ever growing taxes.

Acknowledging that there are many small businesses that have stuck with the community through thick and thin and that they could find better times ahead as the local opportunities arrive and are taken advantage of.

Mayor Mussallem called Small Business the backbone of the community when you get away from the waterfront and the large scale projects.  He outlined how the City has been working to free up land for future development which could attract small business.

He made mention of the business facade program and some of the plans that staff are looking at for local business improvement and revitalization options.

He suggested that improving the quality of life in the community through investments in such things as the Recreation Centre and cultural options like the Lester Centre,  adds to the overall approach of the city, and  is one which might help to attract small business to the region.

Lee Brain outlined how he had consulted and acknowledged small business owners as he created his platform for this campaign. Making mention of one company that he spoke to and recounting how no one from the City or Council had ever stopped in when they opened their doors.

With that in mind, Mr. Brain called for a more welcoming environment for small business, suggesting a welcome package is required for the community. He offered up the Cash Mob concept as something for the city to consider.

Looking to have City council members go to new businesses to welcome them to the community and provide more information and support. Suggesting that it could be a way to improve the relationship between the City and small business.

He suggested the creation of a Small Business Task Force with small business owners and key stakeholders, which with Council would  address a number of issues such as employee poaching and succession planning for long time business owners.

He made note of the young people in the community that are creating business in the community and find ways to support their work and make things easier for them

Mr. Brain also highlighted the city policies that limit small business, pointing towards such inefficiencies in local procedures as permits and taxes on small business that don't show a supportive nature to the sector.

Tony Briglio called on his experience in finance when it comes to small business. Touching on the nature of the restrictive bylaws that are in place and the need to move away from them, highlighting how they work against small business operators.

He suggested that the City doesn't have to recreate the wheel, looking to such places as Prince George where there is a can do attitude and approach to small business. Mr. Briglio made mention of the lack of incentives for local business in a number areas, in particular when it comes to making their business look better.

He offered up the concept that at the moment there is no incentive for business in town to make renovations and improvements, suggesting that the City put in place a better system, which would see the assessed value of a property to be considered at the point of the start of renovation, not after it is completed, a prospect that was well received.

However, as he delivered his final point, his phrasing of that concept, as one of not raping the cash cow, made for an interesting silence among the crowd.

The Mayor offered up a short rebuttal on the improvements theme, advising that some of those incentives are in place at the moment. He also put a target on the plans of Mr. Brain, speaking to his many options which he called good ideas, but making a comment related to his lack of experience  and how there is no time for any learning curve. Mentioning that Council wouldn't have time to mentor him on how to be Mayor, thoughts not well received by the crowd.

Sheila Gordon-Payne also made use of the rebuttal period on the small business theme, to comment to the number of empty store fronts downtown and how we may not see a return of the shops of the past return. She offered up the observation we all have new ways to shop now and how the downtown area may have to redevelop its purpose, with the downtown area seeking a new direction.

Calling attention to such new storefront operations for the new offices of the LNG industry as part of that new direction.  She also reviewed the need to be inviting and respectful to any new business that approaches City Hall.

Advising that the less obstacles that are put in the way, the better it is for the community.

The two themes do make for an interesting study when it comes to the limitations of what the City can actually do on either topic.

On LNG, any investment decisions will obviously be made in far off board rooms of companies in distant locations, with the City but a bit player in the grand scheme of any final investment decisions.

Other than not making for too many roadblocks for development, it would seem that there's not much for the City to do at this point other than to watch with interest and try to capitalize on the revenue streams should they arrive, while tackling the challenges that will be part of the process should the industry ever take off in the region.

As for Small business, much of the current situation in the city was created years ago, first when Terrace began attracting the larger Box Store types of commercial options, providing the magnet for traffic down Highway 16.

With few of those larger options having yet to arrive in Prince Rupert,  that hit the road to go shopping situation, in one that has not been stemmed over the last decade.

Along with those Terrace options and the growing reliance on Internet portals for shopping, one really wonders what, other than reducing the tax load and the nature of red tape, that City council could do to change that dynamic.

Other than to find ways to help the region grow economically, increase the population and create a demand for the types of stores that lure Rupertites down the highway.

While the two themes make for good discussion topics, results are not quiet as easy to deliver.

Which candidate is perceived as offering the best path forward and how the City can best address the issues related to those concerns, will be among the key aspects for those casting their votes in the Municipal vote of November 15th.

Those who have access to CityWest's Cable Ten programming can relive the discussion points of last weeks forums, with a replay planned for this evening at 6 PM and again on Wednesday, November 12th.

For more items related to the 2014 Municipal Election campaign see our archive page here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review

City Hall hosting Advance Poll opportunity today

The second of three Advance Poll opportunities for the 2014 Municipal Election is taking place today, as voters who may not be available for Election Day of November 15th can cast their ballots at City Hall.

The polls are open until 8 PM tonight, City Hall will host one more advance poll, taking place on November 12 from 8 AM to 8 PM.

As well there, are other opportunities available to cast a ballot through arrangements at the Prince Rupert Hospital and Acropolis Manor, you can review more of those details from our item of October 30th.

For more items related to the 2014 Municipal Election see our Election Archive page here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review

Mayor's Advertising Push pivots towards Council's achievements as voting day nears

There was a shift in the advertising plan for Mayor Mussallem this week, as his ad buy, which doubled in Wednesday's edition of the weekly paper, changed the tone and direction of his political positioning just a bit.

The first of two ads
highlighting some new themes 
for Mayor Mussallem

The new discussion points coming after a rather testy Election Forum session found the Mayor's approach to his challengers and in particular his comments directed to Mayoralty candidate Lee Brain, providing for a bit of a negative reaction from the audience at the Lester Centre on Tuesday evening.

The Mayor's first advertising offering this week, moved away from his theme of experience and the concerns he has had in the past over what he believes are the untested challengers.

Instead, the latest talking points are providing for a review of his and City Council's work in the last year.

Among his points for the public to consider:

The Council's work on the Community Development Plan,

Consideration of Business opportunities on a portion of Lot 444,

Development of an (in city) airline passenger arrival/departure Centre,

Consideration of a new Marina Development,

And the prospect of potential leasing opportunities for the Cow Bay Area.

A second ad for the week from
Mayor Mussallem, returning
to more familiar themes

The second ad for the week, focused on the theme of availability, with the Mayor outlining how there's "one door at City Hall, that's always Open".

Putting forward his latest message that enquiries about the city are always welcome and where service to the residents is the first consideration.

The follow up ad also focuses on his ten years of service to the community and touches on his constant message of the campaign of knowledge, experience and solid performance.

Returning if just for a moment on his previous themes related to his many years of experience on Council.

The Ad campaigns appear to be the only method of the moment that the Mayor is employing to get his messages across, while other Candidates have set up websites, taken to social media and delivered pamphlets to local residences.

The Mayor for now would seem to be relying on his past work at Council and the deliver of the weekly newspaper as his main approach towards his re-election bid.

He'll find out how the public has taken to that message in just eight more days, when Prince Rupert goes to the polls on November 15th.

For more items related to the 2014 Municipal Election campaign see our archive page here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review

Council puts in motion plan to offer Free Transit on Election Day in Prince Rupert

Prince Rupert Transit buses at the Ocean Centre
City Council hopes to be able to offer
Free Transit to the Civic Centre polling station
on November 15th

There could be one less reason not to go to the polls on November 15th, as City Council gave consideration to a motion from Councillor Ashley to provide for free transit on election day for those looking to go to the Civic Centre to vote.

The topic came up as part of the comments from Councillors segment of Monday night's Council session, with Councillor Ashley recounting how she had read somewhere, that both Kitimat and Terrace have engaged in initiatives with their transit system to help make accessing the polling stations easier.

Perhaps Councillor Ashley was scrolling through this item from the North Coast Review of October 31st,  at that time we outlined those two projects, providing some background on how municipal government in both Kitimat and Terrace are seeking to engage the voters on election day.

Councillor Ashley clearly believes that the both of those projects are worthwhile in boosting the vote totals, an issue she has made comment on over the last few weeks at Council as we began to get closer to the November 15th vote.

Council voted in favour of her motion, but did send the topic over to staff to review as to cost. As well Councillor Garon offered up some concerns that there may be issues related to BC Transit that could impact on any plan to deliver free transit on election day.

Staff will get back to Council to let them know if the project is workable for this year.

We imagine, that should staff give Council the go ahead for their plan, that they will make use of their range of social media sites such as their website and twitter feed to advise the public as to the service if it can be provided.

She introduces the topic at the 49 minute mark, with Council reviewing the prospect for about two minutes or so. You can listen in to the initiative through the City's Video Archive.

A full review of the November 3rd Council session can be found on our Timeline feature.

For more items related to developments at City Council see our Discussion archive page.

For more background on the election campaign for 2014 see our Election archive page here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review

Council candidates seek to turn Tuesday's election forum appearance into votes

The Prince Rupert Election Sign Farm at the Courthouse

With as large a group as that assembled on the stage of the Lester Centre on Tuesday evening, each seeking a seat on Prince Rupert City Council for the next four years. The opportunity to see what turned out to be a thumbnail sketch of the nine Council candidates, was about all we could hope for during the course of the hour and a bit discussion.

Much like the Mayoralty Forum which preceded it, the Council edition featured some opening remarks from the candidates, providing a short overview of their position points heading towards the November 15th vote.

The synopsis of those can be found below,  in the order that the candidates appeared at the Forum.

Ray Pedersen

A transplant from the Lower Mainland, Mr. Pedersen outlined some of his past travels and career work in Asia and how he made a conscious choice to relocate to Prince Rupert, to raise his family and grow his businesses.  Stating how the the future of Prince Rupert did not die with the sinking of the Titanic, and how he is looking to contribute to the challenge of making Prince Rupert the next great Port City.

Barry Cunningham

The incumbent (of one year on Council, elected in last years by-election) offered up his overview of what is ahead for the city in the way of population growth and capital investment, advising as to how they will provide challenges for the community.  He offered his observation that Council is a two way street and stressed the need for the help of residents to provide the input to Council, highlighting how he was approachable and welcome to their thoughts. As for the years ahead, he promised to address all revenues available to improve the community.

Nelson Kinney

The long time Prince Rupert Councillor opened up his presentation by explaining how he believes that Prince Rupert faces some serious stuff in the years to come. With his most important issue to bring to the discussion being that of housing. Mr. Kinney commented on the need for Senior's Housing, Assisted housing and housing for the homeless. Suggesting that it is one of the key issues facing the Mayor and Council for the years ahead.

Anna Ashley

Another incumbent, Ms. Ashley outlined her two main goals that of addressing infrastructure issues in the community and to make plans for Industrial Development, looking to see Prince Rupert benefit and thrive from that industry. She wants to make for a workable balance and to protect the community from any negative impact. She highlighted her experience on Council and how she sees that as assets and skills that will help Council to solve the problems that face the community in the years to come.

Blair Mirau

Mr. Mirau offered up a short review as to how he is a lifelong Rupertite and then touched on some of the discussions he has had with residents of the community. Learning more of the concerns that he shares with them, issues that he says he would work towards bringing to Council. He would like to see more jobs in the region, more affordable housing and more  recreation opportunities. But to get those items and more, it will require a plan to get to the future that all in the community would like to see. He provided three priorities, enhancing the accountability of the city's elected officials, efficiency of City Council to focus on items within the city's jurisdiction and to grow our tax base.

Gurvinder Randhawa

Mr. Randhawa opened by providing a brief snapshot of his time in Prince Rupert which spans twenty years, expressing his desire to help the community take advantage of the new industrial opportunities that are on the horizon. He observed that there is a need to build good relations with First Nations and neighbouring communities. He also would work towards openness, transparency and integrity at Council and with the City.  He would like to see new economic activities and address the city's infrastructure needs. Calling on his experience with a number of local boards, he put his emphasis on the need for good teamwork and an ability to work towards a common goal.

Wade Niesh

Mr. Niesh, outlined his background as a contractor in the city and recounted how he did not leave the city when he economy took it's downturn years ago. He took the audience on a history trip back to 1981 and compared those times with the conditions that the City faces today.  Explaining to the audience that City council needs to take control of spending and plan for the future, suggesting that it's not a right wing versus left wing thing, or union and non union situation, but a simple case of taking control of our destiny and doing what's right for our community.

Joy Thorkelson

Another incumbent, Ms. Thorkelson observed as to the cusp of change that Prince Rupert finds itself at, with the incoming council required to prepare for the possibility of a boom environment one or more LNG terminals locating here. She spoke to some of the challenges that any growth could bring, her priority focus being that of housing.  Stating that the City needs to ensure that there are enough rent controlled units available in the community and that Council will have to have an in-depth discussion with Prince Rupert residents on the housing issue. She mentioned the prospects for the Tuck Inlet LNG proposal, reviewing how the project is proposed for City owned land, so the city's residents will decide if they want it and under what conditions. She reminded the audience that whatever the new council decides it will have consequences on jobs, taxes and our environment.  She stressed how she can work with anyone, but that her interests are to make sure that everyone has a place in the discussion.

Gina Garon

The final candidate on the panel and another incumbent, outlined her passion for Prince Rupert and how she has learned much, on a range of topics in her time on Council.  She outlined how it was  a great time of change, opportunity and challenge for the community and how her past experience on council, as well as with boards and committees would help her to lead this community forward, with her goals to make Prince Rupert a healthy community and a good place to live.

Candidates for Prince Rupert Council
at the Election Forum of November 4

The next phase of the Candidate Forum was the Question Period, though with larger numbers than the Mayoralty Forum, there would be no rebuttal questions allowed for those on the stage.

Leaving the nine candidates to offer up short responses to the questions posed by the panel consisting of Shaun Thomas, Mary Bartlett and George Baker.

Below a short overview of their responses to each question. Though in the case of Ms. Garon, microphone issues which seemed to deteriorate as the evening progressed, detracted from her presentation, at times making her remarks hard, if not impossible to hear.

Question Number One:  On nature of the city's infrastructure concerns and how the candidates would approach them.

Gurvinder Randhawa-- seek out grants, look to borrow money, attract new industry to expand the tax base
Wade Niesh-- find other ways to address the issues, approach the Provincial government for money on infrastructure
Joy Thorkelson-- Find other sources of income, take advantage of fair share agreements, raise money from local increases in industry and continue to seek out money from the Federal Government
Gina Garon-- the number one priority is the dam at the water reservoir, work with stakeholders to find ways to find common ground to address infrastructure issues.
Blair Mirau--  expand the tax base, develop a strategy to make it easier for businesses to come to the city, taking the burden off existing businesses and homeowners
Ray Pedersen-- Determine priorities and run a tight budget, take responsibility and to usher in a port related economy by attracting secondary industries here.
Nelson Kinney-- The City needs to approach the Provincial Government and remind the Premier and the Government of past commitments and the need to share the load with the city, offer a welcome to business.
Barry Cunningham-- Identify issues and develop a management plan on infrastructure issues, go to the two levels of government Federal and Provincial and have them step up to the plate to help out on the issue
Anna Ashley -- Have staff develop an asset management plan and then find creative ways to find new sources of revenue, forge partnerships with neighbouring communities and First Nations. Need to lobby higher levels of government to stop their interference in the community's ability for taxation.

Question Number Two: How would you balance the infrastructure requirements while maintaining services such as Recreation and the Library.

Barry Cunningham-- As new industry arrives in town, have them kick in and give some of our recreation locations and social requirements a contribution, we need to be open to all businesses to increase the tax rate, allowing the City to collect the taxes to provide those services.
Blair Mirau-- He would seek out more input from the community as to what their priorities are and where they would want to have the City spend their money.
Ray Pedersen-- Allocate money as to what is really necessary and remove items not required that way we can shift that money to what services you wish to provide. Invite business into town to increase the tax base to provide those services.
Joy Thorkelson-- Try to get short term funding from large corporations, having them sponsor such things as rooms at the Library or Recreation Centre.
Nelson Kinney-- We will need to do some cutting, find a way to make some money to run these operations, work with our First Nation communities who use our facilities, looking to work together on the issues.
Wade Niesh--  Solve the mill issue, he no longer wants to have to talk about the mill, which he believes puts the city in a bad position, we need to attract new business and industry, would make hard decisions on things that the City needs to cut, such as the gardening that the City does.
Anna Ashley-- Identify what the people of Prince Rupert thinks are important, have brainstorming sessions, look to offer incentives for money saving ideas. Look for help from higher levels of government. Pursue the Tsimshian Access project in order to reduce the Airport Ferry costs.
Gurvinder Randhawa-- Review and scrutinize the budget, seek new industry to rebuild the tax base.
Gina Garon-- Ms. Garon offered up a review as to how the process worked and the challenges that it provides to Council members.

Question Number Three: What can City Council do for those looking for affordable housing on a limited income.

Joy Thorkelson-- We need to make it clear to the Provincial Government as to the need for affordable housing in the community and not wait until we're in a crisis situation.
Nelson Kinney-- Find a way to get the Provincial Government on our side and to work to get this housing done.
Gurvinder Randhawa-- Look for more funding from BC Housing for low cost housing to address the issue, attract more industry to create jobs and provide for income for housing.
Wade Niesh-- Take advantage of tax incentives for builders who want to build rental units, look at lower cost options, giving an incentive to a large builder, give them a break on any taxes so that they would want to build those units.
Barry Cunningham-- Get BC Housing on Board to address the issue, reach out to local community groups. senior levels of government and non-profit organizations to offer up solutions.
Anna Ashley-- Pressure higher level of governments, develop a Housing Commission as proposed by City Council, look to what our current requirements and future needs may be, offer city lots to developers. Partner with social groups and change bylaws to provide for additional housing.
Ray Pedersen-- Improve zoning to create secondary suites, develop condos, row housing and other options.
Blair Mirau-- Waive development approval fees, develop an affordable housing policy for the Community Plan, streamline the process for development of housing, collaborate with local partners to make the best decisions.
Gina Garon-- (Audio levels were so low as to make her answer impossible to hear)

As Tuesday night at the Lester Centre came to an end, the nine candidates delivered their closing remarks, a review for the most part of many of their talking points of the last few weeks.

The nature of the Tuesday event, didn't really provide for much in the way of any thorough examination as to the Candidates positions on the topics.

Leaving it to the candidates to make use of pamphlets, newspaper ads, the short, self penned bios that appeared in the weekly paper and in some cases their website offerings, all to be used to expand on the short snippets of information of Tuesday.

Links to those Council candidates that do have a website presence can be found here, where more information on their positions on the issues can be reviewed.

You can review more background on the Prince Rupert Election campaign from our archive page here.

Note: An Online video replay of the November 4th Council Forum is available here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review

Attack on inexperience doesn't resonate well with Lester Centre Crowd

The theme of the need for experience during challenging times got a fairly thorough review at Tuesday's Prince Rupert Mayoralty Forum, as Mayor Jack Mussallem made the relative youth of candidate Lee Brain one of his main talking points.

At times, it seemed as though Mr. Brain's age was almost an obsession for the Mayor, who at frequent intervals during the course of the one and half hour debate referred to the candidate as "young Lee Brain".

The Mayors singular focus on Mr. Brain at one point earned Mr. Mussallem a rebuke from Forum moderator Tom Harvey, who chastised the Mayor for interrupting Mr. Brain during one of his answer opportunities, asking the Mayor to respect the candidates at the forum.

Things on the civility front would get worse for the Mayor later on, when using one of his rebuttal questions on the night, the Mayor again returned to the lack of experience that Mr. Brain brings to the Municipal government level. Suggesting that when things are coming at you very quickly, no one on Council will have time to mentor Mr. Brain.

That was a comment that did not appear to sit well with a fairly good portion of the audience, with boos and catcalls delivered to the Mayor for his approach and the framing of his message.

The interesting thing about the backlash to the Mayor's Forum commentary (and perhaps to his ongoing advertising campaign in the weekly paper) is that Mr. Mussallem does raise some valid questions, about a number of the plans that Mr. Brain is offering to the voters.

Yet any value in those observations, would seem to be getting lost through the Mayor's rhetoric and with the tone that it is being delivered, which comes across as rather nasty.

Along with the frequent references to Mr. Brain's age, Mr. Mussallem did put forward a number of concerns that many in the community might share when it comes to Mr. Brain's extensive plans, which make up the bulk of his Re-Think Prince Rupert proposals.

The Mayor was correct in reviewing the challenges of the office, his experience both as Mayor and in administration over the years, gives him a unique perspective on that theme.

A less caustic approach perhaps, would have better delivered the message that Mr. Brain will find that the actual job offers up a number of limitations. Especially when it comes to his plans for facilitation sessions, policy reviews and the other new approaches that he has suggested will be the new way of doing business.

Likewise lost in the Mayor's message owing to his tone, was the observation as to how a city that is facing any number of financial challenges, probably doesn't have the staffing levels to deliver on many of Mr. Brain's platform ideas.

Mr. Brain does need to be challenged on some of those proposals, something that he seems to have been given a bit of a pass on over the last few weeks.

However, by focusing purely on experience and age, the Mayor missed a valuable opportunity to try and get Mr. Brain to expand on his plans, beyond the string of vision statements and slogans that seem to be the main thrust of his platform so far.

Instead, the approach taken by the Mayor, came across as belligerent and at times even mean spirited.

For the most part, it only seemed to galvanize those that were in the audience to support Mr. Brain,  who appears to have a rather committed core of local voters who remain enthusiastic to his message. Even if the candidate is a little light on the actual details of how all of his plans would actually be delivered.

The Mayor's rather bombastic approach to his challenger, suggests that he seems to consider Mr. Brain as his main competitor for the Mayoralty, but the way he's handling that competition, may in the end deliver votes to either Tony Briglio, or Sheila Gordon-Payne.

Getting booed at an election forum is probably a good warning, that perhaps your approach needs to be adjusted a little bit.

With ten days remaining until election day, clear disapproval such as that expressed by a fairly vocal segment of the audience last night should be heeded.

It could be an indication that if anyone needs to do any "re-thinking", it may be the incumbent Mayor, who may have to quickly revise his battle plan on the way to November 15th.

For more items on the 2014 Municipal Election campaign see our archive page here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review

The Prince Rupert Fire Department becomes surprise topic of Tuesday's debate

It's a topic that seems to have come out of a time warp of a previous election campaign, as Mayor Jack Mussallem introduced the theme of the status of the City's Fire/Rescue Department to the election dialogue.

As part of his opening remarks to Tuesday evening's forum, the Mayor asked for the support of the voters in order to stop what he said was a move by some in the community to close down the City's Fire Department, and according to the Mayor turn it into a volunteer based organization. A prospect that the Mayor was quite determined to advise the gathering that he was against.

To further expand on his concerns at any perceived threat to the city's Fire Department, the Mayor reviewed the nature of the current industrial base in the region and to list off some of the proposed developments that may come our way, stressing for the audience the need for the City to retain trained, professional firefighters.

He also appealed to the pocket books of those in attendance at the Lester Centre, all well as to those watching at home, reminding all, as to his belief that there could be higher insurance rates for homeowners with the installation of any volunteer fire department

He finished off the surprise talking point of the forum, by calling for the support of the public to end what he called an "ill conceived plan."

The introduction of the Fire Department as a major issue of concern for the forum, seems to have caught a number of people off guard.

Sheila Gordon-Payne made comment about the Mayor's concerns, as part of her discussion on communication problems when it comes to City initiatives.

Highlighting, how in her case, Tuesday night was the first that she had heard of any campaign to shift the focus of the Fire Department into a volunteer service.

An observation that Ms. Gordon-Payne was quite correct in making and one that most watching the forum on Tuesday night were probably nodding their heads to.

In fact, a review of the entire year of Council sessions going back to January, as well as with any conversations in this Election campaign, would suggest that there has been no public discussion, when it comes to any kind of suggestion afoot to turn the Fire Department into a volunteer based service.

All of which leaves one to wonder why, the Mayor chose to introduce the topic on Tuesday.

The status of the Fire Department has in past years made for a topic that has resonated with some in the community, and it might very well be a worthwhile topic for conversation once again, considering the financial concerns of the community of late.

However, any actual plan to make such a change, would no doubt be a major discussion topic for the soon to be elected council.

And to go even further, most likely  it would be the kind of important issue that any sensible City Government, would wish to consult the residents over, including the use of referendum to determine the full opinion of the community.

To suggest that the results of the November 15th election may in some way seal the fate of the Fire Department, seems to be a leap that few in the audience probably were willing to make on Tuesday night.

For more items related to the 2014 Municipal election campaign see our archive page here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review

Challengers take the reins at Prince Rupert Mayoralty Forum

Prince Rupert voters had their one opportunity to measure all candidates for Mayor in one place on Tuesday evening, as incumbent Mayor Jack Mussallem and the three challengers for his position, met on stage at the Lester Centre.

From the early going, Sheila Gordon-Payne and Tony Briglio and to a lesser degree Lee Brain, targeted some of the current issues of the day. With Mayor Mussallem as the main focus of many of their concerns, particularly when it comes to the ability of Council to deliver key Civic functions.

As well the challengers offered a bit of a review of the path that City Council has taken in recent years, with attention directed to the relationships that the City has with a number of other stakeholders in the region.

Tuesday's forum provided for the usual format of opening remarks, questions from a media panel and then a closing address.

The opening introductions, provided for few shifts from previous positions, as for the most part the candidates stayed with familiar items and talking points, as they outlined their blueprints for the way ahead.

With Moderator Tom Harvey introducing the theme of Prince Rupert The Next Great Port City, the four candidates provided their vision statements for the evening.

Sheila Gordon Payne was first to speak, reviewing many of her points of the last few weeks,  exploring the theme of a Council that could work together to address the many challenges ahead. Ms. Gordon-Payne called for a Council that creates an expanded business base, takes on issues and improves life for the community.

She spoke to the need for better communication between the City and the community, with a nod towards the urgency for the City to rebuild its relationship with the Prince Rupert Port Authority.

She offered up her support towards the theme of making LNG, Port development and new industrial opportunities work for the community now. Observing as to how she would see the City work to assist the LNG industry for their success and how that industry could then work with the City towards its success.

Ms. Gordon-Payne also stressed the need to reach out to the Provincial government and work positively on shared issues that the we face,  as well she stressed the need to seek out better relations with local First Nations to shape our shared destiny.

She then outlined for the audience of her hopes of leading a City Council that is envied by other communities,  reinforcing her desire to have a Council that would tackle issues with purpose and remain focused on the work ahead.


Mayor Jack Mussallem reviewed some of the work that he and City Council have engaged in over the last few years in the bid to improve the city's situation.

When it comes to planning, Mayor Mussallem pointed to potential developments, such as the Lot 444 proposals for Tuck Inlet, as one way to reduce the city's infrastructure deficit situation.

He also touched on taking a more regional approach for key aspects of services in the region, such as water, sewage treatment, Waterfront Parks, the Airport, Policing, Fire/Rescue and Transit. Reviewing some of the themes that he has introduced at council this year, particularly on the need to have a plan to approach other communities of the region to approach those issues.

The Mayor also offered up two growth issues for consideration, including one surprising note, his review as to how some people want to close down the City's Fire Department and turn it into a volunteer based organization, something he is not in favour of.

Observing as to the nature of the industrial base in the region and how we need trained professional firefighters. He also reminded the audience as to his belief of the the prospect of higher insurance rates for homeowners should the city shift to a volunteer fire department.

As a final exclamation point for that issue, the Mayor called for the support of the public to end this "ill conceived" plan.

That talking point proved to be a bit of a shot out of left field, as the topic of the City's Fire Department had not, to this point become much of a topic of conversation in the election campaign.

His second growth issue was on the theme of city owned, undeveloped land and what he called demands by some, that it be sold off to land speculators, something that he doesn't want to to do. Stating rather forcefully that the residents of the City deserve to get the best possible dollar for those lands when the City can sell them.

Mayor Mussallem didn't quite expand on where those land issues might be located, or who was making the demands to sell them off, leaving more than a few to wonder on the night as to where that topic might have come from.

The land issue, much like the Fire Department issue prior, are two themes that have not provided for much conversation from anyone so far in the campaign.

Though we imagine they now become part of the narrative, changing some of the themes for the next ten days, which is possibly what the Mayor was seeking to do.

Lee Brain opened up his introduction with a bit of review of his recent history, focusing on his education and work travels away from the North Coast. Explaining for the audience how he now has returned to Prince Rupert, to help lift the city out of the malaise that never seems to lift.

He offered up a review of some of the challenges ahead for the city, including that of housing, as well as some of the social issues that the area faces.

Mr. Brain framed his remarks on the theme of a community that is on the verge of investment opportunities, highlighting how Prince Rupert is poised for success.

To take advantage of those opportunities, he spoke to the need for inspired leadership for the city. Outlining that he would be looking to build partnerships and tackle challenges, suggesting that now is the time to move away from leaders who divide, rather than unite.

He outlined how he believes that Council has to work as a team, something that he believes he can bring about through his past experiences.

He also spoke to need for expanding the tax base by supporting responsible industrial development and to work to heal relationships with First Nations communities in the region.

Tony Briglio retraced his experience in business, mainly in the financial services industry and his long time work as a health care advocate in the community.

He drew some parallels between some of his past involvement with both industry and community boards, which he observed provided for much the same kind of work that is required for the Mayor's office.

As for the issues, Mr. Briglio outlined his belief that any proposed industrial opportunities for the region should be made available to all residents and not just a chosen few.

He then delivered a string of what he called facts for the audience to consider; improvements needed to infrastructure, health care requirements, concerns about the state of the Prince Rupert airport and issues related to Housing.

Mr. Briglio then followed his listing of facts with a look at one of the key myths he believes is prevalent in the community, the impression that the city is broke.

Something which he described as not factual. Mr. Briglio then reviewed how he would approach the City's financial issues, presenting his plan as to to how he would rebuild the city's finances and address its ongoing infrastructure issues.

He proposed a restructuring program that would involve long term borrowing, with an affordable repayment, a process that he says would help to deliver the city from what he called it's state of Crisis Management.

He would also look to both the Federal and Provincial government for assistance on some of the larger issues of the region.

From the opening statements, the evening moved on to the format in place for Questions on the night, which for the most part came by way of a media panel with pre determined themes for the candidates to expand on.

Shaun Thomas, Mary Bartlett and George Baker reviewed four topics in this segment: How the City would work to increase the city's tax base; How the City could improve communication with the public; What is needed to help Small Business to thrive and What can be done to address the waterfront access issue in the city. 

The majority of which for the most part provided the candidates to retrace many of their previous themes and point to their existing platforms, with little in the way of new information delivered through that portion of the night.

The real action of the forum came through the Rebuttal Questions, where each candidate could address a concern to one of the other candidates.

Not surprisingly, the majority of those questions and issues were directed towards Mayor Mussallem and the work of the current City Council.

The first topic for rebuttal was introduced by Sheila Gordon-Payne who asked for some answers on the Lot 444 development issue. 

Focusing her initial remarks on the recent hiring of Dr. Barb Faggetter, with Ms. Gordon-Payne wondering about the nature of this Legacy Corporation hiring and why the City would  hire someone who was as outspoken against the LNG industry as many believe Dr. Faggetter is.

As an additional point, she wondered about the goals of the Legacy Corporation, as well as to how the decision was made and what was the cost on the hiring.

Ms. Gordon-Payne also observed as to how the City needs to stay in focus as to items that are part of their mandate and to manage projects properly for mutual benefit.

The Mayor answered that challenge by outlining how Dr. Faggetter was hired to ensure that anything that is developed on Lot 444 will not adversely impact the area around it.

He also provided the update that Lot 444 would be the subject of a public hearing, with a public information session to be held prior to that Public Hearing.

The Mayor then took advantage of the moment to make the first of what would be a number of comments about candidate Lee Brain. Suggesting that residents need to consider that the City doesn't have the money to deliver some of the planning proposals that "young Lee Brain" has put forward.

Stressing to the audience that he believes residents need to rethink that portion of Mr. Brain's position.

Mr. Brain, then also approached the topic of the Legacy Corporation, offering up a short review of what he believes is its purpose. A theme that the Mayor seemingly took issue with, interrupting Mr. Brain at one point and advising him that he had his facts wrong.

That was  a line of commentary which earned the Mayor a rebuke from the moderator, who asked Mr. Mussallem to respect the other candidates at the table.

When he returned to his thoughts on the Lot 444 issue, Mr. Brain put aside the controversy over Dr. Faggetter's LNG views, instead addressing the need to make sure percentages of any LNG income go into Legacy funding in the community.

Mr. Briglio's first rebuttal question concerned the Watson Island issue, calling it an opportunity that the City has let go.

Mr. Briglio offered up his view that the City needs stop holding onto Watson Island and needs to generate revenue from the industrial site, by finally removing it from the City's books.

He wondered why the City has not yet sold that site, earning a few positive reviews from the audience as he recounted how in the past that he has sold many things, how he knows how to sell things and how Watson Island is something that needs to be sold.

The Theme of Experience provided the Mayor with one of his rebuttal statements, as Mayor Mussallem made his second observation of the evening regarding the age of candidate Lee Brain.

The Mayor once again reinforced his concerns over "young Mr. Brain" and observed how the candidate has a lot of good ideas, but how he was curious as to how Mr. Brain would find the time to examine them all.

Suggesting that when things are coming at you very quickly, there isn't time to expect the other council members to mentor you on things.

That was  a comment which elicited a number of boos for the Mayor from the audience, a portion of which clearly didn't like the Mayor's approach.

Undaunted, the Mayor stuck with his theme however, outlining the learning curve that any new Mayor might face and how the community is not at a time in our history when we can face any delays.

The Mayoralty portion of the evening came to an end, with one final question, as provided by the Forum organizers, the Prince Rupert and District Chamber of Commerce and The Prince Rupert Labour Council.

A simple request that the candidates outline for the forum Why Are You the Best Candidate to Serve This Community As Mayor.

That provided all four candidates with the opportunity  to review their main focus points of the campaign, though for those viewing the proceedings through CityWest or the live stream on the Chamber of Commerce site, Ms. Gordon-Paynes final thoughts suffered from a lost audio feed.

Still, after an hour and a half of discussion, the four candidates made their case in seeking support of the voters on November 15th.

With talking points delivered and perhaps a few new themes provided for the final ten days of the campaign, the Mayoralty portion of Tuesday night's forum came to an end.

The verdict on the performances and the take aways from the hour and half of conversation to be delivered in two Saturday's time.

For more items on the 2014 Municipal Election Campaign see our archive page here.

Note: Those that receive Channel 10 Through CityWest Cable can view the debates again, the first opportunity is Saturday evening at 6, with a second airing of the Forum planned for November 12.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review

Prince Rupert All Candidates Forum could shape remainder of election campaign

The Lester Centre, Empty now,
soon to be filled  with North Coast
residents attending the All-Candidates Forum 

There are only eleven days remaining until North Coast voters head for the polling booth to elect a new Municipal Government and School Board.

A countdown which makes tonight's All Candidates Forum at the Lester Centre, one of the key opportunities for both those seeking the Mayoralty and seats on Council, to present their plan ahead for the next four years.

For the incumbents, tonight could make for a lively review of the previous three years of municipal governance, along with a preview of what they have to offer for the years ahead.

While the challengers of course, will most likely wish to take advantage of the evening to outline what they might do differently, should the electors select them on November 15th.

Doors to the Lester Centre open up tonight at 6:30, with the debate and questions from the panel and audience to run from 7 PM to 9:30.

For those that can't make it to the Lester Centre, a streaming video option will be made available through the  Prince Rupert and District chamber of Commerce website.

Lester Centre of the Arts, located on McBridte at
Wantage Road, directly across from the Civic Centre complex

And while those at home won't be able to shape the nature of the discussion on the night, the online opportunity does provide a wider audience for those that are seeking office to deliver their messages.

For a review of some potential topics for tonight's session see our item from yesterday, as well as our archive of discussion points from Council over this most recent three year term.

For items of interest related to the current campaign see our Election archive page here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review

Let's get ready to rumble: Prince Rupert Election Forum style

In just over 24 hours, Prince Rupert residents will perhaps get one of the few opportunities left to gauge the positions, platforms and observations of those seeking a spot as part of our Municipal Government.

Whether it's the race for the Mayoralty, a four way exchange that has seen candidates stake out some turf, or the quest for one of the six seats on Council, all of the candidates that are seeking your vote will be in one place at the same time, ready to take your questions.

For the incumbents tomorrow evening offers the chance to review some of their work over the last three years, a lengthy list of discussion points and policies to offer up as a record of their time at 3rd Avenue West.

For the challengers, tonight provides perhaps their best opportunity to take issue with some of those decisions and lay out their blue print as to where they would like to take the city,  when the next Council is sworn to office for a four year term.

The pressure of any election forum falls to the incumbents, as their record for the most part is there as the past narrative, the members of Council from 2011-2014 will no doubt look to shine the spotlight on some of their work on any number of files.

Whether it's their engagement on housing and social issues, the preparation work required for industrial development, or how they've weathered the challenges of the economic situation with limited revenue resources.

Another theme that might make for a good review on Tuesday night, the relationship between the City and the Prince Rupert Port Authority, a controversial topic that still seems a little strained as both sides offer up a difference of opinion on valuations of land within the city limits.

For the most part this Council has been very engaged in the conversation on Port and waterfront issues, with some very passionate opinions delivered by some of our elected representatives.

Something that many in attendance at the Lester Centre may wish for them to expand on.

There are some things however, that didn't quite have the same spotlight during the Open public portions of Council sessions this year and perhaps some of those topics might offer up some conversation subjects for tomorrow's forum as well.

While some on Council seem to believe that the close to twenty Closed Sessions of this year is just the way that democracy works.  The fact that very little comprehensive information from those in-camera sessions ever seems to get disclosed to the public, does seem to be providing residents with a bit of pause, particularly when it comes to what it is that Councillors talk about when the door is closed and the goals of municipal democracy are pursued.

Those perceptions on how the process of municipal government works from the current roster of Council members, might make for an interesting aspect of tomorrow night's Forum

There are some other items of recent months that may require a more expansive answer from the incumbents, potential issues which might tweak the interest of the voter as well, as we head to November 15th.

The City's process regarding Lot 444 and their Legacy Corporation still seems to be one of confusion,  a topic that Council could have been more engaged in when it came to providing information on.

Particularly when it comes to the nature of the Legacy Corporation and how it will work, who's involved, who's been hired and what the status of its work has been so far.

There would seem to still be a bit of work for the City staff, the Mayor and his Council to do there, when it comes to explaining just what it is that the Legacy Corporation is going to do for the residents  of the city.

Watson Island is another area which Council has seemed hesitant to wade into very much in public session, with only short snippets of information delivered on a sporadic basis, with large gaps of time in between those updates.

Alas, like any good thriller movie, the beast may yet live in the election campaign.

An enterprising citizen seemingly invested the twelve dollars required to access the public records on the Watson Island court case from the British Columbia Court Services Online portal. 

That data base from the Courts, shows an updated version of the information listed and available as of October 31st.

The results of the investment from the local observer on Watson Island issues, have been outlined on one of the city's social media sites (see here).

The reading appears to provide a fairly concise update on the progress of that case, providing what appears to be a useful account of the proceedings thus far.

Those attending the Tuesday night forum may be be wondering why the City seems to be less than enthusiastic when it comes to providing such items for public review information.

Especially when  such documents seem rather easy to acquire and in this case, can be found on a social media forum such as that offered by hackingthemainframe.

Information such as this, provided by a government information site is obviously not confidential and should probably be part of the information flow from the City to its residents.

If the city wants to keep the public informed on developments in the Watson Island situation, perhaps they should have paid the twelve dollars here and posted the information to their own website here, all in the spirit of transparency.

Regardless, the fact that the Watson Island issues remain unresolved to date and remain one of the long running stories of the region over the last decade, should make it a focus of the discussion as we head towards election day on November 15th.

And then there's the latest twist in the CityWest story, with last weeks surprise development of the City shifting some of their employees and a loyal retiree into Board positions with the communication company.

So far the only information provided regarding that move, came from the CityWest website, with the announcement of the new members.  Council which at times has been very vociferous on matters when it comes to CityWest, had nothing to outline last week regarding the moves and what the significance to the City they might represent.

Perhaps we'll learn more at tonight's City Council session, but regardless of what the incumbent Council may deliver in the final session of their term this evening.  When you consider the public interest in anything to do with the city owned communication company, the topic of CityWest might make for a fairly interesting discussion point at tomorrow's forum.

Considering the many issues that face the City and a desire to have a civic blue print in place to guide us through the next four years, Tuesday's forum should attract a wide audience both at the Lester Centre and through Cable 10 and the possible video stream planned by the CBC Daybreak North team.

For those looking to do a little bit of last minute cramming for tomorrow night's question and answer period, our archive of discussion points from City Council provides a good starting point to follow along with the work of Council over the last three years.

For more information on how the 2014 election campaign has gone thus far, see our archive page of election developments here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review