Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood city council candidate profiles

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This article was published 21/09/2022 (826 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CHARLESWOOD-TUXEDO-WESTWOOD

Five candidates have been nominated in the Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood Ward: Brad Gross, Evan Duncan, Hal Anderson, Gordon Penner and Steve Minion.

Brad Gross

Brad Gross is a real estate agent with two daughters who live in Charleswood.

“I decided to run because I thought it was a good opportunity to get in and make some changes that are positive for the city,” Gross said.

Gross said, if elected, his priorities are to get the city running more functionally.

“I’ll try my best to get the departments working better with builders and occupancy permit business owners, and things like that, that’ll make it smoother for everybody,” he said.

Gross said he would back the city selling advertising space on its properties and building naming rights as a source of additional income for the city.

Gross’s website is www.votegross.ca/.

Evan Duncan

Evan Duncan is chairperson of the Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood advisory group formed by outgoing councillor Kevin Klein. He ran unsuccessfully for councillor in the ward in 2014. He works for Manitoba Justice in juvenile corrections.

“I work with youth in conflict with the law, struggling with mental health, addictions, and in some situations, homelessness, which is obviously a challenge facing our city,” Duncan said.

Duncan said his priorities stem from conversations he’s had with neighbours and others in the community.

“They want safe communities, so prioritizing safe communities and addressing those issues to make sure that we’re helping those that are in need and finding real solutions for those people,” he said.

Duncan said another priority is addressing the city’s crumbling infrastructure. He attributed the problems to “years and years of putting these things off” and to councillors prioritizing their own “pet projects” ahead of infrastructure repairs.

“We need to look at this as a holistic approach of how are we going to fix these problems and prioritize them and really lean on experts, because, yes, as elected officials we’re decision makers at the end of the day … but we need to rely on these people that are experts,” Duncan said.

Duncan’s website is www.voteevanduncan.ca

Hal Anderson

Hal Anderson was a radio broadcaster for nearly 40 years, and recently stepped away from his job at CJOB.

“You’re a good talk-show host if you talk less and listen more. I’ve listened to a lot of talking, and now it’s time I think to get to work on some of the frustrations I’ve seen at city hall and be a strong voice for Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood,” he said.

Anderson said his priorities include addressing safety and crime in the area, infrastructure, green spaces and the tree canopy, and homelessness.

“People have to feel safe again in their homes and in their neighbourhoods,” he said.

He said this spring showed what happens when you don’t invest enough money into infrastructure. Anderson said he hopes to infuse city council with a shot of “common sense,” citing examples such as the city taking years to decide whether or not to accept a gift of flashing lights for school zones from a private citizen.

Anderson’s website is www.halanderson.ca

Gordon Penner

Gordon Penner is “a lifelong resident of Charleswood.” He works for Best Buy Homes, a vendor of modular homes.

If elected, Penner said his priorities will be addressing crime and improving traffic flow. He said he’d back the creation of an app that kept residents up to date about crime in the neighbourhood.

Penner said he believes that traffic flow could be improved by adding a set of traffic lights on Wilkes Avenue at Elmhurst Road.

He also said he often sees transit buses driving around with few people on them and believes the city could improve transit routes to save money.

Penner’s website is www.votegordonpenner.ca

Steve Minion

Steve Minion’s official registration came shortly in after the press deadline.