Halifax Downtown Council Candidates met tonight to debate in front of an audience of mostly fine arts students from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. The student union SUNSCAD organized the debate. For those of you who live on the peninsula, this district encompasses most of the downtown area between Robie and the waterfront.
I managed to snag a few (shaky) videos of the debate while the candidates were discussing development in the downtown. I will warn you, its a good thing I forgot my tripod, and needed two hands to steady the camera, because if I'd had a free hand while some of the candidates were speaking, there's a good chance I would have been grasping for something sharp to stab myself in the eye. If any candidates should happen to read this blog, I assure you I'm talking about one of the others.
I am happy to report that every single one of these candidates supports at least a trial run of a late night bus service servicing the downtown and feeder areas. Crime and safety, transportation
and affordable housing are all central issues that repeatedly popped up over the course of the evenening.
"We have spread our city too thin," Candidate James Stuewe said, "Transit works when you have density... The rest of the world is moving forward on transit, and we seem to be stuck."
Incumbent Dawn Sloane who is defending her seat spent much of her time defending the decisions of council. She boasted of the new "FRED on steroids" plan her council pushed through; six hybrid buses giving free service to the downtown areas, and indicated that if reelected she would advocate to have these buses run late-night routes as well.
The candidates stumbled on questions about the arts. "Halifax is strong, we survived an explosion, we're not going anywhere," candidate Jerome Downey said. He also spoke of the need to provide opportunities for citizens to be able to pursue carreers that they are "passionate" about.
Cameron Ells said a fair new tax-reform plan is something that could benefitting the arts community.
Candidates Stuewe and Downey seem to have very similar ideas, and have similar appeal. Both young, both bright, and both first time candidates (as far as I'm aware). They'll eat away at one another's voter base, which is unfortunate for both of them.
Videos coming soon
Video: Candidate Introductions
Video: Dawn Sloane, Jerome Downey Discuss Development
Video: Cameron Ells Discusses Development
Video: James Stuewe Discusses Development
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1 comment:
I was at the debate and disagree with some of your comments. Ms. Sloane did not so much defend council as outline what she has accomplished in the past 8 years - which has been a tremendous amount, and I must say much more than her predecessor (Mr. Downey, the grandfather of the current competitor, who did little to nothing in the quarter century he sat on council).
I should also note that in your labels you have "District 14" - it is District 12.
Thank you for your insight!
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