All six contestants participated A few took pictures of Charlie Clark, but most stuck to previous talking points on a wide range of issues
Since the format did not allow for an open debate among the six candidates vying for the next mayor of Saskatoon, they mostly had to repeat talking points on a range of municipal issues
Outgoing Mayor Charlie Clark called the debate « civil », while challenger Rob Norris called the 90-minute event « distinguished » and said it allowed everyone to focus on politics
Several candidates took hits on Clark and, to a lesser extent, former Mayor Don Atchison, both looking for the best position in town based on their respective records during their tenure
Norris reiterated his criticism of the new $ 134 million new central library, saying he would put it aside if elected this fall – though it is not clear if the board can vote to cancel the loan
“Damn it, this project will not be determined by the library board, not responsible and not elected; it will be determined by the city of Saskatoon, the council and the mayor, ”said Norris
Moments before the event, her campaign published the results of a poll she said was conducted by Insightrix and found that 63% of residents said it was « not important to time to move forward »
Although Norris and Clark take radically different views on general civic issues, both have agreed that the safe drug use site recently opened by Prairie Harm Reduction requires proper funding.
Mark Zielke has attacked Clark and Atchison over their public safety records, claiming that people with mental health and addiction issues « slip further through the cracks » compared to there at four years old
Cary Tarasoff challenged the current and former mayor for not doing enough to educate and protect people working inside a « chemical buffer » around a factory at the northern outskirts of the city
The independent consultant also challenged applicants proposing to relocate Lighthouse Supported Living Inc out of the city center in an effort to reduce perceptions that the neighborhood is unsafe
« I pose it to anyone to tell me where it’s moving it and how it’s going to move it, » he said
Reiterating his previous pledge not to increase property tax during his entire first term, Zubair Sheikh has unspecifically criticized the city’s “spending habits” and “megaprojects” ”
Sheikh, Atchison and Norris all reiterated their proposals to reduce the 3 proposals 87% property tax increase planned for next year
Clark and Tarasoff made no specific tax commitments, with the former repeating his view that Saskatoon has a « long history » of candidates breaking campaign tax promises
Few of the candidates took advantage of the event to unveil new policy proposals, although Zielke pledged to audit City Hall, which he said went wild and bled taxpayers with their money, while that Atchison suggested extending the postponement of the property tax pandemic
The format – in which two contestants answered a question read by the moderator – did not allow Clark or Atchison to engage directly with their critics; instead, they focused heavily on bragging about their records
Atchison highlighted massive infrastructure development started or completed during his tenure, including three bridges and the River Landing complex being completed
Clark focused on lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, foremost among which is collaboration and flexibility, saying they have made Saskatoon one of the safest cities in the world
« We are boosting the provincial economy We can do a lot of things together, building on the strengths of what we have done with COVID, » he said
The outgoing mayor also reiterated his commitment to tackling the root causes of crime through partnerships, such as the new downtown Saweyihotan emergency housing initiative
Speaking to reporters after the debate, Clark said he would have liked to respond to several criticisms, including Atchison’s claim that the fast bus-style overhaul will cost $ 500 million
The city estimated the project would cost between $ 120 million and $ 150 million Clark also questioned Norris’ plan to reduce the proposed tax hike for 2021 to 1% from 387% with a freeze on the hiring
Norris, meanwhile, said his aim was to argue that « there is a choice » when it comes to « pressing » issues that form the bedrock of his campaign – security and safety. affordability
About 50 people attended the in-person event, the first of two planned social distancing debates, which was hosted by the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce at TCU Place on Wednesday
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Saskatoon, Charlie Clark, Debate, Don Atchison, Candidate, Rob Norris
News from around the world – CA – Some fireworks at the first “civil” “distinguished” mayor debate
SOURCE: https://www.w24news.com
