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City candidates have their say

Northern News Services
Friday, October 2, 2015

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The race is on: 15 hopefuls vie for eight seats on Yellowknife city council. Incumbent mayor Mark Heyck faces off against chartered accountant John Himmelman.

A handful of incumbents face off against newcomers and, making things a little more interesting, IserveU which is making a name for itself around the city has three candidates who have signed onto use its Internet voting platform.

Yellowknifer has asked all councillor and mayoral candidates a uniform series of questions, all of which will be published before the Oct. 19 election in alphabetical order by last name.

Read these and much more on the city's elections website which can be found at www.nnsl.com/yellowknifer.

Niels Konge to continue representing businesses

Experience relevant to job: Three years experience on council, experience running city-based construction company

Coun. Niels Konge said he hasn't enjoyed all of his first term on council, but he's seeking office again in order to represent businesses.

Niels Konge
  • Age: 41
  • Marital status: married
  • Time in Yellowknife: 14 years
  • Occupation: Self-employed contractor
  • "Sometimes I like it, sometimes
    I hate it," he said. "But I've never been afraid to voice my opinion, so here I am again. It's not like I'm going to change."

    He said he foresees the big election issues being whether to submit a bid in the 2023 Canada Winter Games and whether the city will go ahead with plans to put an outdoor plaza on the 50/50 lot.

    "The city had two benches in front of the post office and they had to be removed," he said. "I don't know how we think we can manage a whole park in that area."

    He said declining population and deteriorating infrastructure will also be hot-button issues.

    "Some of our streets, some of our sidewalks, they're pretty bad," said Konge.

    Konge said the city needs to say no to a bid on the Games until a case showing it will benefit the city is brought forward and the city needs to seek partnerships with the GNWT in tackling downtown improvements. He said basic improvements to streets and sidewalks need to be addressed before the city considers new construction downtown.

    In the meantime, he'd work to fix smaller problems that don't seem to go away, like the sewer leak in the Borden Drive area which has been a thorn in the city's side in springtime for the past three years.

    "The leak ... bugs me continuously," he said.

    Marie-Soleil Lacoursiere to use financial skills

    Experience relevant to job: Experience managing contracts and budgets

    First-time candidate Marie-Soleil Lacoursiere said she feels compelled to get into municipal politics to ensure the city will be a good place for all to live in the future.

    Marie-Soleil Lacoursiere
    • Age: 33
    • Marital Status: common-law
    • Time in Yellowknife: Five years
    • Occupation: Team leader in contracts for the Dominion Diamond Corporation

    "This is their home and it's very important to them," she said, adding that she also wants to put her skills in financial management to work for voters. She said the big issues she'll focus on will be making sure the city spends its money on the right projects, making the city a healthy environment for small businesses and increasing civic engagement.

    "Using my strength in budgeting and financial management, I'll make decisions about financial items," she said. "I'd like to work with council to develop a small incubator for downtown core businesses, so people ... have affordable options downtown."

    Lacoursiere said she's signed up to participate with the IserveU Internet voting platform as a means of staying in touch with voters. She said she won't be a robot.

    She'll think for herself when making decisions, but she'll take input generated by the IserveU site into account when voting on council.

    Beaton MacKenzie has a passion for the city

    Beaton MacKenzie is a self-described family man with five children and two step-children, and he says he is running for city council for a second time because he wants to ensure the city remains a vibrant place for the next generation.

    Beaton MacKenzie
    • Age: 61
    • Marital status: married
    • Time in Yellowknife: 35 years
    • Occupation: Educational assistant at Sir John Franklin High School
    • Experience relevant to the job: Former small business owner, long history in Yellowknife

    "I just have a passion for this community. The passion for the community is that my children will be able to have a place they can live in and be (economically) feasible for them," he said. "I enjoy the political field. People feel like ... I will stop and I will listen and they can feel comfortable."

    MacKenzie says he feels he is right for the job because he has experience "trying to provide the best programs and quality of services to people within a budget" through his previous work as a business owner and also during teaching negotiations. He says he has been successful listening to people's needs and explaining "what we can and what we can't do."

    Cost of living is the most pressing issue for MacKenzie as a prospective councillor.

    "I (know) people close to retirement and have indicated that they will be leaving Yellowknife because they can't afford to live here, he said. And I also have some former students that are in their early 30s and they have indicated that they will be leaving because they can't afford the homes (here). And these are kids whose parents are living here."

    He doesn't think that citizens can count on the territorial government bailouts as power rates continue to climb and that alternative energy sources such as solar power may be key to addressing issues related to the high cost of living. MacKenzie says that if elected, Yellowknifers will get a councillor with a strong work ethic.

    "They know that I'm hard worker," he said.

    MacKenzie ran unsuccessfully in the last municipal election.

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