Rhino's Ramblings - The Election And This And That
By Robert Thomas Opinion/Commentary
The byelection for Moose Jaw’s new mayor is best described as a sleeper, an election which despite being just three days away, has yet to catch the attention of the general public.
That is the best way I can personally sum up what I was hearing last week as I was out and about the City the best that a person can with the mandated COVID - 19 restrictions and the real threat of the virus still out there.
This is an election a well known local citizen told me will most likely be decided by door knocking. If you are out there and knocking doors the likelihood you are going to win are more than doubled.
It is a byelection where if you look at it the local media is likely not to have much of an impact in as it is really an election without any major burning issues.
There was a resignation of the former mayor and then an election set which so far really has had no real events that has gotten the media’s attention or let us face it that of the general public’s as well.
In my opinion there is going to be a lot of people still wondering who they should vote for come November 3rd.
I have been out visiting friends and family in the high rise apartments over the past week and every time I go inside people who live there and recognize me are always asking “who do I vote for Robert. Out of the nine who is the best choice?”
And no I do not tell them who to vote for.
This is what I found last week as I went about my travels the first time in about three weeks.
I have heard from business owners who are concerned the City might take a stand like Saskatoon has and push the Province to move to gathering size restrictions or worse yet once again go into a lockdown. They are wondering what any new mayor will do if that issue suddenly appears on their plate.
This is the state of affairs out there right now.
Others have asked me if it is true if one of the three councillors win that we will have to have another costly and boring byelection. And yes the answer is true.
No there is no way they will allow Council to remain at six members until the next civic election three years from now. So no they cannot save the $60,000 plus for the byelection and the $90,000 in salary and expenses saved over the next three years by just leaving the councillor seat vacant.
You will see some political manipulation going on in the media right now by at least one of the candidates. And in my opinion it is being intentionally done to keep MJ Independent away.
I won’t tell you which candidate it is but for those of you who are avid local political watchers it will not be hard to make a very educated guess.
As for me I am not really going to lose any sleep over it as there are other things going on right now deeper in the scenes - outside of the city - they are going to be missing out on. But I will write about that once and if it comes to fruition.
What I can tell you though is things may well be looking up.
But it is time to get back to the reason for this column and that is the byelection this coming Wednesday.
Although I cannot tell you who is going to win the election and who is the odds on favourite it is likely to be a very close race with the top five candidates most likely separated by as few as 100 votes. So yes this is an election where every vote could very well count towards who is ultimately given the top elected job at the City.
MJ Independent has one story on each of the nine candidates wanting to be mayor that we hope will help you make an informed choice on who you want to be Moose Jaw’s next mayor.
Crystal Froese - Councillor Froese officially enters race for mayor
Sam Morrison - Ten Questions With Sam Morrison
Wayne Watermanuk - Ten Questions With Wayne Watermanuk
Kim Robinson - Ten Questions With Kim Robinson
Michael Haygarth - Ten Questions With Michael Haygarth
Clive Tolley - Ten Questions With Clive Tolley
Heather Eby - Ten Questions With Heather Eby
Mike Simpkins - Ten Questions With Mike Simpkins
Brett McAuley - Ten Questions With Brett McAuley
I ask as always you check out the other local media - the MJ Express or CHAB for their interviews with the candidates to give you a better informed voting choice.
If you still have questions go to the City’s website and there you will find contact information on how you can personally contact each of the candidates with your questions and concerns. Click the link to access the site.
The candidates have provided the contact information - either by telephone or email - because they want to hear from YOU.
On November 3rd please vote and make an informed choice.
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On another note I made a reference in my October 8th column I was staying in due to doctor’s orders from venturing too far out and about because of the fourth wave unless I had to go out and about due to what could come up at the latest meeting of the Moose Jaw Board of Police Commissioners.
Well despite the risk of being warned by my doctor I finally had to go out.
I had a couple of people write and scoff I knew nothing about an investigation by the Regina Police Service (RPS) into the Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS).
And yes I had to basically bite my tongue on the entire issue as in reality all I knew is the RPS was trying to find out the identities of sources who had told me things about the inner workings at the MJPS.
I had no idea until this past week who put them up to it.
Things I have been looking into and working on for years and mention from time to time.
Well this week I got back the results of a complaint that the RPS was actively trying to make me tell them the identities of the individual(s) who gave me inside information about the MJPS. Something I felt they should not be trying to get from publications.
I had no idea the Public Complaints Commission were going to reveal me any details so to speak.
And the complaint hit paydirt so to speak when the Public Complaints Commission said there was no wrongdoing on the part of the RPS because the probe into the MJPS was requested by Chief Rick Bourassa.
Letter from the Saskatchewan Public Complaints Commission
Other than getting the dates and times wrong (the letter indicates I filed a complaint before the actual call) as to when the RPS tried to have me tell them who my sources were - something I am never going to do - it is in my opinion intriguing the things that were revealed.
MJPS Chief Rick Bourassa reads the MJ Independent.
And secondly the columns and stories I write which are about or include the MJPS originate from highly credible source(s).
And nope not in a million years am I going to give up the identity of a confidential source(s).
As I was told by some of the journalists in Regina I speak to now and again - welcome to the club the police came to visit me about a certain story I did as well.
I sent over some questions to the MJPS and the Moose Jaw Board of Police Commissioners into the incident but I never heard back - if I do I will publish their responses.
With that don’t forget November 3rd is Byelection Day.