Winnipeg Election 2018

Glenn Churchill - St. Norbert - Seine River

Why did you decide to run in the 2018 (Winnipeg Civic Election / School Board Election)?

There are two main reasons why I decided to run. First, I believe that City Council is missing important skills that allow them to properly oversee the City’s infrastructure projects and use taxpayers’ money effectively. That’s one reason why I ran in the 2014 election, and that’s why I’m running now. The current members of City Council still haven’t been able to ask the right questions and get the right answers from the administration about important large projects – no one on Council has practical knowledge or skills in this area. I understand how these projects work; I will be able to ask the right questions, get answers and save our tax dollars. I’m tired of reading the news about the latest scandal or mistake that ultimately costs you and I on our tax bills.

The second reason I am running is the most important reason, at least personally, which is community service. For the past 30 years I’ve volunteered my time in our neighbourhood as a coach, a board member, a police service volunteer and most recently helped establish the River Park South Community Association. I want to stay at the grass roots and work on improving our neighbourhood.

What experience will you bring to complement your role as (Mayor / Councillor / School Trustee)?

My current career focus is as a transportation engineer and project manager, employed with a local consulting company. The top concern of Winnipeggers over the past decade has consistently been the state of our infrastructure. With my background, I have deep knowledge of road, bridge, water and sewer projects, active transportation networks, and how large-scale projects work. I will use this knowledge to bring legitimate oversight to multi-million dollar projects to ensure taxpayer money is being spent effectively. In order to properly govern, knowledge of the subject matter is required. I have the knowledge and skills to ask the right questions and get answers, which will reduce the waste of taxpayer money we’ve seen recently.

What are some issues that you would like to stand for in your role as (Mayor / Councillor / School Trustee), and why are these issues important to you?

City-wide, I would like to pursue funding for our sewer infrastructure deficit. The City requires billions of dollars to upgrade our sewer system and prevent raw sewage overflow into our river system. Currently, all the funding is City supplied only. No other levels of government assist with this much needed work. I’d like to press the Province and the Federal governments to provide matching funding for these projects.

Ward specific, I’d like work on getting more of our streets repaired and paved, especially with the 50%+ increase in the road budget that will be realized over the next 5 years. Recreation facilities in the south end of city are needed. A splash pad and outdoor pool are on my radar. The south Perimeter Highway reconstruction will affect everyone in our ward. I want to be able to use my knowledge to ensure the massive, multi-year project reflects what the residents need and want.

What is something that you appreciate about the (City of Winnipeg / the ward / the school ward or school division) you wish to represent?

I have lived in this ward for over 35 years. I grew up in Fort Richmond, graduated from FRC and currently live in River Park South. I am looking forward to representing residents from all neighbourhoods within the ward with an open mind. I have no biases towards any one area over another. The ward has many distinct and unique areas, all with their own pros and cons. This makes the ward an enjoyable place to live. I want to be able to work on diverse challenges that will help increase the vitality and liveability of the neighbourhood.

Do you have any other comments regarding your candidacy?

City Hall is only as good as the sum of it’s parts. Just like a hockey team, you need different people with different skill sets on that team to be successful. Currently, Council has members that are lawyers, community advocates, and others that know government processes. But what is lacking on Council is someone with technical skills and knowledge. City Council is approving millions of dollars of infrastructure work every year. They depend on administration to supply them with the information they need to make these decisions. But no one there has the background knowledge to be able to question administration effectively. We have all seen projects that have gone way over budget, over time, or failed to even get off the ground, all due to a lack of proper oversight. I have the ability to correct this and stop the mistakes that erode of our tax dollars.