We’ve done it, folks! We have survived the provincial election, one that proved to be full of change (for better or for worse), the impact of which we have yet to experience. Understandably, a sort of “election fatigue” is upon us, and many are taking a break from any news that involves the words politics, sweeping changes or election.
This is not surprising, since locally we have had several fun festivities that Sudbury is known for: Feast Fest, National Aboriginal Day, the Canada Day Celebration, and Northern Lights Festival Boreal. None of those events could be possible without a myriad of hard-working and community-oriented agencies and volunteers, all with the goal to promote arts & culture through entertaining events.
Likewise, Sudbury is looking to fill several positions with hard-working and community-oriented individuals, all with the goal to enhance, improve and grow our city.
Yes, I am referring to the upcoming Sudbury Election this October 22. Campaigning is already underway, with nominations having opened this past May 1st. (As of July 9th). We already have four candidates for the top spot, most of the previous contenders have registered, however quite a few are running unchallenged. Our 2014 election saw a surprisingly large number of candidates, and in contrast, we barely have any choices in 2018.
We have to do better: I have been following a number of “hot” issues that Sudburians seem to be focussing on, and there are a lot of opinions and thoughts on how to proceed. Whether it be the development of the Kingsway Entertainment District project, the Ferrochrome Smelter, the city roads and simply the use of hard-earned tax dollars (along with many other issues), now is the time for action. With this, I offer the Be The Change Challenge: I challenge my fellow Sudburians to stand up for the city, run for a position, and Be The Change You Want To See In Sudbury.
The more options we have to vote for, the richer the pool of ideas to draw from, and the better we can continue to build upon what we have. We may not all agree on how to handle the many challenges we face, but together, we can move in the right direction. I am doing my part by running again in Ward 8.
Nominations close in about two weeks, on Friday, July 27th.
Stefano Presenza
Candidate for Ward 8