All but five candidates for Whitehorse mayor and council attended a recent forum to entice potential voters.
The forum was held on Thursday Oct. 3 at the Gold Rush Inn in downtown Whitehorse. It was hosted by the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce.
As per the format of the event, candidates did not directly debate each other: rather, they answered questions provided to them by the chamber before the debate. There were no opportunities provided for the media or public to ask questions of the candidates during the event. Instead, local businesses provided input into the questions asked, according to chamber treasurer Joel Gaetz.
“We're here to actively participate in shaping the future of Whitehorse as business leaders, residents and engaged citizens,” said Gaetz at the opening of the forum. “This forum offers us the opportunity to hear directly from the individuals who aspire to lead our city.”
Mayoral candidates Dan Bushnell, Kirk Cameron, Stephen Kwok and Dino Rudniski spoke in the first round of the evening. Mayoral candidate Jack Bogaard was not in attendance.
In response to a question about crime in the city, Bushnell said he would advocate for a justice system which supports RCMP. The owner of Molotov and Bricks tattoo studio said his business has been broken into 12 times.
“The RCMP don't feel supported. So, they're not arresting people, they're not taking people in. Until we make the RCMP feel like they have the support of the community behind them, we're actually not going to see this clear up,” Bushnell said.
He said he would also expand the powers of bylaw officers so that RCMP officers could focus on crime. The News reached out to the territorial department of justice to see if this promise was feasible, but have not received an answer as of publication.
READ MORE: Local tattoo artist aims to be Whitehorse’s next mayor
Kirk Cameron, who was most recently elected to Whitehorse council in 2021, said he would update city council’s procedures bylaw when it comes to engagement with First Nations governments. Cameron was elected first in 2011 during a by-election, then resigned in 2015 over the firing of two civil servants.
“They have government status under self-government agreements and their modern treaties that put them at least at the same status as our territorial government, if not in some ways related to our federal government,” said Cameron of First Nations governments.
He called the city’s relationships with other governments, including First Nations, “fundamentally important to how we do our business.”
READ MORE: Whitehorse councillor Kirk Cameron confirms he will run for mayor
Dino Rudniski, the administrator of the Yukon Events page on Facebook, promised to “streamline the permitting process by digitizing applications, improving communication between departments and introducing fast-track options for affordable housing projects.” The question he had been asked was about the processing of building permits.
The City of Whitehorse dealt with a backlog of building permits this year due to a lack of staffing and a new checklist for permits. At a Sept. 3 standing committee, director of development services Mike Gau said four recommendations from the housing committee aimed at mitigating the effects of the delays had been implemented. At that time, Gau also said permit wait-times were back to normal.
READ MORE: City committee presents recommendations for permit process
Stephen Kwok – the father of outgoing councillor Mellisa Murray – promised to expand the city’s tourism industry.
He said he would ensure city promotion is available in multiple languages, not just English.
“I would like to suggest, have a social media in a different language, because right now we have around the world tourism coming to Whitehorse, and we only have English, so if we can add different language on it and make it easy to look at all the tourist destinations, where's the promotion, where's the event, and they can shop around,” said Kwok, in response to a question about how to make Whitehorse a year-round tourist destination.
Kwok also promised to “make Whitehorse great again” three times during the forum.
READ MORE: Outgoing councillor’s father and longtime business owner runs for Whitehorse mayor
The present council candidates were divided into two groups. The council candidates not present were Jason Wilneff, Andrew Robulack, Michelle Stimson and Gary Smith. Council candidates discussed similar topics as the mayoral candidates, and also did not debate among each other.
People can watch recordings of the forum posted on the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce Youtube channel.
Whitehorse residents can vote for their mayoral and council candidates of choice at advanced voting stations at the Canada Games Centre and Sternwheeler Hotel on Thursday, Oct. 10, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Alternatively, people can vote on Election Day on Oct. 17 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Canada Games Centre, the Sternwheeler Hotel, École Émilie-Tremblay, Porter Creek Secondary School and St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Secondary School.
Mobile voting stations will also be available for staff, residents and patients at Whistle Bend Place, Copper Ridge Place, Thompson Centre and Whitehorse General Hospital at varying hours on Oct. 17.
Special ballots are also available upon request for those who require them.
The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 9. People can also register to vote at a polling station when they go to vote.
Contact Talar Stockton at talar.stockton@yukon-news.com
