PROMISES.

Bus, Bike and Walk the Walk (not Talk the Talk.)

II will take the bus, walk, or bike on the vast majority of my trips. A councillor who is fighting for his community should set an example and show the benefits of a transportation mode shift that is not single-car dependent. The survival of not only this city but our planet and species depends on better transportation choices, individually and collectively.

Eight Years and I’m Out.

I will set my own term limit to 2 terms ( 8 years) and will move for this to become the standard in city council. We need to continually replenish our city council with new voices and ideas I will commit the next 4-8 years to engage with our future leaders to build capacity and create tools and support systems available to those who will represent their communities after me. I will not only do it for Daniel McIntyre but aim to support and foster future progressive candidates in all wards.

 Mutual Aid Hub and Community Organizing Centre.

Within 1 year of taking office, I aim to provide a mutual aid hub, community fridges, and community organizing space. Over the last 2.5 years, grassroots organizations have proved a level of success in providing care and material solidarity that many established charities were not able to provide. We need to foster, fund, and support the important work of low-barrier care by providing the necessary infrastructure and resources to ensure future success. 

The Hub will contain shared office and meeting spaces for organizations and will serve as a physical location where community members can donate vital goods to other community members. This will happen through grassroots fundraising, part of the community capital grant, and the councilor’s salary if needed. Together We WILL end food insecurity in our ward, and serve as an example for other communities to do the same. 

Connectivity is the Key to the City.

We will be connected like no other ward before.

20th-century political tactics are insufficient in facing 21st-century problems. What is needed is a level of 21st-century connectivity with the councilor’s office and council chamber works to keep this community engaged, active, and informed.

 I will answer your emails and you'll be able to reach me through all major social media platforms. And I will regularly consult this community through these platforms as well as hold regular online and physical engagement sessions to acquire your feedback, highlight the good work being done community-wide, and take your concerns right to city hall.

 In short, I will build the infrastructure to further democratize local politics, so that we ALL have a say.

 Transport Mode Shift.

 With gas prices at a record high, Winnipeg must invest in its transit and active transportation infrastructure. .The future of this city and its economy depends on it. If elected to city council, I will fight hard for free or fair transit and explore all avenues in accelerating the Transit Master Plan and electrifying our transit fleet. This will be possible with a new provincial partner and holding the Federal government account for their climate pledges investment on AT routes, and reducing residential streets to 30km/ph speed limits to ensure a healthy, safe, and forward-thinking city.

 Community Care Is Community Safety.

We all want safe streets and livable neighborhoods. But we also need to address the root causes of crime, which are trauma, poverty, and intentional underfunding. We must focus on care and methods of harm reduction, rather than on criminalizing poverty, mental health, and substance use. .  We need to begin the process of establishing sustained poverty and crime reduction, by shifting funding from the current carceral model to cost-efficient responses rooted in community care, not violence.

 I will answer the call of Justice4BlackLives, the Police Accountability Coalition, and the Canadian Council of Policy Alternatives to shift 10%  of the police budget into life-sustaining services. These will include non-violent crisis response to mental health and non-violent crime, harm reduction, and safe consumption sites with low barrier housing supports.

Stop Subsidizing Suburbia.

Our community in Daniel McIntyre and other legacy communities have been funding this city's expansion and sprawl for decades. This comes at the cost of our own infrastructure being neglected and deprioritized. I will propose a moratorium on ALL new road construction projects until our streets, our trees, and our vital infrastructure are at a satisfactory level. I will support high-density affordable housing, infill housing, and the creation of new co-op housing opportunities.

 Winnipeg is in a unique position to provide the framework for affordable housing units that will not only serve our current needs but will ensure the growth of our city by attracting talented, hardworking people to our community. It will be my job to convince the other 14 members of the council that the progressive path forward is to invest and build in the core, where the city’s lifeblood begins.

Invest in Where We’re Best.

There are two things in this city that are world-renowned, and envied by other Canadian cities.

1. Our creative community.

Winnipeg’s, musicians, producers, artists, digital creators, designers, and filmmakers are undeniably world-class. The City council must realize the value of this community to our culture and economy and must support creative industries. We have the talent, the people, and the passion ready for civic leaders to prioritize and promote.

2. Our tree canopy.

Anyone who flies into this city notices our amazing urban forest, which is a source of pride for all of us. Not only is our tree canopy aesthetically pleasing, but plays a key role in our climate strategy. We must ensure our tree canopy is robustly funded, cared for, and consistently expanded.

Democratize the City Budget.

The needs of this ward are vastly different than those of our suburban neighbors. We face different challenges, and often shoulder the brunt of this city’s problems.

 I will fight hard to make sure budget decisions have full community consultation and input. I will make sure that any developer conducts business with the needs of the community, and its sustainability, in mind. I will ensure that we all have a say in what happens to our community. 

Reimagining Portage Place (People’s Place). 

Portage Place should be the cornerstone of Downtown revitalization and recovery.

 With the redevelopment of the Bay Building by the SCO, Portage Place has become even more vital in serving the community members living and working in the new development.

There is endless potential in the current space, which currently sits mostly empty. Shifting to a service-based community model will allow for the future of both community services and businesses. Space for non-profit and grassroots agencies can co-exist alongside flexible space for pop-up retail, seasonal events and markets.

 We also must leverage the existing space to explore emerging trends in both technology and enterprise, For example, the Imax theater complex could become an incubator for digital creatives and e-sports events.

 We have the talent, the creativity, and the community to reimagine Portage Place for the people.

An Active Politics.

 I am formally running to serve as your city councilor, but I am also informally running to continue as your active Community Organizer.

 Voting in a progressive representative will not only influence decisions made for the Daniel McIntyre ward but will also encourage our neighbours and their councilors to make decisions for a better Winnipeg.

 I will involve, include and amplify the voices of community individuals, as well as the many nonprofit and grassroots organizations aiming to create lasting advocacy and material support. 

PRIORITIES.