Edmonton municipal election, 2007

The 2007 Edmonton municipal election was held in October 15, 2007 to elect a mayor and 12 councillors to the city council, nine trustees to the public school board, and seven trustees to the separate school board. [ [http://www.edmonton.ca/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_0_265_210_0_43/http%3B/CMSServer/COEWeb/city+government/municipal+elections/ City of Edmonton page about 2007 election] ] Elections were held across the province. See Alberta municipal elections, 2007.

Results

Bold indicates elected, "italics" indicates incumbent.

Mayor

eparate (Catholic) school trustees

Reaction

Mayoral

Incumbent Stephen Mandel won an absolute majority of the votes for mayor, far ahead of the second candidate Don Koziak, however the lack of a close race left voter turn-out very low, 28.6 percent. [http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=20efc78c-2c24-47c3-91fc-72ab2e76a150&k=67955] Observers saw it an an endorsement of Mandel's more ambitious attitude and free-spending ways compared to past mayors, as well as a mandate to push the province for more funding and neighbouring communities for great regional planning. [http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=eacae2d2-f84d-4080-9a42-d4a951038566&k=56663&p=2]

Council

Ward 4

Ben Henderson just managed to fend off Lewis Cardinal by 184 to fill the vacant seat.

Ward 5

Ward 5 provided the biggest surprise of the election as incumbent and former mayoral candidate Mike Nickel was upset by 28-year old newcomer Don Iveson. Iveson received 2,000 more votes than Nickel. Nickel was the only incumbent not re-elected. [http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=20efc78c-2c24-47c3-91fc-72ab2e76a150&k=67955]

Ward 6

This ward was exceptionally close with just 466 votes separating first and third place.

Candidates summaries

(Source: [http://www.edmontonelection.ca/images/stories/Candidates1.pdf City of Edmonton list of nominated candidates] )

("italics" indicate incumbent)

Mayor

*Dustin Becker - Dustin Becker is a 29 year old working father whose jobs have included Heavy Equipment operator, optimal health consultant, Wedding photographer and small business owner. His goals are to improve government transparency, level the electoral playing field by prohibiting many aspects of private campaigning in favor of publicly-funded campaigns, lowering taxes by finding alternate revenue sources, and focusing on funding core services. [http://beckerformayor.angelfire.com/ Dustin Becker's campaign website]
*Dave Dowling - Dave Dowling is a 47 year old disabled man on social assistance. His previous political experience includes running for mayor in the 2004 election (finishing sixth of eight candidates), running in the 2004 provincial election (in Edmonton Goldbar as an Independent' he finished last of five candidates), and in the 2004 and 2006 federal elections (both times as a Marijuana Party of Canada candidate in Edmonton—Strathcona; he finished fifth of six and sixth of seven candidates, respectively). He claims to be the leader of the Alberta Bloc, an unregistered political party, and the founder of the Democratic Nation of Antarctica, which he calls "the first Nation ever to be started online". He is running on a platform of fixing Edmonton's streets, selling naming rights to roads, and opposing public funding for an arena to replace Skyreach Centre. [http://www.votedave.net Dave Dowling's campaign website]
*Khaled Kheireddine - [http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Election07/MayoralCandidates/kheireddine.html Khaled Kheireddine's Sun campaign video]
*Don Koziak - Don Koziak is the 43 year old part owner of the Chateau Louis Hotel. His previous political experience includes running as an aldermanic candidate in Ward 5 in the 1995 municipal election (finishing eighth of thirteen candidates) and in Ward 2 in the 1998 and 2004 municipal election (he finished third of five and fourth of ten candidates, respectively). [http://www.donkoziak.ca Don Koziak's campaign website]
*George Lam - George Lam is a civil engineering graduate from the Baptist University of Hong Kong. He has received the nomination to run as the Christian Heritage Party of Canada candidate in the 40th Canadian federal election in the riding of Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont. [http://www.glam.usana.com/mystory_en.cfm George Lam's campaign website]
*Peter T. Lefaivre - Peter Lefaivre, 63, claims to have a degree in "common sense and logical thinking from the University of Experience". He is the webmaster of canadianredneck.ca, and advocates improved road repairs, increased affordable housing, and no new taxes for homeowners. [http://www.canadianredneck.ca/My_Homepage_Files/Page13.html Peter Lefaivre's campaign website]
*Robert Ligertwood - Robert Ligertwood, 59, ran previously for mayor of Edmonton in the 1992, 1995, and 2001 elections (finishing last of six candidates, sixth of seven candidates, and last of nine candidates, respectively). [http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/civicvote/story.html?id=cff00fa9-86da-44c3-bb12-c0e6cf1cbbf5&k=87875 Edmonton Journal profile on Robert Ligertwood]
*"Stephen Mandel" - Stephen Mandel is the 62 year old incumbent mayor, having served in that capacity since the 2004 election, after serving as a councillor in Ward 1 since the 2001 election. [http://www.re-electmandel.com Stephen Mandel's campaign website]
*Bill Whatcott - Bill Whatcott is a 39 year old nurse and social conservative activist, best known for his aggressive stances against abortion and homosexuality. His previous political experience includes running in the 1999 Ontario election in Toronto Centre for the Family Coalition Party (finishing eighth of nine candidates) and for mayor of Regina, Saskatchewan in 2000 (finishing fourth of eight candidates). He has been convicted twice of violating court orders prohibiting him from coming within sixty feet of a Toronto abortion clinic, and has also been fined by the Saskatchewan Human Rights Tribunal for distributing material deemed hateful towards homosexuals. He claims to have been an eighteen year old homosexual prostitute and drug addict before coverting to Christianity. He is running on a platform of changing zoning laws to prohibit abortion clinics, the dismantling of the Edmonton Police Service's hate crimes unit, and an end to municipal funding of the arts and animal shelters. [http://www.mydatabus.com/public/Billwhatcott/MayorPlatform99.doc Bill Whatcott campaign flyer]

Councillors

Ward 1

*Betty Kennedy
*Andrew Knack - Andrew Knack is a 23 year old retail manager. He graduated from the University of Alberta in April 2006 with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. His political experience is limited to volunteering as a door-knocker during the 2006 federal election and as a volunteer with the Make Poverty History campaign. He is running on a platform of better road maintenance, expansion of the city's light rail transit system, and limiting councillor pay increases to increases in the cost of living. [http://www.andrewknack.com/home.htm Andrew Knack's campaign website]
*"Karen Leibovici" - Karen Leibovici is an incumbent councillor and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. She first ran provincially in the 1993 provincial election, when she was elected as Liberal member in Edmonton Meadowlark. She was re-elected in the 1997 election. In 1998 she ran unsuccessfully for the party's leadership, and was defeated by Nancy MacBeth. In the 2001 election she was defeated by Progressive Conservative Bob Maskell. She was elected as a Ward 1 councillor in the 2001 election, finishing first of nine candidates (more than doubling the vote total of second place candidate Stephen Mandel), and was re-elected in 2004. [http://www.karenleibovici.com Karen Leibovici's campaign website]
*"Linda Sloan" - Linda Sloan is a nurse, incumbent councillor, and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. She first sought provincial office in the 1997 provincial election, when she was elected Liberal MLA for Edmonton Riverview. She ran for the Liberal leadership in 1998, and was defeated by Nancy MacBeth. She did not seek re-election in the 2001 provincial election, and was elected to her first term on city council in the 2004 municipal election, when she finished second of nine candidates. [http://www.lindasloan.com/ Linda Sloan's campaign website]

Ward 2

*Jabin Caouette - Jabin Caouette, 24, is a student at the University of Alberta. He ran in the 2004 election in the same ward, finishing last of nine candidates. He is running on a platform of a property tax freeze, a 1% levy on the purchase of new homes, more capital project funding for ward 2, and allowing carpoolers to use lanes currently reserved for buses as taxis. [http://www.jabin.ca Jabin Caouette's campaign website]
*"Ron Hayter" - Ron Hayter is the longest-serving city councillor in Edmonton's history. He was first elected - after unsuccessful attempts in the 1966 and 1968 elections - in the 1971 election (in ward 3; Edmonton had four wards at the time), and was re-elected in every subsequent election until the 1995 election, when he decided to retire. He was subsequently appointed to the National Parole Board. He returned to council in the 2001 election, and was re-elected in 2004. [http://www.ronhayter.com Ron Hayter's campaign website]
*Kerry Hutton - Kerry Hutton, 48, is a Bingo manager. He previously ran for city council in the 2004 election, when he finished seventh of nine candidates in ward 2. He is running on a platform of term limits for municipal politicians, opposition to the expansion of the Art Gallery of Alberta and to municipal funding for a replacement for Rexall Place, and improved street maintenance. [http://www.kerryhutton.ca Kerry Hutton's campaign website]
*"Kim Krushell" - Kim Krushell is an incumbent councillor, elected on her first attempt in the 2004 election. Prior to her election, she served as executive assistant to councillor Larry Langley. She is running on a platform of implementation of the city's infrastructure strategy, expansion of the city's light rail transit system to the northwest, construction of an interchange at 23rd ave and Gateway Boulevard, and reducing regulations preventing developers from building new housing. [http://www.kimkrushell.com Kim Krushell's campaign website]
*Dave Loken - Dave Loken is a labour activist who has served as an executive member of the Alberta division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees and as a liaison representative for the Coalition of Edmonton Civic Service Unions. He ran in ward 2 in the 2004 election, and finished third of nine candidates. [http://www.electloken.com Dave Loken's campaign website]
*Shelley Tupper - Shelley Tupper, 47, is a federal employee.

Ward 3

*Kyle Balombin - Kyle Balombin is a construction worker. He finished last of five candidates in the ward in the 2004 election. He is running on a platform of low taxes, prompt street repairs, and increased police presence. [http://www.balombin.ca Kyle Balombin's campaign website]
*Tony Caterina - Tony Caterina, 51, runs an industrial supply company. He finished third of five candidates in the 2004 election, and also ran in Edmonton Centre for the Alberta Alliance in the 2004 provincial election, when he finished fifth of six candidates. He is running on a platform of building new roads, increasing police presence, and cracking down on graffiti. [http://www.tonycaterina.ca Tony Caterina's campaign website]
*"Ed Gibbons" - Ed Gibbons, 58, is an incumbent councillor and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. He was elected as a Liberal in Edmonton Manning in the 1997 provincial election, and served until he was defeated by Tony Vandermeer in the 2001 election. He was then elected to city council in the 2001 Edmonton election, and was re-elected in 2004. He's seeking re-election on a platform of increased police presence and completion of infrastructure projected. [http://www.edgibbons.ca Ed Gibbons's campaign website]
*Shiu Wing Mak
*Chris Martin - Chris Martin, 42, is a production assistant with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
*Chris Roehrs
*Thomas James Tomilson - Thomas James "Buffalo Terminator" Tomilson, 57, is a perennial candidate in Edmonton municipal elections, having run in every election since 1989, when he placed last of eleven candidates in ward 2. He ran for mayor in 2004 (finishing seventh of eight candidates) and 2001 (eighth of nine candidates) and for councillor in 1998 (fourth of four candidates in ward 3), 1995 (sixteenth of seventeen candidates in ward 4), and 1992 (sixth of six candidates in ward 3). In 2004, he claimed to have had 85 jobs in his life, to have experience in public relations and advertising, and to speak Esperanto as a second language.
*Harvey Voogd - Harvey Voogd, 47, is a political activist. He has served as the executive director of the Friends of Medicare and as an executive assistant to councillor Michael Phair. He is running on a platform of expanding public transit, preventing crime, and protecting the environment. [http://www.voogd.ca Harvey Voogd's campaign website]

Ward 4

*"Jane Batty"
*Nyambura Mia Belcourt
*Lewis Cardinal
*Jodi Flatt
*Ben Henderson
*Sheila McKay
*Brian Edward Patterson
*Deborah J. Peaker
*Adil Pirhabi
*Hana Razga
*Thomas Roberts
*Margaret Saunter
*Brent Thompson - Brent Thompson, 27 is running on a platform including greater communication/involvement between the Edmonton Police Service and communities and increasing access to affordable housing.
*Brian Wissink
*Debbie Yeung

Ward 5

*"Bryan Anderson" - Bryan Anderson is a teacher, basketball coach, and incumbent city councillor, having been first elected in the 1998 election on his first attempt, and re-elected in the 2001 and 2004 elections. He is running on a platform of improved recreational facilities, higher design standards for buildings, and road resurfacing, maintenance, and widening. [http://www.anderson2007.ca Bryan Anderson's campaign website]
*Don Iveson - Don Iveson, 28, is a non-profit manager and advocate. He is running on a platform of decreased urban sprawl, increased funding to the arts, and improved public transit. [http://www.doniveson.ca Don Iveson's campaign website]
*Brent Michalyk - Brent Michalyk, 39, is a carpenter, president of the Blackmud Creek Community League, and board member for the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues. He is running on a platform of increased consultation of community groups with regards to development projects, improved transit services, and cooperation between the city and the school boards to ensure that neighbourhoods' educational needs are being served. [http://members.shaw.ca/brentmich Brent Michalyk's campaign website]
*"Mike Nickel" - Mike Nickel is a business owner and incumbent councillor, having been first election in the 2004 election. Prior to that, he twice ran for mayor, finishing second of eight candidates in the 1998 election and third of nine candidates in the 2001 election. He is running on a platform of halting tax increases, implementing term limits for municipal politicians, and focusing the city on its core services. [http://www.mikenickel.ca Mike Nickel's campaign website]

Ward 6

With the retirement of Terry Cavanagh from Ward 6, at least one new face is guaranteed a spot in the Council.

*Lori G. Jeffrey-Heaney - Lori Jeffrey-Heaney was a councilor and then mayor of Val Quentin for 12 years.
*Chuck McKenna - Chuck McKenna, father of two and husband for 14 years, was born and raised in Edmonton, and has been a resident of Mill Woods for the past 8 years. He's currently a bus driver, a career move made in order to understand Edmonton government from the inside. In the past, he's been an ETS focus group member, an insurance broker, a sales consultant, chairman of the 2001 Graffiti Cleanup (with 300 volunteers), a volunteer with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Edmonton for 11 years, and the director of Mill Woods Little League for 5 years. Chuck's priorities are transportation (improving the transit system and planning for long-term growth), crime (encouraging community-based policing), snow removal and street repair, infrastructure, and taxes (finding savings to enable tax cuts). [http://www.ChuckMcKenna.ca/ Chuck McKenna's campaign website]
*Chinwe Okelu - Chinwe Okelu, married and father of two, has 25 years of community service under his belt, including transportation and community efforts. He has merited several awards, including the Governor General's Commemorative Medal and the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal. Chinwe's priorities are enhancing community, effective service delivery, transportation, regional cohesiveness, and balanced development. [http://www.okelu2007.org/ Chinwe Okelu's campaign website]
*Amarjeet Sohi - Amarjeet Sohi, married and father of one, has lived in Ward 6 for 26 years. He has worked for ETS for nine years. His volunteer efforts have touched the arts, crime prevention, education, labor relations, and community soccer, often in leadership roles. Amarjeet's platform has six main topics: smart growth, crime, being heard on school closures, affordable housing, neighbourhood renewal, and a vision for urban transit in Edmonton; a plan for each topic is detailed on his website. [http://www.sohi.ca/ Amarjeet Sohi's campaign website]
*"Dave Thiele" - Dave Thiele, the incumbent, has been serving on City Council since 1998. He has received the Jim Shewchuk Award from United Way for his community leadership and the Alberta Centennial Medal for outstanding service to Alberta. Dave serves on several city boards and committees, including traffic, housing, and waste minimization. Dave's priorities are transportation (fixing roads and traffic safety), transit (with blended residential/commercial/industrial communities centered around and integrated with transit facilities), affordable housing (including rent review and accessible housing), community policing, and environmental concerns (including an anti-idling bylaw). [http://www.davethiele.ca/ Dave Thiele's campaign website]
*Tomas Dennis Vasquez - [http://www.tomasdennisvasquez.com/ Tomas Dennis Vasquez's campaign website]

External links

[http://www.cbc.ca/edmonton/features/edmontonvotes2007/mayoralrace/ http://www.cbc.ca/edmonton/features/edmontonvotes2007/mayoralrace/]

[http://vote2007.edmonton.ca/ http://vote2007.edmonton.ca/]

References