Municipal Election Debate on Rogers TV
On September 8th, Bob participated in the Roger's Municipal Election debate for Ward 1. Check it out!
Chatelaine Village and Queenswood Heights Community Association Candidate Q&A
On October 14th, Bob participated in the Chatelaine Village and Queenswood Heights Community Association's Candidate Q&A. The format for this event was an opportunity for each candidate to answer a series of questions sourced directly from across Ward 1.
https://www.youtube.com/live/fBWITLNmoUo?si=yxEKAn6NChNa-rdv
Debate Highlights
During the debate there was a lot of discussion about transparency. As a lawyer, Bob knows there’s a difference between asking for transparency and establishing accountability.
Accountability cannot depend on whether someone feels like answering. Council must put the rules in place to require it.
Check out the clip: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1JysVLKNQU/
During the debate, there was a discussion about the potential of a ring road and eagerness from many to campaign on the idea. This concept hasn't been impact assessed and will require substantial investment and collaboration with the provincial and federal governments which hasn't been secured.
When Bob redirected the discussion to talk about the extension of the 174 and the work done already to assess this project, he was met with fear-mongering including a complete misstatement (since clarified by Stephen Blais himself) that the Black Walnut and Sparkle Street wouldn't be "torn up" in the plan.
The advocacy work done by previous City Councillor Stephen Blais to get this project off the ground was an opportunity to support the needs of Cumberland residents. An opportunity that's been squandered.
It is Bob's position that we should debate the real choices in front of us, not unconfirmed projects with no timeline or budget; but real scoped projects, consulted on by the public, but that Council has failed to deliver.
Check out the clip: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1bgUTtRHaJ/
During the debate, the incumbent made claims "I didn't sign an NDA" and even made tongue-in-cheek comments about the concerns of residents about ALTO being unnecessary. Bob has spent a lot of time talking to experts about ALTO, the drones flying in fields East and South of the City, and the very real concerns about the lack of information coming from any level of government. In the exchange, Bob Bell was critical of of current council hiding under "Delegated Authority" and City staff binding councillors through NDAs.