'Edmonton is at a crossroads': Here's what nine mayoral candidates pitched to voters at weekend forum
He made frequent references to his Christian faith and suggested street volunteer services and street pastors could be used as part of a strategy to address homelessness.
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'Action, not talk, action.'
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Rahim Jaffer
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Jaffer, a former Conservative MP, introduced himself as 'not a career politician, I'm a recovering politician.'
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He attacked the current city council for what he termed 'a spending problem' and criticized Knack and Cartmell for falling short on key issues.
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'People have felt not listened to at all by this last council for the last decade.'
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Jaffer said he plans to halt new bike lanes, in part over what he believes is a negative impact on some housing, roll back any planned property tax increases, and called for a financial audit of the the city and its agencies.
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Andrew Knack
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Knack pitched his experience over 12 years on council, saying it produced collaborative and consensus-building skills needed to better the city.
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He stressed the need to protect and improve city services on a balanced budget amid continued rising population growth.
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'It's not going to be a scenario where we're going to freeze our property taxes, because we're not going to be delivering what we need,' he said. 'We still need to provide good quality public services across the city.'
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He also called for more thoughtful development of bike lanes, and for future housing development to be focused within the city's existing boundaries, saying continued expansion was taking too big a toll on city services and its bottom line.
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Omar Mohammad
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Mohammad, a paediatric dental surgeon, cited the need for change at city hall.
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'For too long, Edmontonians have felt that City Hall is a fortress: distant, bureaucratic, unresponsive.'
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He pledged to pause all non-essential capital projects, freeze property taxes for two out the next four years, and halt new city borrowing.
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'Everyone likes nice stuff, but we have to stop until we can afford them.'
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He also stressed the need to 'build more homes faster,' something he said could be done in part by converting empty office towers into housing.
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Olney Tugwell
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Tugwell said he offered a fresh viewpoint to the challenges Edmonton faces, and called for a pause and review of the city's business plan, expressed opposition to bike lanes, and desire to establish a transit police force, similar to the one that operates in B.C.'s Lower Mainland
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'I don't think I'm the best (candidate), but I think I'm going to be the most efficient, and it's always good to have a new perspective and voice.'
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Michael Walters
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Longest Ballot Campaign declares victory in Battle River-Crowfoot byelection
DEAR ABBY: Wife is going it alone dealing with an alcoholic 'Passenger from hell' vomits, spits wine at family during flight to London WARMINGTON: Sleeping man who allegedly defended himself against intruder faces charges Longest Ballot Campaign declares victory in Battle River-Crowfoot byelection Protest group's candidates in record-breaking election only garnered 314 votes, but organizers say their point was made Article content OTTAWA — Despite their candidates only earning 314 votes in Monday's federal byelection that saw Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre regain a seat in the House of Commons, the election protest group responsible for embiggening the ballot is declaring victory. Advertisement 2 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account or Sign in without password View more offers Article content 'Of course, a movement that adds as many names as possible to a ballot isn't really obsessing over vote results, we're far more interested in making a political point,' the Longest Ballot Committee said in a statement issued Tuesday evening. Article content tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Longest Ballot Campaign declares victory in Battle River-Crowfoot byelection Back to video tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Play Video Article content 'What started with just a small group of friends and the blessing of the Rhinoceros party has now become a movement seven out of 10 Canadians are aware of, and perceived as such a political threat we've been mislabelled a 'scam' by the leader of the opposition.' Indeed, Monday's byelection in the east-central Alberta riding of Battle River-Crowfoot saw a ballot with over 200 names on it, more than doubling the previous record set in the suburban Ottawa riding of Carleton, which Poilievre lost to a Liberal rookie. Your Midday Sun Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. There was an error, please provide a valid email address. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Your Midday Sun will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Article content Advertisement 3 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Rather than subject voters to an enormous ballot, Elections Canada asked voters to write the name of their preferred candidate on the ballot instead of the standard checkbox. Read More Tories overwhelmingly opposed to Longest Ballot campaign: Poll Longest Ballot Committee strikes back at Poilievre's criticism The Longest Ballot Committee was the brainchild of Tomas and Kieran Szuchewycz in response to former prime minister Justin Trudeau's failed promise to introduce election reform. Trudeau had proclaimed the 2015 federal election would be Canada's last using the 'first-past-the-post' election system, and vowed to introduce more equitable schemes such as proportional representation. 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