The hopefuls on arts, environment and development.

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When Saint Johners go to the municipal polls May 12, they will have their work cut out for them. Not only will they have to navigate the treacherous waters of the new ward system, they will also have five mayoral candidates to choose from. It’s a deep field, with the incumbent mayor, three current councillors and a young upstart in the running. Last week [here] sent each candidate questions about issues that affect its readership. Here are their responses, in their own words.

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The candidates:

Ivan Court was first elected to Saint John city council in 1998 and is now in his third term of office. A retired school teacher that taught at Lorne Junior High School, St. Malachy’s High School and Saint John High School over his 33 year career, Court lives on the West Side with his wife Bliss.

John Ferguson was elected to Saint John city council in 2004 and currently works as a consultant for Sport, Recreation and Active Living within the Province of New Brunswick’s Culture and Sport secretariat division. John lives on the East Side with his wife Trish, son Joseph, and daughter Caroline.

Michelle Hooton is the current deputy mayor of Saint John, and has served on council since 2004. A successful businesswoman before turning her attention to politics, Hooton lives uptown with her husband Ralph and her three daughters, Kaitlin, Meaghan and Sara.

Norm McFarlane was elected mayor of Saint John in 2004, and previously represented Saint John Lancaster in the provincial legislature. A retired insurance consultant and former branch manager for Royal Insurance, McFarlane lives on the West Side with his wife Cynthia.

Mike Richardson is a newcomer to the Saint John political scene, and, at age 30, is also the youngest person running for mayor. A network programmer for Aliant, Richardson lives on the West Side with his daughter Kylie.

The issues:

Saint John has a vibrant arts and culture community. How do you propose to support that community?

Court: Saint John has produced internationally renowned artists such as Miller Brittain, Fred Ross and Gerard Collins and will continue to do so. We have a vibrant opera, theatre and popular music scene. Longstanding cultural initiatives like UNBSJ’s acclaimed Lorenzo Readings as well as newer exciting initiatives like the Shakespeare Society need to be celebrated and supported. These initiatives make Saint John a city worth living. I supported the allocation of more than a million dollars for the enhancement of the Carnegie building. I have also supported the funding of the Saint John Theatre Company. I will continue to consult and support the arts community.

Ferguson: The economic and social benefit of the arts and culture community is supported by a strong volunteer base. I believe our municipality can best support the arts and culture community by supporting the volunteer leaders who contribute endless hours to further arts and culture programs/events in our community. Although this type of support is primarily the responsibility of the provincial government, I also believe the city can financially contribute to arts and culture events that demonstrate a community and economic benefit.

Hooton: Saint John understands that art and culture plays an integral part in economic revitalization and in community development. Beyond economic significance, culture influences quality of life.

Globally, cities that have seen the most growth have invested in quality of life. Every dollar invested in art and culture sees a return of $7.

I would continue to advocate on behalf of the arts and continue to support sound investments in art and culture.

McFarlane: This council has supported arts more than any previous council – with an arts policy, increased funding to arts programs, increased funding for the Arts Centre and we helped fund Uptown Saint John’s recent efforts to help grow our cultural base.

I am committed to improving on what we have done so far. It is simple, in order for a community to be sustainable, we need to continue to reinvest in our arts and culture.

Richardson: Art is a very important part of any city and is required to make a city “live”. We in Saint John need to provide more outlets for local artists in the community. The Saint John Art building should remain intact, but that’s not all I propose. As a regular citizen of Saint John I know a lack of resources for artists in the city has made it difficult for artists. If elected my position will be an avid supporter of the art community in Saint John by promoting local art shows and proposing added funding for art projects within the city.

How you plan on stemming the exodus of youth from our community?

Court: Education, training and skill development go hand in hand with industrial and commercial development. I feel there is a need to lobby the other two levels of government to review and restructure the training programs to match skills with needs. With proper training our youth will be able to stay at home and there will be no need to leave our city and province to seek meaningful employment. However, jobs are not the only reason people leave the city. Again, we must encourage the development of cultural, recreation and entertainment in our city. Saint John is not just a place of work but also a place in which we can live and have good fun. Our youth is this city’s future and they have to know this is their city as well.

Ferguson: A strategy must be developed and implemented specifically targeting the youth demographic. Create greater opportunity for education, sport and, culture. Young people will seek opportunity. We must make every effort to increase opportunity for education, jobs and socialization. If we do not, young people will seek opportunity in other communities.

Hooton: Youth make conscious and informed decisions as to where they will create a life. The world is their playground. Saint John has before us an opportunity to create a sound economic climate and invest in a better quality of life… where our youth will want to build their lives because they can find meaningful employment and the quality of their lives can be second to none…

McFarlane: The first thing we need to do is to ensure we have jobs. Without jobs, there is no reason for young people to even consider staying in Saint John. Over the last four years, we have turned the corner on job growth and we must continue to work on a sustainable economy (see www.letskeepgrowing.ca for more). With economic stability on the horizon, we must focus on other issues important to youth, like environmental stewardship (see www.letskeepgrowing.ca for more), continued investment in arts and culture and our infrastructure like recreation facilities. We must also ensure a reasonable tax burden.

Richardson: Nothing keeps the youth in the city more than a job and a future. For the first time in years, Saint John is predicted to have both. Regular citizens want and require jobs with a living style that promotes families to stay. As a young resident myself I understand what is required for youth to stay, and that’s a future. Youth want to have a voice and be part of the city’s heartbeat.

UNBSJ was placed on the chopping block by the provincial government last fall, and while Premier Shawn Graham recently scrapped those plans, concerns for the university’s future still remain. What role does UNBSJ play in our community?

Court: I am an educator and I support education at all levels. My own life has been greatly enriched by my graduate and post-graduate studies. I supported UNBSJ at the rallies. I walked with faculty and students to preserve the future status of the university. There is no city in Canada the size of Saint John that does not have a university. All cities strive to have a true university.

They recognized that a broadly educated population base is at the heart of a city’s growth and vibrancy. UNBSJ has contributed inestimably to our community. It gives our city an international flavour and provides our residents with opportunities to pursue affordable post-secondary education. It is a magnet for attracting immigrants and new job opportunities for the city.

UNBSJ also provides many recreational and cultural opportunities for residents.

Ferguson: This is the jurisdiction of the province however it certainly affects us locally. The university plays a permanent role as the centre for educational opportunity. UNBSJ creates an educational base for liberal arts, science, engineering and business. This educational base will create career readiness for a young person. A university degree provides a foundation for all other learning whether an individual seeks further education at university, college or a technical school. A university also adds to the vibrancy of a city where young people want to live and learn.

Hooton: UNBSJ hugely impacts the social and economics of our community development. The university’s role is as an important contributor to the culture and vibrancy of the city. UNBSJ’s contribution is being made through the thousands of alumni who work as teachers, lawyers, nurses, entrepreneurs, etc... and through the faculty and staff that contribute to community organizations as board members, volunteers and research resources to the community.

McFarlane: I was an adamant supporter of UNBSJ and was pleased with the premier’s response to our feelings. I believe UNBSJ pays a key role in several aspects of our community including: economic, social, youth retention, new idea creation and population growth. My Saint John includes UNBSJ.

Richardson: If elected I will push and fight to keep UNBSJ funded by the province. This issue has bonded many citizens of Saint John to make a stand. As a fellow citizen that has spoken against the removal of UNBSJ, my commitment is real and deep. UNBSJ is an important part of our city and community and should stay in Saint John. As mayor I will continue to represent the side of Saint John citizens fighting for UNBSJ to stay in the city.

While Saint John’s transformation as an energy hub has resulted in economic growth, many people are concerned about the environmental impact of large industrial developments. How do you plan on addressing these concerns?

Court: Industrial development and all entrepreneurial initiatives need to be encouraged in our city. However, in all industrial development national environmental standards must be monitored and met. As mayor I will work with industry and the Department of the Environment to insure the safety and well being of residents. There has to be a proper balance between economic development and quality of life, as quality of life is imperative for the health and wellness of our community. Saint John has to be a city worth living. We need to develop more urban green spaces, improve our parks and our beaches. Saint John is the Energy Hub, but is also so much more.

Ferguson: Our environment is extremely important. With the potential for new industrial development in our city, Saint John must be the centre of excellence for new innovative environmentally friendly technologies. New and proven emission controls must be implemented to ensure clean air. New and proven technology must be implemented at every level to ensure our environment (land, air, water and quality of life) is protected.

Hooton: For Saint John’s transformation as an energy hub and the resulted economic growth to be sustainable we must insist on the highest level of environmental protection standards for our water and air quality through advocacy on behalf of the community to private sector and upper levels of government.

McFarlane: Please see my full environmental stewardship plan at www.letskeepgrowing.ca.

Richardson: Saint John is growing as an energy hub. We are expected to boom because of various projects that are going on and that is a good thing. Saint John will attract new business and new people to the city because of it. There is a downside, and there is no question about it, our environment will suffer because of it. The City needs to build our relationships with the federal and provincial departments responsible for environmental issues insuring that all the required environmental assessments, testing and guidelines are followed for the new projects.

Saint John has a beautiful uptown, but many ideal storefront locations remain closed. How would you attempt to revitalize the area?

Court: Waterfront development will be critical for the revitalization of the uptown core. Projects like the new cruise ship terminal and the development of the Coast Guard site will pave the way for the revitalization of the uptown. The Center Beam project has done much to bring King St. and surrounding areas back to their former glory. It is a model of what can be done in the uptown core. This enhancement of our architectural profile is the envy of every community in the province. Floor street development will lead to second level occupation, as people are attracted to the uptown core. In the development of our uptown core we must always consult with the community, especially those who have expertise in heritage and know how to encourage development that integrates our great heritage buildings with new development.

Ferguson: A targeted strategy must be implemented involving the storefront owners, city officials and residents. A solution must involve a sustained effort to create an outdoor atmosphere. Attract people to the outside. Outdoor events, pedestrian friendly outdoor walkways, mini parks and more park benches would draw people to the outside storefront locations. This increase in public outdoor activity would attract storefront entrepreneurs.

Hooton: Lowering the municipal tax rate by investing 50 per cent per year of the increased growth revenue and applying the remaining 50 per cent to increased services we will ensure that property owners have a higher sense of confidence that they will be successful and that properties are more affordable. Investing wisely in our Uptown through municipal services [parking, lighting, snow removal and beautification projects] will give business owners the confidence required to locate in this area.

McFarlane: City hall should not tell business owners where to locate, that decision is theirs alone. City hall should and does facilitate business growth throughout the city with development grants, and in the core, but supporting the efforts of Uptown Saint John and our economic development agency. Another way to support further growth of business on the ground level in the core, is to build on our economic sustainability.

Richardson: We need to give the uptown a desperately needed facelift that will promote business to move into the uptown area. Propose tax incentives for fixing up and repairing the uptown area under the “Saint John Beautification Project”. This will give incentive for the owners of the Uptown and other Saint John area buildings to improve the appearance of the run down neglected buildings located in the Uptown areas. Also proposing to have a small intelligent task force to properly manage and select buildings that need to be demolished due to safety concerns. This group will cut the red tape to allow for some new growth in the uptown region while giving incentive for repairs on others. If we give incentive for owners to update their properties more people will relocate and purchase from the uptown core of Saint John.

Make sure to head out and vote for this year’s municipal election candidates Monday, May 12.