WARD PROFILE: Daniel McIntyre
Harvey Smith has been the incumbent city councillor for the Daniel McIntyre ward since 1998, and is running for re-election.
In the 2010 election, 40.8 per cent of eligible voters in the ward cast ballots.
Candidates
- Cindy Gilroy — Constituency assistant to Point Douglas NDP MLA Kevin Chief. Lost to Harvey Smith in 2010 by 108 votes.
- Keith Bellamy — Development manager with the Winnipeg Folk Festival. Finished in third place in 2010 election, less than 300 votes back of Harvey Smith. A former staffer of NDP MP Pat Martin.
- Godwin Smith — Has worked at Via Rail Canada for more than nine years, been a part of the Residential Tenancies Commission for more than 10 years and is a founding member of the Filipino Canadian Tennis Association of Sargent Park.
- Dave Donaldson — Canadian Football League official and former Winnipeg Blue Bomber. Runs a number of inner city football clinics and camps.
- John Cardoso — Insurance broker and co-host of Portuguese radio program at CKJS - Voz Lusitana.
- Harvey Smith — Incumbent councillor since 1998, he was a teacher in rural Manitoba before entering politics.
Issues
From Jan. 1, 2014 to Sept. 16, 2014 the issue that had the highest volume of calls was missed garbage pickup. There were 1,115 calls placed to 311 on this issue. However, that number is down 135 calls from the same period in 2013.
Sewer backup issues were the focus of 104 calls by ward residents to 311 in 2014, about double the 53 calls that were made in 2013.
Candidate Q & A
- Who do you support for mayor of Winnipeg?
Keith Bellamy: "I lean to the left/centre-left and based on my interactions with mayoral candidates, I imagine that there would be a more natural fit and ease of communication working with some of the mayoral candidates than others. Judy Wasylycia-Leis would be my first choice for mayor but I think that I could work productively with Brian Bowman, Robert-Falcon Ouellette, and even Paula Havixbeck.”
John Cardoso: "I don’t have any specific choices because I’m running independently. I will work whoever is elected.”
Dave Donaldson: “I still haven't decided which candidate to support for mayor as of yet. They all seem to have some degree of interest but I have to make that decision based on what is right for my area.”
Cindy Gilroy: “I am not publicly supporting anyone for mayor. I strongly believe that it is in the best interest of Daniel McIntyre. It is important that the city councillor is able to work with whomever gets elected.”
Godwin Smith: “I think that is personal and would like to leave it at that.”
Harvey Smith: “I support Judy Wasylycia-Leis.”
- With what political party are you associated?
Keith Bellamy: “I am associated with the New Democratic Party. The NDP and Winnipeg Labour Council endorsed me in 2010. Neither the NDP nor the Labour Council is endorsing candidates in Daniel McIntyre Ward in 2014. I have been endorsed for city councillor for Daniel McIntyre ward by the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg this municipal election.”
John Cardoso: “I am running independently, working directly with the Daniel McIntyre voters.”
Dave Donaldson: “As of right now I don't have any political affiliations. I am supported by members of all three parties.”
Cindy Gilroy: “I do not believe in party politics at city hall. However I am a member of the New Democratic Party party and I work for Kevin Chief, member of the legislative assembly for Point Douglas.”
Godwin Smith: “I'm associated with all political parties.”
Harvey Smith: “I am not associated with any political party right now.”
Voters’ Voices
The election issues in Daniel McIntyre are as diverse as the housing prices in the ward, which range from a small $70,000 bungalow on Langside Street to a $565,000 four-bedroom riverfront property on Wolseley Avenue.
- Colleen Ross, 57
Lives on Furby Street in the West End and says there is an issue with drug dealers in her neighbourhood and believes a stronger police presence would help.
“No, I don’t feel safe in this area, there are too many people walking around at night, like hookers and crackheads,” said Ross.
- Jared Redekop, 28
Lives only a few blocks from Ross on Beverley Street agrees with her. He says the sex trade is too prevalent in his area.
“The women are usually forced into it, and I think what we need to do is get to the root of the cause and find a way to stop the johns,” said Redekop, who feels safe in his area but says it’s unfortunately because he is a white middle-class man, which gives him a greater sense of security compared to many of other people who live around him.
South across Portage Avenue in Wolseley, the views differ.
- Charlene Guenther, 39
Lives on Newman Street and says the dying elm trees are her biggest concern for her neighbourhood.
“It’s huge. They make the area awesome and it’s sad to see them replaced and not really looked after.”
- Ross Mitchell, 62
Lives on Ethelbert Street and has two large dogs. Says he would like to see a good dog park created in his neighbourhood.
Residents north and south of Portage do agree, though, that there needs to be some change at city hall in the next four years.
“I’d like to see a better representation of constituents in city hall,” said Redekop. “There are a large number of Filipinos and Indigenous people that aren’t well represented.”
- Caroline Fisher, 27
Lives on Craig Street and says she hopes for a less divided city, and thinks new faces at city hall would help with this.
“There are class and race divisions, and this is the centre of Winnipeg, and this where our cities divisions are taking place,” said Fisher.
Mitchell also says he hopes to see new faces in city hall. He says he doesn’t want to see career politicians be voted into city council in the upcoming election.
“I think a change over in senior administration is also needed,” he said.