Shane Judge, former CBC journalist, runs for Thunder Bay mayor
Judge says he has ideas on how to build up neighbourhoods, and reduce crime in Thunder Bay
A former journalist has entered the election race for the mayor in Thunder Bay with the aim of killing the proposed event centre.
Retired CBC reporter Shane Judge announced his candidacy Tuesday morning.
Judge said the public has not had enough say in the development of the proposed Thunder Bay Event Centre.
It’s a project the city can't afford it right now, he noted, and he believes many others support that opinion.
Judge said he thinks it’s important "to let the people have a say directly in whether they want to spend that kind of money and jeopardize what I think is a delicate budget and put us, I think, down the road in some real trouble when you start looking at the demographics of this city."
Judge said it’s too late for a plebiscite on the issue, but the city can still shelve the project.
"We've got two candidates. The supporter in chief, Mayor Hobbs, [and] Ken Boshcoff … both are onside to go with this project,” he continued.
“If I can knock them off, that's two fewer yes voices on council. And I'm thinking if an outsider like myself can bump off two very well known candidates, including the incumbent, a strong message will go to the rest of the council."
The newcomer to the mayor’s race said he also has ideas on how to build up neighbourhoods, and reduce crime in Thunder Bay.
The other declared mayoral candidates are Keith Hobbs, Ken Boshcoff, Henry Wojak and Doug McKay.
Election day is Oct. 27.