(Posted
9:30 a.m., Oct. 11)
Cumberland incumbent facing pair of challengers
By Fred Sherwin
OrleansOnline.ca
Cumberland
Ward incumbent Stephen Blais isn't taking his bid for
a third straight term one step at a time � literally.
Since starting his door-to-door campaign in May, Blais
has recorded more than 820,000 steps. He hopes to hit
a million by election day on Oct. 22.
"Honestly,
I'm not taking anything for granted. We're running the
same campaign we did in 2014 and 2010 before that,� says
Blais. "We've canvassed almost every door in the ward.�
According
to the Elections Ottawa website, Blais is facing two challengers
in Cameron Rose Jette and Jenson Bloire.
Jette
is a 20-year-old South Falling-brook resident who is studying
human rights and social justice at Carleton University.
A
huge defender of the city's social service programs, she
wants to be a voice for the marginalized on city council.
"I
have an especially unique perspective as a youth, community
leader and activist who can rally the voices of marginalized
communities I belong to, including those with disabilities,
LGBTQ individuals, fellow youth, and students,� Jette
writes on her Facebook page. She is also in favour of
free-fare public transit.
Very
little is known about the third candidate, Jensen Boire.
He has no contact information, a website, or a Facebook
page listed on the Elections Ottawa website.
Blais
has been campaigning on the various accomplishments he's
managed to achieve during the past term. As chair of the
city's transit commission he played a leading role in
getting Phase 2 of the Light Rail Transit project extended
from Place d'Orléans to Trim Road. He also secured the
he funding to expand the Fran�ois Dupuis Recreation Centre
and he helped facilitate plans to erect a dome at Millennium
Park.
(This story
was made possible thanks to the generous support of our
local business partners.)
|