Candidates tell you why they would make good city councillor

For the final question in our series highlighting where candidates for Sault Ste. Marie council stand, we simply asked: What skills will you bring to the city council table? In other words, why should people in your ward vote for you? Here are the responses:

Sonny Spina Ward 1

The citizens of Sault Ste. Marie have a very important decision to make next week.  We need a city council that is open, honest and has the knowledge skills and abilities to guide our community successfully through complex issues.  

I have many years of experience in both the public sector and private sector.  This have given me the front line experience needed to understand our communities challenges first hand, as well as the administrative experience to know how to effect positive change in our community.  I have been able to successfully develop strategic partnerships with all levels of government, communities and private businesses to help coordinate and execute plans that allow us all to be successful and improve the quality of life for people in Sault Ste. Marie.

I was born and raised in the Soo and I have always been dedicated to giving back to our community.  I have always been a highly motivated person with a strong ability to see issues from all perspectives helping me to lead teams to the best outcomes.  

With your support, I will get to work right away addressing the issues facing our community, while planning strategic investments for our future so that together, we can grow the Soo.

Jonathan Lalonde Ward 1

People in my ward should vote for me because these are the skills that I bring to the city council table. 

They are listed in no particular order. They Include: Community Economic & Social Development, Community Development, Local Economic Development, Sustainable Development, Community Planning, Community Mindfulness, Economics, Business Development, Transportation Management, Non-Profit Organization, Systems Thinking, Knowledge of Community, Knowledge of Indigenous Worldviews, Future Thinking Mindset, Project Management Skills, Program Development, Leadership, Active Listening, Personal Development, Team Management, Team Leadership, Professional Networking, Management Style, Data Management, Social Change, Strategy, Design Thinking, Social Innovation, Critical Self Reflection, Interpersonal Skills, Productivity Improvement, Accountability, Team Management, Remote Team Management, Organization Skills, User Experience Design, Organizational Culture, Human Resources, Negotiation Skills, Research, Product Development, Social Media, Marketing, Accessibility Design, Humanitarian, Open Mindedness, Passionately Driven, Resilient, Emotional Intelligence, Patience, Nonverbal Communication, Conflict Resolution, Tolerance, Brainstorming, Compromising, Diplomacy, Empathy, Decision Making Skills, Productivity Systems, Writing Skills, Organizational Skills, Critical Thinking Skills, Stress Management, Productivity Tool Management, Creativity, Dependability, Responsibility, Volunteerism, Ideation, Inclusive, Encouraging, Problem Solver, Easy Going, Progressive Thinker, and Visionary.

If I did forget some, my peers will let me know.

Any other skills that I don’t know, I am willing to learn

Sandra Hollingsworth Ward 1

Building a safe, liveable, and interactive city for seniors, families, and young people  is a combination of business sense, in-depth knowledge of health care, the courage to try new approaches and fiscal knowledge. These are the aspects I bring.

For 30 years my career has focused on business, charitable work and health care. Before moving back, I lived in Toronto and Vancouver, which taught me about other cultures and sustainable ideas that could enhance our community.

As a practicing RN I see the issues of medical professional shortages and mental health support. 

Municipalities need strong loud voices to advocate for the community. I have as member of AMO (Association of municipalities of Ontario) health care task force, board member of FONOM (Federation of Northern Municipalities) and governance committee member of NOSM (Northern Ontario School of Medicine University) advocated for the community. One success, the expansion of the NOSM medical student intake and residency program. 

Part of a family business, I know the realities of owning a business. Council must be sensitive to challenges facing owners. Example skilled labour is difficult to find. The city in partnership with secondary institutions and outreach programs can help. My first degree (economics) gives me the critical thinking required to ensure business needs are acted on and community fiscal sustainability is achieved. 

The attributes required to build a healthy family friendly safe community are within me. Visit sandrahollingsworth.com.  

William McPhee Ward 1

I have always worked in the Information Technology field and I believe the skills I have developed over the years will serve me well on City Council.

These skills are being able to effectively listen to people, do research on a problem, collaborate with various groups within an organization and effectively communicate your point of view.  Being on City Council means working with a group of people that won't always agree on how things should be done, to move our city forward.

You have to be able to compromise because you won't always get your way.

I am able to listen to others and also get my point across effectively.

 I will always keep the needs of the residents of my ward in mind, but also be looking at the big picture of the city as a whole.

I work well with others and try to see things from their point of view.

The best approach to any problem is looking at it from all sides and then working to find the best solution.

If elected I will work hard for the people of Ward 1 to represent their interests and work to make the City a better place.

Brent Derochie Ward 1

There are many skills I would bring to the table.

I am the only council candidate that has a background in infrastructure, construction, and development in Ward 1.

I am also the only candidate across the entire election that has 45+ years in the infrastructure, construction, and utilities industry. Having this background and these skills will enable me to actively investigate, debate, and propose solutions to issues facing the ward and city.

In addition to this, I have served in many supervisory and managerial positions within the infrastructure and utilities sector which has allowed me to build a repertoire of networks, relationships, along with experience to advocate for, manage, and support projects and council proposals.

Finally, another skill that people will be able to depend upon from me is my profound accountability and transparency skillset which I will use to work with fellow council members, and constituents to move our city forward.

Using this skill, I will strive to remove the closed-door process of council, and put the power back with the people. It is important to have a council that works with and for the people. Constituents of Ward 1 should vote for me, Brent Derochie, because I am the best candidate to represent their concerns and ideas because of my experience, governance and management skills, and sincere drive to make our community better.

Waking up every day, improving the lives of Saultites will be of top priority for myself and will commit full-time hours every day to meeting with constituents, community partners, and other parties to ensure that our city is in the best position possible.

On October 24th, vote Brent Derochie for strong leadership, innovative thinking, and positive change on City Council. Visit brentderochie.ca for more information on myself.

Nick Armstrong Ward 2

If elected, the residents of Sault Ste Marie can expect I will bring a few key useful skills that will complement municipal governance; 

• Common Sense and Reasoning

• Business Acumen skills, such as the following but not limited to; Problem Solving, Critical thinking, Assess Risk and Opportunity, Financial Literacy, Project Management, Building Relationships, Business intelligence, Change Management, Communication, Decision-making, Leadership, People development, Results focused, Listening, Stakeholder engagement, Strategy development. 

• Experienced Reliability professional, Asset lifecycle management

I appreciate the potential opportunity to serve our community and offer my commitment to improve our city. Please consider supporting by voting on Oct 24th. 

Nickarmstrong.ca

Dennis Murphy Ward 2

Why vote Dennis Murphy for Ward 2?

As I visit Ward 2, voters have told me their voices are not being heard. There is a big disconnect between our Ward 2 residents and the current councillors. 

I am and will continue to be approachable and will answer your calls. I share your concerns, including rising taxes and out of control spending, (a $12 million Downtown Plaza project that is already running behind, City Logo, Studio 10 purchase, bus terminal plans), a homeless and opioid crisis, lack of affordable housing, food security concerns, an increase in crime ( we made the top 10  this week in Canada when it comes to crime), failing infrastructure, lack of Police, Fire and Paramedic  resources.

We need to make Ward 2 vibrant and make it a priority to support our Jamestown and Downtown residents and businesses.

Running for Ward 2 is a serious commitment.

I have the support of my wife, Michelle, and our 9-year-old daughter who has been enjoying walking around Ward 2.

As my daughter says, "here's my dad's pamphlet, please Vote Dennis Murphy for Ward 2!"

I am ready to serve you, to problem solve and be assured that I will always be respectful of your concerns.

I vow to hold myself and City Staff accountable for how your tax dollars are spent. Those of you who know me, know that I say it like it is. I have built my 30 + year career serving in the customer and service industry building strong relationships.

We need visionary leadership now more than ever as we deal with the crisis that exists within our Ward. On Monday, October 24, I ask you for your vote. Follow my Facebook page Vote Dennis Murphy for Ward 2.

Luke Dufour Ward 2

Over the past 4 years, I have brought my skills as construction project manager to the Council table.

I have kept focused on tangible results and not ideology, reports or headlines. People in Ward 2 should vote for me based on those tangible results.  

The initiatives I have helped lead over my time on Council have increased services to our community without solely relying on tax increases. We have a self-funding Low Income Home Ownership program, the first ever non-tax Social Housing Dividend which is also helping to preserve housing affordability and a 3rd Party Parking Enforcement Program that is keeping services up, paying for itself with ticket revenue, while allowing police to focus on the most important community safety issues.

The past 4 years have been ambitious. We have completely rebuilt our homeless shelter system with historic investments from all levels of government.  We will soon have two newly renovated shelters, added affordable transition units for both men and women and fair wages for our shelter workers.  We have fully renovated Bay St, approved construction of our first Downtown park and a new building for our ever-popular Mill Market.  If you want to live in a nice, affordable and modern City, vote for Luke Dufour on October 24th!

Lisa Vezeau-Allen Ward 2

I bring over 30 years working on boards and committees and understand the value of collaboration to make real sustainable change in communities.

In my past four years on Council I brought forth motions that are realistic, achievable and relevant such as: examining potential efficiencies in Police and City administration for potential alignment and savings, expanding the successful Downton Ambassador pilot program into outer neighbourhoods from downtown core, creating green options for vehicles and installing charging stations for electric cars.

I have and will continue to respond to the needs of my ward and the greater community and prioritize  key concerns such as affordable housing, homelessness and addictions, community safety and infrastructure by continuing my work on critical committees and boards such as: District Social Services Administration Board, Police Services Board, Accessibility Committee and Finance.

Ron Zagordo Ward 3

A city councillor is a public servant who works for the betterment of the Ward and community.  The qualities that I possess and the things I will do to serve the people of Ward 3 and Sault Ste. Marie include:

• Making tough and brave decisions for a better future
• Being courageous and standing up and saying what needs to be said 
• Working for people’s well-being 
• Listening to people and representing them faithfully
• Being loyal to the people I represent
• Working collaboratively with other leaders so that we can solve problems together
• Working with a range of people to achieve the greatest good for the public
• Being down to earth and humble
• Respecting the voice of the people!

The main thing I can give the people of Ward 3 is time. Having retired in June of this year, I can devote my entire day to the needs of the people. I would truly be a full-time councillor for the people of Ward 3.

Angela Caputo Ward 3

Campaigns bring many spoken promises. What I bring are proven and tangible ways that I have shown excellence in business and unwavering commitment to Sault Ste Marie. 

• 2021-partnered with the African Caribbean Canadians Association of Northern Ontario to raise funds to send Black and Indigenous People of Colour to Algoma University and Sault College. 
• 2020- spearheaded the creation of Feed The Kids program which provided over 3000 lunches to children in geared to income housing when COVID struck
• One of six recipients across North America to be recognized for my commitment to community with the TD Thanks You campaign for work I did on the Feed The Kids initiative
• 2019- Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Northern Ontario. Local Food Champion award from Foodland Ontario 
• 2018- Mover and Shaker of the Year from Strive Young Professional Group
• 2017- raised over $60k for Gayle Katzenback to help with her cancer treatments. More proudly, I went on to become one of Gayle’s best friends and stayed by her side until she passed away in March of 2018. 
• From 2015 to present as the owner of The Breakfast Pig, I have been able to raise well over $100k various projects around Sault Ste Marie. 

I am the only candidate in the election that is a woman under 40, a demographic that deserves representation and brings much to the table in our city. 

A vote for Angela Caputo is a vote for progress, leadership, commitment to community and a vision of a prosperous and vibrant Sault Ste Marie. Diversify our Council. On October 24, vote for proven results. Vote Angela Caputo for Ward 3 City Councillor.

Luis Moreno Ward 3

I’m running for City Councillor in Ward 3 so together we can build a City that works for everyone. My campaign has been gaining momentum since we launched in June. We have built strong partnerships across Ward 3 and in the rest of the City. I have met directly with hundreds of residents in Ward 3 to talk about our neighbourhoods, our challenges, and the ideas that can bring Sault Ste. Marie into the future.

My name is Luis Moreno, I’m 29 years old, I hold a B.A. (in political science), I currently work at Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, and I’m ready to serve you as Ward 3’s next City Councillor.

My platform is based on your needs:

• We need to keep our taxes low and avoid wasteful spending
• We need new and strong leadership to support small businesses, ensure economic growth, and achieve economic diversification
• We need safer neighbourhoods for our families and community.
• We need serious action on speeding
• We need stronger representation in City Hall and put Ward 3 first on every single vote 

Sault Ste. Marie is my home, and I want to be your champion in City Hall so that we can all move Forward Together. This election is about our community, our economic recovery, and the direction we should be taking. I’m asking for your vote on October 24^th. Let’s move the Sault Forward Together.

Kurtis Mcdermid Ward 3

I am a father of three raising my family in SSM, a loving husband to my highschool sweetheart, a business owner employing 20+ residents, one of only four Certified Living Wage Providers in SSM and I need our city to flourish for not only myself but also, my employees, my kids, my wife, my retired parents, my friends my business and for all or our future.

I am running to work and to work hard first and foremost. No job is below me. I am just as comfortable in a boardroom or working on a committee as I am in a loader, cleaning up derelict houses, or working outside in -30 or +30 weather operating my business. 

I want to measure my success by work done not selfies taken, events attended, platitudes given, rung on the ladder climbed or backs patted.

It’s time to bring our city to life by filling our amenities that sit vacant more often than not, addressing the ongoing crisis with boots on the ground literally cleaning up our streets, to finish what we started and put a halt to projects being left unfinished or being watered down to a shadow of their original intentions and I want to see our city experience significant growth which it hasn’t seen since the 1970s because we cannot support our infrastructure without a larger tax base.

Check out KurtisForCouncil.ca or facebook.com/KurtisForCouncil for more in depth informatio

Stephan Kinach Ward 4

As I've been canvassing Ward 4, voters often comment on how young I am.

My energy and enthusiasm is what I will bring to city council. I have had the privilege of living and studying abroad and have travelled extensively through Europe. This has given me many ideas of what could be done in Sault Ste Marie. Our city has so much potential. I would like city council to lay the foundation so that this potential can be realized. I work in the healthcare services field so I am very familiar with the challenges that residents are facing to access doctors and treatment. While many of the solutions are beyond the scope of a city council, there are steps that council can take to attract more healthcare professionals.

Finally, I believe that city council should serve the people so, if elected, I will continue to reach out to listen to residents of Ward 4 to make sure their views and concerns are represented at city council.

Find out more about me Stephan Kinach and my platform at https://www.kinachward4.ca/

Marchy Bruni Ward 4

If re-elected as a Ward 4 Councillor, I will continue to be a significant, authentic and forward thinking leader who clearly understands the complexities of governing times of uncertainty and change.  

Throughout my 12-year career as the Ward 4 City Councillor, my constituents have come to learn the following characteristics from me:

• Strong Leadership skills when means listening carefully to others and their concern and ideas. I have always been accessible and approachable to my constituents via email, phone, text or home visits. Communication is an important skill in order to establish strong relationships.
• I have invested a lot of time and energy in building relationships with my Ward 4 constituents. I bring honesty and strong integrity skills.
• My platform for these past 12 years has been “Working Together.” Being an effective team player means being able to advocate for one’s position while remaining curious and open minded about the position of others. I have established strong working relationships with all City Officials and City Staff when addressing and resolving issues.
• As an elected City Councillor, I am prepared to participate in discussions by researching and reading background material prior to attending meetings, sessions, committees, etc. My City Council meeting attendance has been 99% in the total 12 years as City Councillor.

In closing, it has been a great privilege and honour to represent the people of Ward 4 and the rest of the community.  On October 24^th, I hope I can count on your vote and continue to be the voice for the Ward 4 constituents.

Marek McLeod Ward 4

I have the experience to lead us down the right path over the next four years.

From being a consensus builder and keeping capital projects on time and under budget on the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council, to effectively using my voice to advocate for proper funding and programming as the Indigenous Student Trustee on the Algoma District School Board’s Board of Trustees.

I have worked in the public sector in social services and policy analysis, in the Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services and Assembly of First Nations respectively. This experience is important because I understand the need for good public policy and how to work with and around red tape/bureaucracy.

Ward 4 deserves a councillor who can work with those elected after the 24th, from the mayor to council. 

I have good relationships with the majority of council candidates and with all of those running for mayor. It’s needed to know where we have common ground, this will help us get more done for Ward 4 and beyond quicker during this term.

Common ground, common sense, and being ready for change are what I bring to the table.

If you’re ready for new leadership and fresh ideas on council then join me on Monday, October 24th and vote Marek McLeod for Ward 4 City Councillor.

David Celetti Ward 4

Why should people in  Ward 4 vote for David Celetti?

The taxpayers in Ward 4 want someone who is always available for them. That would be me. 

I have the experience needed for the job. Served as an elected board member on the PUC 1985 through 1999 . PUC then privatized and the elected board was abolished. I was elected to city council 2004 through 2010. I served on many boards during my time on council. representing the mayor on the police services board, Parks and Rec., Humane Society, Conservation Board. 

I have both knowledge and experience to offer proper representation needed to fulfill the requirements of a councillor.

I bring 22 years of experience. The people in Ward 4 like what I have to offer to meet their needs in the ward.

I am born and rasied and schooled in Ward 4 where I resided all my life.

I worked as a locomotive engineer on the ACR /CN after 50 years service. I’m Now retired

So please get out and vote ...  Vote David Celetti Councillor Ward 4.

Gideon Down Ward 5

I plan to bring a hands on approach to the table.

I have firsthand knowledge of the two largest employing industrial establishments of our city, having worked at both. 

I have lived in Ward 5 for 17 years, and continue to raise my family here. I am a working class tradesman, with a rural farm upbringing, college education, and small business ownership experience and believe this gives me an appreciation for all the different areas of our ward.

I am open, honest, transparent, and would like to use input from the other constituents in my ward to help make the best possible decisions, for all of us.

I am not a politician, and do not see this as a stepping stone in a political career, but rather am doing it solely for the proper representation of the majority of the people.

Our city has a numbe of current, and retired, hard working people and my goal is to make sure they have a proper voice in what is being done at city hall.

I plan to make sure we are using their tax dollars responsibly, and that they are able to maintain access to the services they need.

Corey Gardi Ward 5

I have worked hard to develop a strong, respectful working relationship with fellow Councillors and City Staff, which I believe has benefitted the residents of Ward 5.

I have been able to build consensus with fellow councillors over the course of my term for items/initiatives that have benefitted Ward 5 and the West End. A couple of examples of this, are the resurfacing of Allens Side Road, and the soon to be established Splash Pad in the park at Manzo Pool.  

I pride myself on working hard to settle residents' concerns as best I can. I return emails, phone calls and take time to visit with constituents when necessary. Over the course of this campaign, I have knocked on over 2,000 doors so far, attended a few meetings organized by neighbours, and spoken to many people about both the challenges and opportunities of our community. 

Despite our respective opinions and perspectives, these discussions have always been respectful, which has been very much appreciated.

I fully recognize the importance of working with community partners and neighbouring communities. An example of this, is the work I have done to spearhead our efforts to be the home of the Canada Water Agency (CWA), along with my efforts as part of the CWA Task Force. Through this effort we have rallied community and regional partners, which has grown into a true joint effort amongst neighbouring communities, local/regional organizations/agencies and our post secondary schools.  I am proud of our efforts and confident in our chances.

I have been a strong voice, a responsible and reliable voice for Ward 5 over the last four years, and I will continue to fiercely represent the West End/Ward 5 if re-elected.

Matthew Scott Ward 5

I bring a lot of different skills to the city council table that I’ve either gained through education or work experience.

I have a Bachelor of Business Administration from Algoma University which has equipped me with the knowledge and skills for many different aspects of businesses including finance, management, human resources, and marketing. Having the knowledge of how businesses should run is pivotal for being a part of city council since municipalities run very much like a business. 

While at Algoma University, and through my own time, I have taken dozens of computer science courses ranging from theory to programming and even networking. These skills allow me to be forward thinking for the city as we very much live in a digital world and with that comes new challenges that we need to ensure are addressed.

Through experiences in my career, I have a strong understanding of stats and data analysis. When making certain decisions, it’s important to put aside feelings and understand the data rather than just look at it. 

As a council we get presented with lots of reports from staff and it’s a very important skill to understand what’s being presented rather than accepting it as fact.

Martin Poirier Ward 5

I hold an MBA and my last position was as a credit risk manager at a major bank.  

I will bring to the Council managerial skills, private sector pragmatism, and solid financial literacy.  

First reflex of a banker is to follow the money. I was astonished when I couldn’t find the financial statements for Future SSM, Economic Development Corporation, and the Innovation Centre. 

The City plans to spend more than $1.4M on these in 2022, and as citizens it is very hard to know how that money is used. Before disbursement of other funds to these entities, we should require them to publish their financial statements on their websites so all can see them, then they should appear before the Council for questioning and final approval. 

I am a good team player, and a positive person. Even if I do not agree with a decision taken by council, I will still do my best to propose improvements so as to optimize the final output.  

Finally, I am a firm believer that municipal taxes’ use should be limited to basic services. For wealth redistribution and economic development investments, I believe income tax is the appropriate tool as it is much more progressive than taxes based on assets.