Ward 4 council race heats up

'When you get older people on council... they don’t really understand' - Sara McCleary

Sault Ste. Marie Civic Centre. David Helwig/SooToday

The list of candidates running for two Ward 4 city councillor positions grew to four today, as local freelance journalist and activist Sara McCleary filed her nomination papers.

McCleary, who writes for Sault This Week and for the national human rights advocacy organization B'nai Brith Canada, took a harsh swipe at elders in a news release announcing her candidacy.

“I think when you get older people on council – particularly when they haven’t had to job hunt in 30 or more years, their mortgages are paid off, and their children are all grown – they don’t really understand what life is like for the city’s young people," said the mother of two young children.

"There’s no doubt in my mind that that’s a contributing factor to our out-migration issue.”

"I firmly believe – as do the majority of Saultites from what I’ve been hearing – that it’s time for change at City Hall to get the city to where it could be.”

Earlier this year, McCleary unsuccessfully sought the nod from local New Democrats to run in the provincial election, losing to Michele McCleave-Kennedy, who ultimately lost the election to Conservative incumbent Ross Romano.

In addition to her writing, McCleary is an advocate working to eliminate the stigma surrounding addictions and mental illness.

She also fought for the closure of Spruce Haven Zoo.

Also running in Ward 4 are incumbents Marchy Bruni and Rick Niro, as well as Tim Marsh, who works in the food and beverage sector.

The election is on Monday, Oct. 22.

Deadline for candidate nominations is Friday, July 27 at 2 p.m.

The following is a full list of candidates nominated as of today, July 17:

Mayor

Ted Johnston
Christian Provenzano

Ward 1 councillor

Paul Christian
Sandra Hollingsworth
Don Mitchell
Derek Pearce

Ward 2 councillor

Sam Cistaro
Lou Turco
Lisa Vezeau-Allen
Jason Young

Ward 3 councillor

John Bruno
Donna Hilsinger
Judy Hupponen
Winona Hutchinson
Matthew Shoemaker

Ward 4 councillor

Marchy Bruni
Tim Marsh
Sara McCleary
Rick Niro