Meet Ward 2 candidate Ted Hallin

SooToday asked each of the candidates to submit a bio to introduce themselves to voters. Meet Ward 2 candidate Ted Hallin:

I arrived in Sault Ste. Marie from Thunder Bay (then Port Arthur and Fort William) in 1966 teaching at the old F.H.Clergue Public School and later, on Permanent Supply, at 25 of the Algoma District School Board  schools. I also supplied in Thunder Bay classes from Kindergarten to Grade Thirteen, and taught a Hydraulics Course with Confederation College.

Ironically, when the 1966 Municipal Election was held, I was not allowed to vote although I was 21 years of age and a resident.  The reason given was that the room where I slept was not assessed for municipal taxes more than $1500 in 1945 dollars.

This woke me up to Municipal Politics.

Later, I worked at Algoma Steel for 10 years, becoming an Inter-Provincially Certified Industrial Mechanic and Construction Millwright.

I was active in USWA LU 2251 reform; in local anti-nuclear-weapons efforts; in Provincial and Federal NDP campaigns.

In municipal affairs I tried to guide the James St. Urban Renewal mess towards something more sensible; tried to improve the city transit system; assisted in efforts to end the longest municipal strike in the history of Canada, here in Sault Ste. Marie.

I've been in many local stage productions, especially musically, with the Sault Opera Society, the Sault Musical Comedy Guild, the Sault Barbershoppers, the BlackStocking Review, and Community Living Algoma productions.

Spending 30 in Construction as a member of the Millwrights of Ontario I worked in a wide variety of industries all over Ontario, but  still active in the Sault.

I owned a home on Ontario Ave. but have  had my house on Queen St. West since 1975. Retiring a year and a half ago, I now have time to devote to serving the Sault on the City Council.

I believe that my unique background can contribute much to an efficient and humane operation of this city.