Plenty of choice in La Broquerie race

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This article was published 03/10/2022 (958 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There is no shortage of council candidates in the RM of La Broquerie this election season, with two colleagues squaring off in the reeve’s race and 11 more hopefuls jockeying for six seats in the RM’s two wards.

Incumbent reeve Lewis Weiss is being challenged by two-term councillor Ivan Normandeau for council’s top spot. The two men reflected on the past four years, and looked ahead to the next four, in separate interviews this week.

Weiss seeks third term

Lewis Weiss said he only has one regret from the past four years: “That we didn’t work hard enough to work for the people.”

“They wanted to keep their freedom, the majority of them,” he explained.

Weiss made national headlines for his remarks and actions during the COVID-19 pandemic, which he referred to in his interview as “a media-driven plandemic.”

The controversy began in November 2020, when Weiss was ticketed by the province for speaking at an anti-restriction rally in Steinbach. Weiss was the only elected official to speak at the event, which violated gathering size limits.

A month later, amid calls to resign, Weiss denied the existence of the pandemic and called COVID-19 “a normal influenza that has been blown out of proportion to dupe the people into taking a vaccine that has not been tested on animals.”

In January 2021, he was suspended from council without pay for 45 days for violating the RM’s code of conduct policy, which obliges councillors to act in accordance with Parliament and the Manitoba legislature.

Weiss appealed the suspension and lost. He dismissed criticisms of his views as “ignorant” or politically motivated. In interviews with this newspaper during the pandemic, he called vaccines “poison” and stated he is “not a great believer” in face masks.

Weiss maintained this week that attention he garnered over the last two years never prevented him from working with council.

“At the end of the day, we know we had a job to do, and we always do our job.”

Weiss said he doesn’t change an opinion just because it’s unpopular.

“I believe everybody’s allowed to have their own opinions about things, and we have to respect each other’s decisions and opinions.”

He confirmed he is still “contesting” the 2020 ticket.

“They won’t give me a court date, so I’ll have to probably deal with the Governor General, I don’t know.”

Weiss said he contracted “the flu” and “one or two colds” since March 2020, but never visited a provincial testing site.

“Those aren’t for COVID. Those are DNA tests.”

If re-elected, Weiss said he’d focus on “roads, drainage, and water retention,” enlisting the Seine Rat Roseau Watershed District to help solve flood-prone areas.

“The majority of taxes come from the rural. Unfortunately, it’s not always spent in the rural,” Weiss noted.

A fiscal conservative who voted against three of the RM’s last five annual budgets, Weiss said many necessary road and drainage projects can be accomplished without raising the mill rate.

“We need to show people that we can do more with the same dollar.”

Weiss also wants to attract more businesses to La Broquerie. He said it was “disappointing” to see HyLife build its new corporate headquarters in Steinbach. Weiss said an English-language high school in La Broquerie would have helped the village hang on to the company’s headquarters.

La Broquerie and Steinbach have butted heads in recent years whenever the RM tried to develop land within two miles of the city’s edge. Weiss said the disputes aren’t between councils.

“I think our problems are administration,” he said.

He also criticized the province for providing inconsistent guidance on land-use planning.

“The province says one thing, but they come to different decisions in different meetings. Confusing, to say the least.”

A certified mechanic and autobody technician, Weiss has lived in the RM for 33 years. He runs an autobody shop, repair shop, and vehicle recycling business with his wife.

Weiss said he isn’t running against Normandeau per se, but merely “running again.”

“He’s a very good guy,” Weiss said of his opponent. “I work for the whole municipality. Drainage and road building is important to me.”

Normandeau applies for promotion

Ivan Normandeau is seeking the reeve’s chair after eight years on council, the last two as deputy reeve.

With a change of job last year and his child becoming a teenager, Normandeau said it’s “just the right time in my life” to run for reeve, even though re-election in Ward 2 would have been a surer bet.

“It was not an easy decision, but I do believe that I have what it takes to be a good reeve.”

Normandeau is president of the Association of Bilingual Municipalities. In La Broquerie, he has served as president of St Jean Baptiste Days and the CDC, plus treasurer of the baseball league and coach and manager of hockey teams.

“I believe I’m a leader,” he said. “It’s not just what I’m doing on council. I hold La Broquerie in my heart and I believe I’m ready for this position.”

Normandeau said the village has expanded its recreation offerings and it’s time for the rural areas to catch up. He wants to develop more walking trails in the rural and Marchand areas.

Normandeau also wants to improve how road projects are identified and prioritized.

“I’d like to have a five-year plan on which roads we’re getting fixed, which roads we’re getting done.”

When it comes to property tax rates, Normandeau said he wants to “strike a balance” between the mill rate on one hand and amenities and services on the other.

“We don’t always want to raise taxes, but we also don’t want to lack the provisions for the ratepayers that they need.”

He noted rinks and walking trails attract residents to the RM, who in turn increase the tax base, lessening the need for mill rate increases.

Normandeau said HyLife’s decision to relocate its headquarters “was a tough one” for council. But he said the company had gotten so large it needed more space and amenities than the RM could offer.

“It was tough to see them go, but we’ve got a good relationship with HyLife, and they’re going to keep on supporting us.”

Normandeau wants to establish an industrial park on the outskirts of the village. The plan would involve acquiring and rezoning land and careful consideration of vehicular access.

Normandeau led council during Weiss’s suspension. While the role was comfortable, the circumstances that led to it weren’t.

“I really don’t like controversy,” Normandeau said.

He was reluctant to assess Weiss’s choices during the pandemic, explaining he’d rather run a positive campaign.

“Did I agree with his COVID stance? No,” Normandeau said. “Is it a big distraction? Not a huge distraction, but it was something that obviously I wish I did not have to deal with.”

In June 2021, the same month Weiss lost his appeal, Normandeau appeared in a ProtectMB video promoting vaccination in his role as AMBM president.

“The medical field was telling us to get vaccinated,” Normandeau explained. “I did not see any problem with getting vaccinated, so that’s why I pushed for not just me but also my family and friends to get vaccinated.”

Born and raised in La Broquerie, Normandeau became a commercial loans officer in Winnipeg last year after 25 years with Caisse Financial Group. He is married with one child.

Normandeau said he’d keep the whole RM, and relations with neighbouring municipalities, in mind as reeve.

“I truly believe that we need to work better with our neighbours,” he said. “I believe I’m capable of growing those relationships that we have, and that we should have.”

Seven compete in Ward 1

Incumbents Darrell Unger, John Letkeman, and Alvin Derksen are seeking re-election in Ward 1, as are challengers Andy Loewen, Chantele Gouliquer, Jason Hiebert, and Benno Friesen. Only Derksen and Hiebert responded to an emailed list of questions.

Derksen, who is wrapping up his second term on council, said he still has much to offer the RM.

“I have no personal agenda,” he wrote. “I’m here to listen to the concerns of my constituents, and to bring those concerns to council. I make no false promises and I care about the community.”

If re-elected, managing growth “in an equitable and fair way” would be one of Derksen’s top priorities, along with the annual tasks of planning, roads, and drainage.

Hiebert has lived in the RM for eight years.

“I am fortunate to have worked at different careers which have provided me with insight and knowledge that is needed when filling a council position,” he wrote.

His work experience includes involvement with water treatment plant upgrades, creating yearly budgets for a large community non-profit organization, and helping to provide potable water wells for people from different cultures and countries.

“This work diversity is very beneficial when involved with the operations and future planning within a municipality,” Hiebert said.

A father of four, Hiebert said he also wants to find creative ways to provide younger families with affordable housing. Other priorities including managing growth and ensuring services are cost-effective.

Four vie in Ward 2

Incumbents Paul Gauthier and Larry Tetrault, along with challengers Fernand Piché and Timo Gerzen, are competing for three available seats in Ward 2. All but Gerzen returned an email survey.

Gauthier has served on several boards since his election in 2018, including the Marchand Community Club, recreation advisory committee, and watershed district.

“I enjoy representing our beautiful RM and being a voice for the people,” Gauthier wrote. “They should vote for me because I want to see improvements to rural roads, drainage and walking trails.”

Looking ahead, Gauthier said recreation, rural road and drainage improvements, and lagoon capacity are top priorities.

Piché has met many La Broquerie residents in his 31 years running Le Depanneur, the local Shell gas station.

Piché, who holds a business diploma from St Boniface Community College, is a board member of St Joachim Parish’s economic council and a volunteer driver for the Seine River Seniors Association. He is also a leader in La Broquerie’s Knights of Columbus chapter.

Piché said he’d work to “continually improve the quality of life for all people in our rural municipality.”

His top issue is the lagoon, which he said requires proper planning and management due to population growth.

Larry Tetrault was a municipal administrator in La Broquerie, then Springfield, before joining council in 2015.

“Serving and building a better community are the two things that motivate me to be a candidate,” Tetrault wrote.

His board experience includes the federal Farm Debt Review Board, the Employment Insurance Board of Appeal, and the provincial Board of Reference for Education. He currently represents Manitoba on the board of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

Tetrault was also involved in the expansion of La Broquerie’s arena and served 31 years as secretary-treasurer of the arena board.

Tetrault pointed to recent improvements like a new fire hall, more paved roads, new walking trails and playgrounds, and a new splash pad. Moving forward, he said infrastructure must keep pace with growth.

“We need to work closely with our federal and provincial governments to make sure that proper grants are received to upgrade our infrastructure.”

If re-elected, Tetrault said he’d urge the province to twin Highway 52 East and to pave sections of Provincial Road 302 and Provincial Road 303.