Ste Anne byelection candidates speak

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This article was published 15/05/2023 (762 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The RM of Ste Anne byelection scheduled for May 24 has attracted three candidates. The election is being held to fill the seat left vacant following the death of Coun. Brent Wery.

Running for the vacant seat is Paul Saindon, David Buck, and Patrick Stolwyk. The Carillon connected with the three candidates to find out what their goals and priorities are going forward.

Paul Saindon

Going back four generations, Saindon and his family are proud to call the rural municipality home. Growing up on a dairy farm, the former millwright served as councillor for 16 years coupled with four years as reeve.

“There has to be somebody to advocate for this ward, which happens to be the biggest populated ward in the entire RM. As of last January, there has been no one to represent this area and seeing as how I was in that position for so many years and have seen the town and everything around here evolve… I know where it’s going and I know how to proceed from where it left off and that is the reason I’m joining the race.”

Citing his experience, Saindon said he is familiar with the area and he was one of the people responsible for the success of Project 13, a water retention project east of Richer. He said he wants to see the project continue by taking the water to another direction. He also wants to see more residential development in Richer, a push for more economic development in the area along trunk highways, and the continued development of the fire department.

Saindon said the hardest part of being a leader is “trying to convince your fellow councilmen, and what not, where you’re heading is the proper way to get there. And also listening to people in the area of what it is they perceive as being the way of life they’d like to see.”

“I don’t come in with an agenda. I come in with an open mind and the knowledge of what makes sense. I’m not about what everybody wants I’m more so of a guy of what is needed,” he said.

One of the issues that Saindon wants to address is stopping the “hemorrhaging of our municipal tax dollars from going into the Town of Ste Anne.”

“There has been a lot of money being allocated to the town’s projects be it recreational, or what have you, and it’s due to their lack of foresight and management that this is happening. And I don’t think that we should be the ones picking up their shortfall when they have been the ones that didn’t take care of their own business.”

Saindon stressed the importance of going out to vote.

“That’s always been a bit of a case around these small municipal elections maybe a by-election possess a little different attitude and interest, but overall when you look at eight to 10 percent of the population that bothers to go vote, that’s pretty small number. Although they feel like, ‘Oh, what difference does it make,’ (but) when it’s a federal election our little votes at this end probably don’t mean a lot. But when it comes to a small area like this, it matters.”

David Buck

For Buck life is about working together to get things accomplished. The former police officer has spent his career working as a unit, first with the Canadian military as a military police officer, then as sergeant with the Winnipeg Police Service, and finally as a bylaw officer with the RM of Ste Anne. He’s been living in the RM for 32 years having moved there after falling in love with a property in the area.

“Over my later years in the police service I was involved on many boards and working groups that gave me some group experience and managing affairs and administration… I’m not a politician at heart but I like working in groups, I like getting things done, and I like work being supported and not opposed with any undue reason. I don’t like doing projects where there isn’t an overwhelming support for,” he said.

Some groups Buck has been a part of include forensic services where he worked as liaison with Ontario Provincial Police, where notes and operating procedures on forensic matters were shared; he was also a part of Sainte Anne Roman Catholic Church’s parish administration board; and is currently serving on a condo board as president.

Buck said he visited 550 voters to stump for his campaign and listened to every concern.

Some of the issues he feels need to be addressed in the area are the conditions of roads, noise from Highway 1, expansion and development of recreation, and more commercial development for Richer along the Trans-Canada Highway.

“There is some momentum there (building along the highway) and I would like to be a part of the team that keeps that momentum going and I hope to be able to facilitate changes that might need to be made, such as changing some zoning…from residential to commercial. We need to work to facilitate those changes and bring some other resources to the communities. Different places for people to work.”

Buck wants people to consider his character and background when voting. He agreed that it was a natural progression for him to be involved with politics.

“It virtually opened itself up to me just at the right time as well… I previously had thoughts of getting elected to council, but it just wasn’t the right time… now my slate is clear and now I’m ready to put my energy towards working on council, if I’m so lucky to be elected.”

When it comes to being a leader, Buck said he is not someone who is “slamming their fist on the table when things go wrong” and he would point the finger at himself if he was leader.

“I want to channel my energies to finding the people that can help make things happen and coordinate those things and hopefully inspire others to follow along suit. And get people motivated to become part of the community and take on those voluntary roles.”

Patrick Stolwyk

Stolwyk concentrates a lot of his energy on community minded work such as volunteering and being a part of boards. The father of five sits on the board of the Richer Rodeo and is its co-founder and president; he’s also on the board for the Richer Community Club; and he volunteers for the Children’s Wish Foundation and the Canadian Hemophilia Society.

He’s lived in Richer for 20 years and is retired. He said he moved to the town in order to lay down roots “in a quiet community with a lot of potential.”

“There’s been a lot of us volunteers over the last 15 years who have worked really hard to change the face of that community. We wanted to make sure that it was a place our children would want to come back to because it’s home to them…Some of us spend hundreds of hours a year to make our community better.”

Stolwyk said the community has gone from a “have not to a have community.”

“I give 100 percent kudos to every volunteer that’s helped there. They are the ones that make it successful…No one loves our community like I do and the rest of the people that live in it. I have great respect for the whole RM itself because these people have welcomed me with open arms. I’ve had ideas and they’ve stood behind me and now it’s my turn to stand behind them and protect everything that we’ve bult. I don’t feel like these other two candidates have the best interest of the community in mind.”

Stolwyk entered politics because he couldn’t “watch two people who are not in our ward take over our ward.” He said he’s been listening to people for 20 years share their grievances and if elected he will hold sit-downs with the public in coffee shops where he can hear their concerns.

The issues he has heard affecting his ward are road maintenance, nighttime lighting in Richer as being inadequate, and economic development. He said he wants to sit at the table when the RM discusses bringing in sewer lines into Richer and the mining of silica sand in the area. He feels decisions made by the RM should be held off until there is Ward 3 representation on council.

Fiscally conservative, he feels every dollar counts and he didn’t agree with the RM giving money to the Town of Ste Anne for its arena to buy a new icemaker, calling it a mismanagement of funds.

For him, being a leader is designating, sometimes making unpopular decisions, but loving the people you’re leading.

“You have to love what you’re doing… you’re representing people and your representing lives in the grand scheme of things. You have to do it without your concerns in mind but with their concerns in mind… it’s not about what you want…that’s what being a leader is all about.”

Election day will be held on May 24 at the Richer Young At Heart Club, 22 Dawson Rd West, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.