Ivan Normandeau running for second term on La Broquerie council

La Broquerie Reeve Ivan Normandeau wants to extend his 12-year run on council by running for a second term as reeve.

“There’s a few projects I’d like to see across the finish line, mainly the RSR (Red Seine Rat wastewater treatment plant) project,” said Normandeau. “And also the fact that I still enjoy what I’m doing, I still enjoy being involved in the community. I just thought I’d give it another shot for four years.”

Normandeau was a councillor for the first eight years on council and as reeve for the last four. He has more than 25 years experience in the financial and business sectors in Manitoba. He was secretary-treasurer of the Community Futures Triple R board of directors and a member of the St. Joachim Library board of directors. He is currently working in leasing in Winnipeg.

Over the years, he has served as president of the Community Development Corporation of La Broquerie and treasurer of the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste of La Broquerie. He is treasurer of the La Broquerie Minor Baseball League and is the president of the board of directors for the Association of Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities and Eco-West Canada.

Normandeau wouldn’t say if there were any specific initiatives or projects he brought to council that were adopted, instead he said council works together. Some of the projects he mentioned during his time on council include the HyLife Centre, upgrades to Loewen Boulevard, the Twisted Root in Marchand, and the splash pad as some of the projects council has worked on or is continuously working on.

He said the biggest issue facing La Broquerie right now is trying to find a balance between the rural and urban areas in terms of infrastructure, such as drainage and roads. He said the roads are old and were not built to a high enough standard forcing the RM to constantly upgrade.

“But it’s also keeping taxes the lowest possible while also keeping up with all the services that we currently have. It’s not always about adding new services. Sometimes it’s just about keeping the one(s) you got in place,” he said.

In regards to infrastructure, Normandeau said the RSR project is vitally important for La Broquerie as it would alleviate the municipality from having to upgrade its lagoon for the next 60 years.

“It’s important to the municipality because if we don’t upgrade our lagoon, we won’t be able to grow in the future. And growth is something that’s great for the residents because if you have growth, that means you have development. And that means you’re able to bring in extra services and do more for the community.”

“The RSR, it was something that was a big decision, but we had to get it done and be on board with (the other municipalities). So, I believe that it’s short-term pain for long-term gain,” he said.

Some of the wonderful aspects of La Broquerie that stand out for Normandeau are the recreational facilities in the RM, the small town feel of the Village of La Broquerie where everyone knows one another, and the three schools covering the languages of English, French, and German. He said all these services are what attract young families to the municipality and keeps seniors and youth active.

During his time in council he has seen the municipality continue to grow and he said the biggest change has been the effects of social media on how grievances are communicated. He said prior to the advent of social media, people would just call him to voice their concerns or opinions and now they take to social media instead.

“I kind of think since COVID, the respect has kind of gone to the wayside. And people tend to say and do things without thinking of the repercussions. So that’s the biggest change that has happened over the last 12 years, for sure. And I’m not saying it’s wrong. I’m just saying that your social media is not always the best thing to have,” he said.

“If somebody has a problem with me, my phone is on 24/7. They can always give me a phone call. Any decision that I do on council, I have no problem in justifying why I’m doing it.”

Normandeau said he is not a micro-manager. He believes that a leader should let staff and councillors do their jobs. “I’m not a totally hands-on (reeve). I know what’s going on, but we have staff to do their job, and I let them do their job. And I find that’s the best way of managing and keeping people happy.”

His vision for the future of La Broquerie is to keep things going the way they are. He said the municipality has great facilities, some country roads are being paved, roadways are continuously improving, there’s growth in the younger population, and recreational improvements are being implemented.

“(I think people should vote for me) because I’m honest. I’m level-headed. I try to find the balance between everything I do. I really enjoy being with the community. I enjoy being with the residents. And I truly believe I bring a simple and sane vote for La Broquerie.”