Making history with Steinbach council election

Voters in the City of Steinbach made history on Wednesday, electing the first visible minority in the city’s history to council and for the first time ever giving a female candidate the highest number of votes.

Elected to office in Steinbach was incumbent Susan Penner with 2,560 votes, incumbent Jake Hiebert with 2,181, incumbent Damian Penner with 2,095, newcomer Ron Falk with 2,089, newcomer Greg Carlos with 2,048 and incumbent Bill Hiebert with 1,957.

Not making the cut included Brad Unger (1,742), Nicholas Goertzen (1,620), Gary Dyck (1,491) and Mitesh Kumar (1,185).

Susan Penner’s totals were much higher than the 2022 election when she received 1,346 votes.

“After 16 years on council to receive this kind of support from the people of Steinbach honestly it’s just very humbling and encouraging for me,” she said. “I’ve always tried to approach this role with common sense, integrity and a genuine desire to do what’s best for our community and to see that resonate with voters means a lot.”

Penner said it will be great to work with all the incumbents.

“We know each other well at this point and have a great working relationship, but I do think it’s really great to have some new people on council,” she said. “It’s important to get new ideas and perspectives.

Penner said it was good to see Greg Carlos become Steinbach’s first Filipino councillor.

“I think it’s high time (the Filipino community) had representation,” she said. “This is very exciting for that community and also for Steinbach and this council in general.”

Carlos said he was proud and humbled to make history as the first Filipino Canadian on council.

He said he thanks God, family, friends and supporters for leading him to this role.

“It is my pleasure. It is my honour as well to be a councillor for Steinbach,” he said. “This is a big responsibility and there’s a lot of learning to do, but I’m 100 percent committed.”

Carlos said he wasn’t nervous leading up to election day and credits that to his faith.

“I surrendered to Him,” he said, explaining that he left it in God’s hands. “If it’s His will, it will be done. And as we can see it is His will and it has been done.”

Mayor Earl Funk, who was acclaimed as mayor said he likes the make-up of this new council.

“I think it’s going to be a really serious council,” he said. “I think we’re going to be able to work well together.”

He also highlighted that history was being made both with Greg Carlos’ election and Susan Penner winning the greatest number of votes.

Funk explained that diversity is important around the council table, adding the Filipino community has added so much to the City of Steinbach.

“When we have diverse people and diverse personalities on council that’s when the entire community gets represented,” he said.