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Meet the Candidates: Doug Powell

The city needs leadership that will take accountability and not hide behind closed doors, says Doug Powell .
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Meet the Candidates: Doug Powell, McKellar Ward (Jodi Lundmark, tbnewswatch.com)

The city needs leadership that will take accountability and not hide behind closed doors, says Doug Powell.

The McKellar Ward candidate said Thunder Bay needs a change in the wake of problems like crime, homelessness, infrastructure shortfalls and high taxes.

“People can’t afford to pay their taxes, especially the elderly. Take a look around. You can’t walk the streets at night,” said Powell, 59.

“This city does need a change.”

That change starts with a more transparent municipal government and while Powell understands the need for closed sessions on internal matters, but matters like infrastructure and public works should be discussed in the open.

“(When) you’re dealing with things that are important to the citizens, you can’t jump into a private meeting every 10 minutes,” said Powell. “You’re hiding.”

An ex-mill worker, Powell has lived in Thunder Bay for 36 years and prides himself on his honesty.

“I say what I feel. Whether it makes me look good or bad, I don’t care. I’m going to say what I think. On top of that, I’m a person who does what he says. If I see an issue, I go deal with it. I’m not going to sidestep. I’m not going to back up, but I am open to suggestion,” he said.

Powell has been a vocal opponent of the plan for the proposed event centre, particularly the location in the downtown north core and the price tag.

“It’s been my stance right from the beginning, I would like an event centre, but we cannot afford it,” he said.

The city needs a way of bringing money into the community. However, the events centre is too big of an expenditure, said Powell.

“What it’s going to do to the tax base in this city, it’s going to hurt a lot of people in the short-term,’ he said, adding he doesn’t think the city has the people to fill the 5,000 seats planned for the project.


Twitter: @dougpowelltbay





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