THUNDER BAY – Ron Chookomolin sees having an Indigenous mayor as an important message the city is committed to growing diversity.
The potential to bring that perspective to the city’s top elected office was a driving force for the 50-year-old to join the Thunder Bay mayoral race on Wednesday, joining the four other officially registered candidates.
There need to be minorities around the council table, Chookomolin insisted.
“That’s the only way the Thunder Bay council can function to address past issues,” Chookomolin said. “The current key issues today, we talk about racism. In order to understand racism, you have to come from a background which you have a full knowledge.”
Last June, his 25-year-old son Marlan was found unresponsive and grievously injured on a pathway running parallel to the Thunder Bay Expressway near the Dawson Road intersection and died the next day. Chookomolin a short time later announced his intention to seek the mayor's office.
Chookomolin pointed to prioritizing Indigenous membership on committees as way of improving race relations in the city, as well as potentially advancing the Ring of Fire.
Having worked with child welfare agencies to move children out of foster care and reintegrate them with family members, Chookomolin carries mediation and advocacy skills that he is confident can be effective at the municipal level.
He strongly believes in treating addictions, particularly in youth, which he said will help “restore law and order.” His ideas include calling on the province to mandate treatment programming for bail release and working with police.
“We can’t combat crime and be hard on crime until we deal with the root causes of why it’s happening,” Chookomolin said.
Chookomolin also said he wants to revitalize aging infrastructure and pursue economic development and job growth.
The other current registered candidate are Iain Angus, Kevin Cernjul, Mariann Sawicki and Shane Judge.
The nomination window to run for mayor, city council or school board trustee is open until July 27. The municipal election is scheduled for Oct. 22.
