Sunday morning was the first opportunity for candidates to register at the municipal office, with Jenny Motkaluk first appearing. “I think what the Winnipeggers want is an opportunity to tell me or someone like me what they think we can do to improve the city for the things we can do to encourage growth and investment,” he said. Motkaluk. Motkaluk, a business consultant, ran in the last municipal elections in 2018, garnering 36% of the vote, coming in second after incumbent Mayor Brian Bowman. “Last time we spent a lot of time talking about politics,” he said. “I’m proud of the work we did, but I think we focused too much on that and we did not have enough focus on giving the Winnipeggers a chance to know who I am.” Unlike in 2018, Motkaluk and other candidates will have an open field, as incumbent Mayor Brian Bowman is not seeking re-election. “I think we need to build on and improve some of the positive work that has happened at City Hall over the last eight years and I’m excited to hear from both the mayoral and council candidates about how Winnipeg continues to build for the future and create a city in which we can all be proud to call home, “Bowman told a news conference Thursday when asked about the election. With Bowman running for office, Manitoba University political science professor Roy Koop expects a lengthy vote on October 26. According to Koop, open races tend to yield more candidates, making name recognition very important. “Voters do not always have that much to work on, so what makes the difference is the name recognition. So if you are established, that is a big advantage, but also if you have some name recognition, if you are a city councilor, provincial “Politician, even if you are some kind of local celebrity,” Koop explained. Two other Winnipeggers also made their name in the race on Sunday morning – Don Woodstock and Chris Clacio. Woodstock, a businessman in the security sector, ran for mayor in the previous election. This time, he is running a “clean scan” campaign against the current board members, claiming that they have committed a construction fraud. “Any councilor who supported or participated in corruption [executive policy committee] “The model we have today should not be re-elected,” Woodstock said. Chris Clasio, who ran in the last election but failed to vote, is also running for mayor. “I just want to see the city be more practical and more optimistic because it seems that all the candidates on social media did not seem at all inspired by many citizens,” he said. Clacio said he would focus on the city’s public commitment and emerging technology sector. With the registration deadline still a few months away in September, the list of mayoral candidates is sure to grow. City councilors John Orlikow and Scott Gillingham, along with businessman Shaun Loney, have also stated their intention to run, but did not sign on Sunday.
