Episode 43 welcomes Kelly Ryback, who unseated Shawn Dobson by over 2800 votes to become the new Councillor for St. James. A longtime advocate for the ward, Ryback discusses the campaign, his priorities for his district, and the challenges Winnipeg Council will have to address.
Part 1 includes a few words about the civic election, our columns in the Winnipeg Sun-Tribune (links below), and the upcoming 20th anniversary of the debut of TGCTS on 92.9 KICK-FM.
8.25 Part 2-After a second place finish in 2022, Kelly Ryback took a solid victory to become the city councillor for St. James.
In discussing the election campaign, he notes “there’s no repercussion to the rules that are in place” so some candidates willfully break signage rules.
More significantly, Ryback says the current time frame from June 30th to election day needs to be reviewed because “it is tough to canvass into October because of daylight. People are not opening their doors once it gets dark… you have very little time to campaign Monday to Friday.”
He agrees there are issues with the placement of voting stations, citing the absence of advance polls at the Courts of St. James which houses hundreds of seniors, or at Winnipeg Square. Ryback offers ideas to improve democracy at City Hall and improve stagnant voting rates and believes “we have to give them a reason to vote.” Marty Gold references lack of parking and amenities at 510 Main Street and council holding meetings during working hours as impediments to citizen participation.
36.00 Part 3- Ryback established himself as a frequent delegate on council agenda items, starting with the Transit revamp, because “I wanted to have a voice at city hall. I had no intentions of running.”
He walks through the numerous flaws in the rushed development of the new schedule and routes, especially that “Council placed too much faith in the public service… I thought this was not going to fly, and I was right.” It was his intervention that restored services to schools and medical facilities.
45.25 – “My message to Council is two things- we are all in this together. And we have one job – make this city better, better value, better safety, better livability, for everybody. And we have to improve customer service.”
You’ll hear the scoop – his idea for easier access to paid parking downtown to put “the resident and the business owner first.”
A surprising concern Ryback heard from voters was the NDP decision to not having the clocks fall back, and the dangers to seniors and school kids walking in the dark on icy streets and sidewalks with sunrise delayed until after 8.30 am.
“Maybe the provincial government would have to change the hours of school,” he wonders.
57.50 Part 4- Ryback says the next city budget has to identify priorities to fund, trim non-essential spending, find new revenue, and work with governments and aboriginal leadership.
The common thread across the country is the costs of the addictions and homelessness crisis. Marty sets out some examples of wasted tax dollars, including the expansion of bike lanes – which Ryback thinks is being done wrong.
The other side of the crisis is public safety and the need for more enforcement – “Crime is number one today.” In west Winnipeg, people are refusing to go to Unicity Mall and Polo Park.
“Something has to be done quickly,” Ryback states, noting “the shoplifting, the drug dealing, the panhandling” and he wants community policing, beat officers and cadets on site.
Also, some talk about infill housing…
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Here are the most recent columns from Marty Gold in the Sun-Tribune:
Election Notebook- Signs of trouble
Incumbents Sharma and Santos under scrutiny, while St. Vital hopeful Sigurdson ducks it
Families want closure of drug houses on Furby Street now
Furby Community Garden to be fenced off from out-of-control addicts
Post-election Notebook: Winners, losers, upsets and unions
“If they want to steal, let them steal”: NDP MLA Cross-es the line
