ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — The Ward 2 St. John’s byelection continues to draw candidates, with two more announcing their intention to run for the city council seat, bringing the total number of candidates to five.
Businessman Lorne Loder and cartoonist Wallace Ryan are the latest to declare their candidacy, joining academic Ophelia Ravencroft, former provincial cabinet minister Shawn Skinner and curler Greg Smith.
Despite five people already announcing their intention to run, nominations don’t officially open until Sept. 15, and then close on Sept. 22.
On Tuesday, Loder told The Telegram he’s always been interested in municipal politics. He previously ran for councillor-at-large in 2013, but lost by 807 votes.
“I’ve been dealing with the city on many different fronts for decades now, so there’s a draw there. I want to get in there and see what I can contribute, see what I can do." — Lorne Loder
Loder is co-owner of downtown restaurants Boca Tapas Bar and Cajones. He’s a former retailer, having opened Ballistic Skate & Snow in 1995, and he organized the popular Harbourage music festival.
“Being a downtown business person of 25 years … I feel quite intertwined with the city, particularly the downtown area, or Ward 2. So, it seems like a natural fit for me,” he said.
“I’ve been dealing with the city on many different fronts for decades now, so there’s a draw there. I want to get in there and see what I can contribute, see what I can do. I’m hoping to get in there with a no-nonsense attitude and try to eliminate some red tape.”
Loder said two key areas he’d focus on as a city councillor are the arts and small business. He said he has some creative ideas “that could change the face of downtown,” which he will unveil in a more detailed platform in the coming weeks. When pressed for details, he said one idea he would pursue is free WIFI for the downtown area.
He said as a small business owner he is constantly looking at annual budgets, and that’s a skill he’d love to bring to city hall.
“It’s all about efficiency, being more frugal, making those dollars go further. Those are some of the things I’d like to focus on.”
A news release announcing his candidacy stated Loder also finds ways to give back through his business initiatives, such as raising $5,000 for The Gathering Place during the Harbourage festival, and offering employment opportunities to young people with Choices for Youth.
‘Politics not as usual’
Comic artist Wallace Ryan said he’s about “doing politics not as usual.”
The Anna Templeton Centre instructor, podcaster and YouTuber on comic-related topics, and former editorial cartoonist at The Telegram, said he is relentless when it comes to pushing issues.
Ryan pointed to recent petitions he has co-ordinated on issues in the ward, such as making changes to the Rawlins Cross roundabout and implementing the Water Street pedestrian mall, as recent examples of efforts he’s made for the neighbourhood.
“I’m not one who will take no for an answer. I will continue until we get proper solutions for the people living in the area,” he said.
Ryan said one of his biggest concerns is keeping taxes at their current level, and not raising them because of any fiscal concerns at city hall during the pandemic.
“With things the way they are now, we’ve got to help people out,” he said.
“I’m not one who will take no for an answer. I will continue until we get proper solutions for the people living in the area." — Wallace Ryan
Two specific issues he’s interested in addressing are traffic noise in some downtown areas, and environmental concerns around the Bike St. John’s Master Plan.
“The bike trail program generally is a good idea, but I think it needs some tweaking, mainly with paths along Rennies River. I think they should be left more pristine, if possible.”
Ryan said if elected he would also push to extend the pedestrian mall next year so it lasts longer, and includes Duckworth Street.
“To me, we need something that’s new, that’s innovative, that’s fresh. Municipal politics is really about local. It’s the politics just outside your front door, it’s the politics of keeping your streets clean and it’s the politics of helping everyone in this ward get ahead. And I love downtown. Downtown is everything to me, and everything and anything I can do to make downtown a better place, that’s my goal.”
The election period begins Oct. 2, with election day on Oct. 20. Voting will occur by mail-in ballot, with further details regarding that process to be announced soon, according to a city news release issued last week.
As per the Municipal Elections Act, whoever wins the Ward 2 byelection will hold office for the unexpired term of council — in this case, until the next municipal election, in 2021.
The byelection is required because former Ward 2 councillor Hope Jamieson resigned to take a position with a national housing organization.
