Wheat City mayoral candidates hit streets

BRANDON — The two mayoral candidates made their final pushes Tuesday to woo voters in Manitoba’s second-largest city.

Incumbent Jeff Fawcett said he and his team have been to nearly every doorstep in the city, while challenger Len Isleifson, a former Tory MLA, said he has covered most parts of Brandon and was even on a second go-round in some areas.

“I’m working my tail off to try to make sure that people do get out to vote, and the people I speak to, I feel fairly optimistic,” said Fawcett, who is running for his second term. “But people have to vote.”

The Brandon Sun joined both Fawcett and Isleifson as they went door knocking one day before Manitoba’s elect new municipal councils.

Fawcett knocked on doors, handed out flyers and talked with residents who were at home during the workday.

“I love being on the doors and meeting with people, talking with people…” he said. “Actually, at the end of every night, I’m generally feeling good and it’s inspiring.”

Fawcett said his four years as mayor have been marked by big decisions related to managing the city’s growth. He said voters realize the city has been moving in the right direction. He said he has advocated for the city and for other local organizations, something he believes voters appreciate.

Before being elected mayor, he was a member of council for 12 years.

During the campaign, Fawcett said, he’s heard comments about traffic flow and issues related to certain neighbourhoods and streets.

On Tuesday, one resident told Fawcett about drainage problems and crumbling infrastructure on her street.

Isleifson, a Brandon city councillor from 2010 to 2014 and Brandon East MLA from 2016 to 2023, left flyers in mailboxes and gave out his contact information to solicit ideas from residents as he went door to door. Most people weren’t home.

“It’s time for change, and I’m hearing it at a few doors, quite a bit more lately than originally. But you got to get out and vote,” Isleifson told the Sun.

Isleifson said voters are concerned about the state of sidewalks and roads, others are concerned about infrastructure or other “big-ticket” items.

“I think people want to see change and they want to see opportunity for the future, and I’m hearing that at the doors,” he said.

His objective, he said, is to make a “better Brandon” — a place to retire, raise a family and get educated.

“The feedback I’m getting is extremely positive,” Isleifson said.

One resident who answered the door to Isleifson told the Sun he is “definitely” going to vote for the mayoral challenger.

“There’s no use complaining if you don’t do something about it,” Ken Hardy said. “So I vote every election.”

Hardy said he wants speed bumps to slow down drivers in his neighbourhood and lower water rates, while Mary Hardy said she wants more restaurants in the city.

Another resident who answered their door told Isleifson they planned to vote for Fawcett.

Advance voting in Brandon set a new record.

In total, 2,386 ballots were cast in advance polls for mayor, ward councillor and school board trustees on Oct. 14, 17 and 22, senior election official Heather Ewasiuk confirmed Tuesday.

The total, which also included a senior housing mobile advance poll, is 920 more than the previously highest tally of 1,466 ballots cast in 2014.

It also represents a sharp increase from the 376 advance votes recorded in 2022.

Ewasiuk has attributed the strong turnout to the competitive mayoral race, contested council seats and growing public engagement with municipal politics.

“We have two solid candidates for the mayoral race, which usually encourages people to get out,” she said.

Ewasiuk also pointed to the number of contested positions compared with previous elections, when several seats were decided by acclamation.

— Brandon Sun