TRAVIS HOMENUK

I love Saskatoon. We may not have the poutine and bagels of Montreal, the oceanic views of the East Coast, or the nightlife of Vancouver, but there’s a lot to be said about our city of bridges.

This is home for me, and no matter where I go in the world, I’ll always come running back to Saskatoon.

Because I love where I live, I care about the ways this fine city is run. Civic politics are important and should not be brushed aside. As Canadian citizens, we are beyond lucky to have the right to vote in civic, provincial and federal elections.

Besides, you can’t bitch about the mayor and city councillors if you don’t take the time to vote for them in the first place.

If you’re having trouble deciding on which mayoral candidate to vote for, here are my thoughts on the matter.

Honestly, this guy has no chance of becoming mayor. It is difficult to take him seriously. I had the unfortunate experience of reading his pictureless auto-biography in the “Saskatoon Voters’ Guide,” and I was dumbfounded by what I read — or tried to read.

Mazurkewich fails to put together even one coherent sentence in his 100 word bio. I’ve never seen comma splices so bad in my life. Our society abides by the conventions of a standardized system of grammar for a reason, Clay, and it’s time you learned to write and proofread, especially if you want to be mayor.

That said, this guy’s heart is in the right place. Mazurkewich responded to my interview request promptly, which is always appreciated. Perhaps he’s not as flaky as he seems.

Mazurkewich claims to watch news avidly, so he should be up to date on what’s shaking in Saskatoon. As a self-proclaimed blue collar candidate, he “stands for the people of Saskatoon,” and wants to focus on rent decreases, tuition rebates for university students, a plan for a 70th street overpass and infrastructure in the city.

Mazurkewich has also noted that if elected mayor he will donate 25 per cent of his yearly salary to charities in Saskatoon — aww, what a nice guy. Seriously, that would be awesome. It’s too bad he worded it so poorly in his biography.

He took time during our interview to attack the current mayor, saying that Saskatoon has an insular political elite, an idea he wouldn’t comment on further. Mazurkewich apparently heard about this conspiracy from his financial advisor “who knows a prominent lawyer in Saskatoon.” Yeah. Give me a break, Clay.

He says Atchison has made empty promises in his “six years as mayor.” Atchison has been mayor since 2003, which is nine years.

Mazurkewich isn’t too impressed with Atchison’s attempt at unifying the city either, stating that Circle Drive should be an octagon rather than a circle.

You shouldn’t vote for this guy, even if his platform has certain redemptive aspects.

I was surprised that Atchison took the time to call back a university student during a lovely Saturday afternoon. Not only did he call me back, but he also spoke to issues directly related to a university-aged demographic, sharing personal experiences about his children to reinforce his mindset and platform.

Atchison is a good figurehead and leader for Saskatoon. With 18 years of civic experience, he should know what he’s doing by now.

I like the idea of having someone in charge who has taken an interest in civic politics for years. Atchison is a businessman at heart, but he’s a genuine guy who has given much of his time to creating a better city for everyone to enjoy.

Atchison is realistic about his expectations for civic growth and infrastructure. He acknowledges that “everything is a process,” stating that his focus has always been delivering concrete outcomes.

I realize that citizens tend to get pissed off when the timeline for a new bridge or overpass gets thrown out the window, but what do you really expect the mayor to do about it, or city councillors for that matter? Each member of council, including the mayor, only has one vote when it comes to making decisions. There’s no absolute ruler.

When I spoke with Atchison, I was primarily concerned with housing, employment and transit issues.

He emphasized the importance of creating enough jobs for post-secondary graduates in Saskatoon so students have the choice of continuing to live here after graduating. Indeed, Atchison not only wants to see continued employment growth, but he also emphasizes the importance of “high-paying jobs.” The recruitment of “national and international corporations into the city’s employment market” may be one way to accomplish this tedious task.

Affordable housing remains an issue in Saskatoon, especially for recent graduates, but Atchison notes that if we can increase the job market, “home ownership will become a reality for young people, encouraging grads to stay in Saskatoon.”

Atchison endorses the U-Pass and says that “university students are the biggest customers for Saskatoon Transit.” Atchison would like “more rapid transit in the city to better serve customers, offering higher frequency times,” but notes that buses are expensive.

Atchison says we need to “believe in what we’re doing, and get it done.”

This guy is committed to Saskatoon, and has been for years

Apparently Wolfs don’t answer e-mails. I never heard back from Tom Wolf, which was disappointing to say the least. If the octagon-loving Mazurkewich can take time to call me back, I’d expected Wolf to do the same.

Wolf is Atchison’s only real competition, and it will be interesting to see how close the race gets on Oct. 24. However, I am not happy with Wolf’s lack of civic experience. He’s a researcher and policy analyst for Agriculture Canada, a career that doesn’t directly relate to mayoral duties.

There’s not much that strikes me as groundbreaking about Wolf’s platform. He supports the development of the north commuter bridge and emphasizes “thoughtful land use plans, urban agriculture and community gardening, as well as a 10-year-plan to end homelessness.”

Wolf would probably be wise to run for city council before he dives into mayoral drama. However, if you are tired of Atchison and want a new mayor for Saskatoon, I don’t see anything horribly wrong with Wolf.

I do not appreciate that Mazurkewich and Wolf both speak against the current leadership in Saskatoon as a part of their platforms, as I don’t think this accomplishes anything.

Each mayoral platform should be strong enough to stand on its own. Saying that Saskatoon’s “current growth lacks direction” doesn’t bode well for Wolf if he should win the election ­— that statement not only criticizes the current mayor, but also current councillors, many of whom will be re-elected and will work with the new mayor.

There are also a few vague promises in Wolf’s platform that carry little significance. For instance, Wolf pledges to “improve snow removal and street sweeping.” Oh really?

Perhaps if Wolf had taken the time to get back to me, I’d have some clarification on the aforementioned issues. As it stands, I have to wonder how he intends to make the changes he’s suggested. I’ll admit he does offer fully fleshed plans for other parts of his platform, but there are certain points which seem arbitrary and unnecessary.

What does he mean when he says one of Saskatoon’s infrastructure needs is “good roads,” for instance? We live in Saskatchewan, with extreme temperatures. Potholes are inevitable. Deal with it. Not even a big, bad Wolf can fix this issue.

That said, I’m sure Wolf would theoretically be a fine mayor for Saskatoon, should you want a change from Atchison.

Hi Travis,

Thank you for this question.

We want to build a modern city. The kind of city that offers the quality of life that young, modern people expect from a city: culture, choice in travel, housing affordability, opportunity for enterprise, and the expression of creativity. We think community building is instrumental in the development of a great city. A key component of that is inclusiveness and diversity, and a strong social conscious. What we offer that can speak to the students and young professionals of Saskatoon is the creation of a thriving urban centre with modern transportation, innovative and creative housing options, and the opportunity for – and recognition of – creativity. That is what our campaign is all about.[/box]

If you like octagons as opposed to circles, vote for Mazurkewich; if you’re craving change and don’t mind someone with no civic experience, Wolf is your guy; if you want an experienced guy who knows what he’s doing, Atchison is your best bet.

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Last two photos: Raisa Pezderic/The Sheaf