Why I am Running for Mayor of Pinawa

I am running for Mayor because I believe deeply in Pinawa and in the potential of our community.

I became a councillor because I wanted to give back. During my time on Council, I have learned a great deal about how our municipality works, the challenges we face, and the opportunities in front of us.

I have also learned that good intentions and aspirations are not enough. Words like “transparency” and “listening” only mean something when they are put into practice.

Transparency is not simply sharing information when it is convenient. It means being open about how decisions are made, welcoming questions, and ensuring that both residents and councillors can understand the reasoning behind important decisions. That is why I have repeatedly pushed for Council’s positions to be clearly established through formal resolutions, rather than relying on informal or verbal understandings as a substitute for transparent decision-making.

Listening is not simply having conversations with people. It also means listening when someone disagrees with you. It means being willing to consider a different perspective, including when that perspective is difficult or inconvenient. I have tried to put these principles into practice when resolving difficult issues involving local businesses, the Library, the PCDC, trails, and recreation, to name a few.  

Over the years, I have heard many of the same frustrations from residents and businesses: that decisions are not always explained clearly, that people do not always feel heard, and that it can be difficult to understand how important decisions are made.

I have experienced many of those frustrations myself as a councillor.

I have asked questions about decisions, process, transparency, and accountability. I have challenged decisions when I believed the proper process was not being followed. Sometimes difficult questions are welcomed. Sometimes they are not. I believe they are still necessary.  

I have also seen how challenging it can be for those who disagree with the established direction to have their concerns meaningfully considered. I have seen good people become so frustrated with how things work that they disengage or walk away. When that happens, the whole community loses their experience, ideas, and willingness to contribute.  

That is a shame, and it is a detriment to Pinawa.

These are not new concerns. They did not appear during this election campaign. They are concerns that have existed during the years I have served on Council, and during the years that the people who are now promising to address them have been part of Pinawa’s leadership.

Residents are entitled to ask every candidate for Mayor a simple question:

What specifically will you do differently?

Pinawa is at an important point in determining its future. We have opportunities in economic development, housing, tourism, recreation, planning, and the future of the lands surrounding our community. We also face real challenges with infrastructure, emergency preparedness, finances, and ensuring that our municipality is prepared for the future.

We cannot afford to endlessly defer difficult decisions, avoid hard conversations, or allow setbacks to go unexamined. Pinawa needs leadership that is thoughtful and strategic, but also willing to make decisions and be accountable for them.

The Mayor’s job is not to make sure everyone agrees with their personal perspective. It is to make sure Council has the information, the opportunity, and the freedom to debate important issues before making a decision. It is to ensure that the residents of Pinawa are heard, and that their voices are valued in decision making.  

As your Mayor, I will prioritize building strong working relationships with AECL, CNL, the Whiteshell School District, the business community, and our many non-profit cultural and recreational organizations. I believe we will be stronger if we can work together.  

I want to listen to our young people. Investing in youth, through improving facilities like the Vanier Centre and Pool Building, and strengthening youth recreation, will help build a happier, healthier community for the future. That matters deeply to me, and I believe it matters to all of us.

I am running for Mayor because I believe I can help provide that kind of leadership.  

I want to help Pinawa move forward with a clear vision for our future while respecting the work that has already been done by the many people who have contributed to this community.

Most importantly, I want to help build a council culture where people can disagree without becoming divided, where questions are welcomed, and where the goal is to find the best solution, not simply to defend an existing position.

I have spent the time on Council learning, working, asking questions, supporting initiatives, and challenging decisions when I believed it was necessary.

I am ready to take on a greater responsibility.

Pinawa has a strong future ahead of it. I believe I can help lead us there.

Over the coming weeks, I will be sharing concrete examples from my record, as well as specific ideas for how I believe Pinawa can move forward. I will share the work I have done to ask questions, improve accountability, and push for greater transparency in our local government.

I hope you will take the time to read them, ask questions, and share your own thoughts.

This campaign should be about the future of Pinawa.

That is what I am running for.

If you have any questions or just want to learn more about me and what I hope to do for Pinawa, please reach out to me at 𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝟒𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐰𝐚@𝐠𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥.𝐜𝐨𝐦.