By CHAT News Today

Meet the Candidate: Michael Klassen

Oct 9, 2017 | 12:50 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB  – Michael Klassen says the city’s lack of growth is what prompted him to throw his name into consideration for city council this fall.

“Coming back here, I saw that the city hasn’t grown as much as other cities I have lived in over the years, and I wanted to participate in helping that growth take place in Medicine Hat,” he said.

Klassen grew up in Medicine Hat has worked in both the construction and video production industries while living here.

He says in his time door knocking during the campaign, change has been on the minds of residents.

“People are looking for a change politically,” he said, “They’re also looking for a change in industry and growth for the city.

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“It seems to me that they appreciate the expansion that’s taken place, but they realize there needs to be new, fresh ideas, bigger ideas than what has been done in the past.”

He says the biggest issue facing the city is economic diversification, and says he wants to provide a “fertile soil” for new and existing businesses and industries to flourish.

“Just making Medicine Hat that business destination for new technologies and new ways of doing things,” he said.

If elected, Klassen’s first priority is developing a proactive and cooperative to bring new business to Medicine Hat.

“I certainly see an opportunity for a logistics park or an inland terminal,”  he said. “That fits with transportation.

“I also see that Medicine Hat is a good place for new and emerging technologies, as well as research and development, with what we have already.”

Klassen says his “proactive and cooperative attitude,” along with living in different cities, helps set him apart from the remaining candidates.

“I see the potential of Medicine Hat, almost from that of an outsider that used to be an insider,” he said. “I believe I have specific ideas that are big, and they’re something that I don’t think is being talked about right now.

“Things have to be shaken up a little bit, and we have to come up with different ideas than what we’ve done in the past. It can’t be business as usual.”

More information about Klassen can be found at his campaign website: www.growthecity.ca