Former MLA Barnes set to run for mayor of Medicine Hat

Once his paperwork is officially filed with the City of Medicine Hat it would make him the third candidate for mayor in the fall civic election.

Joining current councilor Andy McGrogan, and former candidate Alan Rose in the race for councils top job.

The media representative for Barnes told CHAT News that the former MLA filed his intent to run for mayor with the city at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, and will appear on the candidate list once his final paperwork is submitted.

Barnes said economic development and good governance has taken a back seat with the current council.

“For the last four years, chaos has become the norm at city hall. Infighting and scandal have overshadowed progress,” Barnes said.

“Medicine Hatters deserve a municipal government, and a mayor with the proven skills to bring people together,” he added.

“It’s time to refocus and restore common-sense values.”

Barnes said after hearing directly from Hatters it’s clear that residents want change.

“Whether it’s concerns around never-ending property tax increases, scarce job prospects and opportunity, or addiction, homelessness and crime. Medicine Hat deserves better,” Barnes said.

“Instead of worrying about narrowing streets and trendy political issues of the day, our municipal government needs to refocus on delivering value for Hatters’ hard-earned tax dollars and restoring trust.”

Barnes said tons of residents over the last year have encouraged him to put his name forward for mayor.

“I’m grateful for that. I was very grateful to represent Cypress-Medicine Hat for 11 years, and I’m looking forward to selling Medicine Hat to the rest of Canada,” Barnes said.

“So we have some reasonable manageable growth I am looking forward to refocusing on jobs and opportunities, refocusing on holding property taxes lower and doing something to this growing crime and homelessness,” he added.

“Medicine Hatters deserve an opportunity for some growth and a safer lifestyle.”

Barnes also looks at his provincial political experience as a benefit he can bring.

“I think it’ll be a tremendous help and a tremendous asset, Premier Smith, one of our two MLAs, her and I were elected together in 2012 and got to know each other. I served for 11 years, there mostly in opposition, but I was a critic of many portfolios,” Barnes said.

“I got to see the inner workings and I believe there’s some areas where Medicine Hat needs help,” he added.

“Economic development, job opportunities, our airport could use some provincial support and those are all the things that I’m going to be refocusing on.”

Barnes said he sees people in the community as hard-working risk-takers.

“It’s a great place for an employer to come because there’s good labour here. Our location on two major highways, would that not be great for transportation and warehousing. We are going to need some support from the provincial government for our airports and I will be talking to Premier Smith about that,” he added.

“We’re so grateful that our councils before us and grandfathers and grandmothers before us have kept our license to generate electricity, that’s a huge opportunity to attract business with data centers with all the technology and electricity that’s needed for those things.”

Barnes said that someone has to simply sell the city.

“I’ll be asking my council to go around Canada, you know with me once a year. Everybody to go to a spot and sell the city,” Barnes said.

“What a great place to bring your business. What we’re going to need to do is put out the right selling message, no tax increases, no development levies and a safe city, a great place to live with many great people which it is.”

Barnes has said he will be knocking door to talk to as many residents as he can leading up to election day.

by Jesse Gill

Former MLA Barnes set to run for mayor of Medicine Hat

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