By Charles Lefebvre

Les Pearson seeking third term on city council

Sep 15, 2017 | 1:50 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Councillor Les Pearson made his campaign official on Friday.

With three days to go before the deadline, Pearson officially announced he is seeking his third term on city council in the fall election. He was first elected to council in 2010, and one of the first names to register for re-election with the city.

“Our city has done an amazing job at economic development, and my pitch this time around is that it’s time to look at social development,” he said Friday morning.

Pearson defines his focus on social development as ensuring everybody in the community from all ages, backgrounds, cultures, abilities and sexual orientations is represented.

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“I’m tired of us being divided, the ageism in our community, the you8ng and the old, we all belong here,” he said. “We need to celebrate the differences.”

Pearson says he believes the city has given “lip service” to documents such as the Canadian Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination. He believes Medicine Hat should create a position that works to promote diversity and inclusion in the city.

“We’ve signed the charter, and then we’ve walked away, and we don’t do much more,” he said. “Places like Lethbridge, Calgary and Brooks, there are city employees that work at absolutely trying to ensure that people of all different groups are represented and included in their boundaries. That’s what we need to do too.”

Pearson also spoke out about the recent changes to the city’s transit service, calling it both a crisis and an opportunity.

“It’s an opportunity for us to see just how much people in our community rely on a public service such as transit,” he said. “If you’re going to be a champion of inclusion, you’ve got to look at championing the best transit system possible, and one that meets the needs of all of the residents on our community in the best possible way.

“Economic development doesn’t work if there are people who are losing jobs because transit has failed them. I’ll certainly be advocating for an improved system.”

The deadline for nominations for the civic election is Monday at noon.

The vote takes place October 16th.