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Meet the Candidate: Charles Turner

Oct 10, 2017 | 1:28 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Charles Turner says he is running for city council to give a voice for the working class.

“We have plenty of people who have been elected who hold positions as teachers, businessmen and women,” he states in an email. “We need more variety.

“I want to be a voice for those of us who need our employment to pay our bills every day. When work slows down, we are the first ones to worry about lay-offs, we are the first ones to be told our wages must be cut; we are the first ones to lose our benefits.

He says transparency is one of the biggest issues facing city hall in the next election.

“Council must be approachable,” he said. “Council is the voice of the citizens who vote them in. Council should work for the citizens to better out city.”

Turner says if elected, he will work to attract new business investment in Medicine Hat, and will also work to restore the “Medicine Hat Advantage.”

“Lethbridge and Cypress County can shop around to select a cheaper utility company,” he writes. “Medicine Hat should be offering our city-owned utilities to the people who own the company (Medicine Hat residences) a reduced rate, and selling them to the market at regular rates.”

Turner says he is also in support of examining each department in the city to find operation efficiencies.

“Departments have to begin working together, accepting they made mistakes, and remember that they are there to serve their employers, the tax payer,” he says. “We employ some fantastic people within our city, we need to ensure they have all of the information they require to perform their jobs to the best of their abilities.”

Turner says another priority for him if elected it to help reduce drug use and crime rate in the city.

“Hard economic times have certainly increased stress and have played a part in the increase of crime and drug use,” he said. “Working with the police and citizens, our city can play an integral part in reducing these issues.”

Turner has lived in Medicine Hat for 25 years, and has worked as an electrician for the last 14. During his time in Medicine Hat, he has volunteered with the Medicine Hat Canada Day Society and the Amateur Radio Club.

Election day is October 16th.