Candidate accuses incumbent of not living in Regina’s Ward 7

The election heated up this week when there were two instances of candidates making allegations against rivals, and another who said she will forgo her councillor’s salary, Mark Melnychuk writes.

SHARRON BRYCE FALSELY ACCUSED OF NOT BEING A REGINA RESIDENT

Pamphlets distributed by Ward 7 candidate John Gross claimed that incumbent Sharron Bryce lived in Regina Beach. Bryce provided the address of her home in Coronation Park to the Leader-Post, which matched a land title search. The search did not show any properties under her name in Regina Beach.

Bryce said she received several angry phone calls from citizens questioning her residency.

“It’s almost like a dirty Americanstyle politics that is slandering my name, making me look bad when I haven’t done anything wrong,” said Bryce. Candidates cannot run for a council seat in a ward unless they live there.

Gross said he heard the information from what he thought was a reliable source, and tried to contact Bryce to verify it. However, Bryce said Gross never contacted her.

“I’m gonna stop, I do apologize,” said Gross.

Bryce said her lawyer has sent Gross a cease-and-desist letter.

CANDIDATE ACCUSED OF SEXISM

Lori Bresciani, a candidate in Ward 4, was accused of sexism against men by candidate Chad Novak over a Facebook post she wrote saying the issue of daycare property taxation would have been dealt with differently if more women were on council.

“It’s insinuating as if men simply don’t have compassion for daycares or those kind of things,” said Novak.

Bresciani said her intention was to say city council should be more diverse.

“It would be nice to have exactly that, more women and men, a balance,” said Bresciani.

LEANNE MCKAY PROMISES TO DECLINE COUNCILLOR’S SALARY IF ELECTED

Ward 7 candidate Leanne McKay says she will not accept the $36,825 salary that comes with being a city councillor if she is elected.

In a press release, McKay wrote, “Declining salary and serving voluntarily is definitely not a level of self-sacrifice required for total systemic change, however, it is a start in changing the way people think about and respond to leadership and public service.

City clerk Jim Nicol said sitting councillors will all be paid, but what they choose to do with the money after that is up to them. He said the city would not want to end up in a situation where a councillor was not paid for some time and then decided they did want the money after all. He noted past councillors have handed over the annual stipend the charity.