RECORD SIX WOMEN ELECTED
Longest-serving city councillor, Pat Lorje, loses seat to newcomer
It was a historic night for Saskatoon.
A record six women earned seats on city council — one more than the previous record, which was set in 1994 and duplicated, briefly, in 2012.
Women won races in Wards 2, 3, 6,7, 8 and 9 on Wednesday, and will make up 60 per cent of city council when it resumes sitting.
Sarina Gersher, a political newcomer who won an open race in the east side Ward 8, said she felt “pretty great” about her victory, and praised voters for electing women across the city.
“I think it’s important to have representation on council, diversity on council, and fresh and young perspectives,” Gersher said. “I’m excited to be able to bring that forward.”
Before 1994, no more than three women had ever served together on city council. Between 1972 and 1976, it was composed entirely of men. Since 1997, there has never been fewer than three women on council.
However, it was a bad night for Saskatoon’s longest-serving city councillor. Pat Lorje, who was first elected in 1979, lost a nail-biter to newcomer Hilary Gough in west side Ward 2.
“There’s nothing easy about running against an incumbent, and we knew that going in,” Gough said, adding that diversity on council is important, and she’s happy to be a part of it.
“I think that Councillor Lorje has worked really hard for the residents of Saskatoon in Ward 2, and I’m ready to work equally as hard, and make sure I fill those shoes as well as possible.”
Ann Iwanchuk was re-elected in Ward 3, while Ward 9 voted in Bev Dubois — who is back on council after losing her Ward 10 seat to Zach Jeffries in 2012. Jeffries won again in Ward 10 this year.
Charlie Clark’s old seat in Ward 6 went to Cynthia Block, a council rookie who beat out six challengers in the district. She emphasized the importance of a long-term vision for the city.
“The most prosperous and progressive cities on earth go upward, not outward, and we need to incentivize
(We need) to be true leaders. Not just the mayor, but every single councillor stepping forward, too, helping to shape this city.
that,” Block said.
“We need to find ways to make sure that what we are building today is going to be what our kids and our grandkids are going to need tomorrow.”
Mairin Loewen, who was reelected in Ward 7 by a wide margin, also emphasized the importance of taking a broad view — and using the election campaign as a jumping-off point.
“An election is a good time to zoom out from some of the dayto-day work that the city does, and think about the bigger picture — the issues that define our community and the kind of community that we want to become,” Loewen said.
One of her priorities on council will be overseeing the implementation of the city’s growth plan, which envisions Saskatoon with a population of 500,000 people, she added.
Asked about the changing dynamic of city council, Randy Donauer — who handily won a third term in Ward 5 — said he looks forward to working with the new group. At the same time, the veteran councillor — who also ran for the Conservative Party in the last federal election — downplayed a shift in council’s political leanings.
City council, he said, is mostly “about streets and parks and roads.”
Troy Davies, who won an easy victory over a single challenger in Ward 4, said that he hopes city council can continue working together, even if there are disagreements.
“I’m excited to see some new blood at the council table … I think the direction of us working as a team is already there, and we need to stay the course on that,” Davies said.
His comments were echoed by Darren Hill, a city council veteran who beat three challengers to win Ward 1 by a wide margin.
Hill said while there are numerous factors to be considered moving forward, and there is a need for a “unified council.”
“(We need) to be true leaders,” Hill said. “Not just the mayor, but every single councillor stepping forward, too, helping to shape this city.”
At the same time, multiple councillors — both new and returning — emphasized the importance of working to keep the city running. Block called it a “back-to-basics” approach.
“Maybe some of the mundane things, but they’re things that people care about a great deal.”