Ken Seiling hasn’t ruled out another run at the top political job in the region
WATERLOO REGION — Regional chair Ken Seiling hasn’t ruled out another run at the top political job in the region.
“I’m still debating,” about whether to run for an 11th term as regional chair, Seiling said Monday.
“It’s a big decision.” Seiling, who has held the post since 1985, faced stiff opposition in the last campaign in October 2014, when Jay Aissa, a fierce opponent of light rail transit, ran against him.
That election was supposed to be the last one before Ion trains began rolling through the streets of Kitchener and Waterloo.
The light rail system was originally slated to be operational by late spring, but the region announced Friday that the system now won’t run until December.
Seiling, 70, said Monday he’s still weighing “the same questions one wrestles with every time: do you still have something to contribute? Do people want you to stay? Do people want you to go? What else is on the agenda?”
A number of issues loom for the region, beyond the ultimate launch of light rail, he noted. They include the region’s plans to build a central transit hub at King and Victoria streets in Kitchener, ongoing response to the opioid crisis and a potential change in provincial government.
After 33 years in the job, Seiling says it’s still satisfying work.
“I quite enjoy it and I get a great deal of support when I go out in the community,” he said. “With every job in politics there are good days and not-so-good days. So far the good days outnumber the not-so-good days.”
He said he plans to make a decision on his candidacy “within the next month or two.”
Candidates can file nomination papers starting May 1.
The regional chair is the top elected official in the region, representing a population of about 580,000 people, overseeing a staff of about 4,200 and an annual budget of $1.5 billion.
Seiling has held the post since 1985, but has only run for the job since 1997. Previous to that, regional councillors chose a member of council to become regional chair.
In the 2014 election, Seiling faced six opponents in his reelection bid. Seiling won handily, taking 59 per cent of votes cast. Aissa was his closest competitor, taking 23.7 per cent of votes, while all other candidates each netted fewer than five per cent of votes cast.
Aissa spent $251,000 for his campaign, while Seiling spent $60,000.