3 highlights from Windsor's 1st all-candidate mayoral debate
Candidates answered a set of four pre-decided questions, followed by audience questions
Windsor's five mayoral candidates squared off with one another for the first time at a debate Wednesday night.
Hosted by the Windsor Chapter of the Canadian Federation of University Women, the candidates answered four set questions which were given to them in advance, then took additional questions from the audience.
Auditor general
Question: Do you think the city should have an auditor general? How much is that going to cost?
Matt Marchand, who has been endorsing bringing in a municipal auditor general, was met with applause after he said he would fulfil that promise within 100 days of him taking office.
"We want a value-for-money audit on all the things the city touches," said Marchand. He claims that in the City of Toronto, every $1 spent on the auditor general brings back $8.50 for taxpayers.
However, incumbent Drew Dilkens, fought him on that notion and reminded the audience of the "Canderel project" and how the city took years before they "cleaned it up."
The Canderel building at the corner of Riverside Drive and Ouellette Avenue was erected after Fiat Chrysler threatened to relocate, and city council agreed to help build it for their new headquarters. It cost taxpayers $49.8 million.
He also said even though his competitor touts that an auditor general has subpoena powers, they never subpoena anyone.
"Don't be fooled folks, you're way too smart, don't be fooled here," said Dilkens, who emphasized his support of the current system of using PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Frank Dyck and Tom Hensel both supported an auditor general. However, Hensel said even Marchand's plan with the 100-day period is too long, and they should expedite the process.
Ernie Lamont questioned Marchand, "Why didn't you have an auditor general then when you were in the mayor's office?"
"The way I see city hall running for the last for years under Dilkens, even though I'm running against him, the finance guy that we've got in the City of Windsor … has done a great job at city hall," he said.
Lamont was met with shouting from the audience, demanding him answer the question instead of questioning Marchand.
Defending the Christmas lights
Question: Mayor Dilkens, why are you spending $3 million on lights at Jackson Park, and $1 million on an old train, and you refuse to spend $3,000 on lights in our alleys for safety of our taxpayers?
Dilkens was the one who cast the deciding vote for the $3-million holiday light display, a move he continued to support.
"I think it's just a wonderful display and a wonderful rallying point for quality of life for the community to come together in a park at a time of the year where they would normally be at home," he said.
The money was pulled from a number of sources, some from Enwin special dividends and anticipated surplus from Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation funding.
Hensel, however, thinks if they were to do it again, the event should be sponsored by private businesses.
Lamont not only supported Dilkens on the lights, but said city hall should be lit up like Las Vegas right down to the river for three months.
With respect to lighting up alleyways, Dilkens said they could have been installed years ago through ward funds that councillors get.
Reducing disease risks
Question: According to 2013 statistics from the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, Windsor-essex has worse than Ontario average rates of diabetes, COPD, stroke and cancer. As mayor, what will you do to reduce these terrible numbers?
As current mayor, Dilkens iterated a number of initiatives the city has funded, including the former Pathway to Potential program, right up to the most recent decision to spend money on off-road cycling paths.
He emphasized that the spending are not expenses, but "investments in the community."
One expenditure is the $3-million the city gave to the health unit this year.
However, Marchand thinks the health unit has been "chronically underfunded." He pitches his community livability fund, a $50-million plan over 10 years, to improve the quality of life for people across the city.
Hensel didn't give any specifics for his plan except speaking to the aging population in the city and that initiatives need to be planned around that demographic.
However, he only made the remark after he questioned Dilkens' recounting of all the things the city has done for residents.
"Well you realize we did sell the library right? So I'm not sure if the pool is next, maybe that's on the table at some point," said Hensel.
Dyck proposed having a naturopathic medicine school in the downtown, because medication is not the answer to healthy living.
Meanwhile, Lamont's ideas were the same as Dilkens', something he pointed to multiple times throughout the debate.
"I'm not going to speak on this issue, Drew Dilkens said what I wanted to say, thank you."
