Mayoral candidates arrive at final day of campaign

In less than 24 hours, locals will begin heading to the polls to elect the Sault's next mayor.

Ten city councillors, five ADSB trustees, and six H-SCDSB trustees will also be voted in.

After months of intense campaigning, the five candidates racing for the mayor’s chair are offering their final thoughts heading into Monday’s vote.

Ozzie Grandinetti

Since throwing his hat in the ring for mayor in April, Grandinetti has voiced his concerns with past administrations and says he would be the face of new leadership that is much needed in the community.

“Everybody I talk to wants change, and I’m the guy for it,” he says. “There won’t be much change from the current administration to the next one if one of the two councillors running for mayor wins.”

“I’m probably the most approachable candidate,” he adds. “I can relate to most people’s issues in Sault Ste. Marie. I’m running for the people; I’m not running for the elite or the old boys club, and I don’t have an agenda in place already for who I want to pick for certain jobs.”

Tackling some of the city’s biggest issues, including drugs and addiction, is something that Grandinetti says will require a lot of teamwork – and he feels prepared to lead the charge.

“The drug issue is going to be a tough one, but if we get all parties involved, I think we can make it happen,” he says. “Whether it’s going to happen right away, I’m not sure, but we can make it happen. It’s not a municipal issue – it’s everywhere.”

Donna Hilsinger

“Proven leadership for a brighter future” was the slogan of Hilsinger’s campaign – one that stretched over five months and included door-knocking at thousands of homes.

She feels voters have connected with her vision throughout the process.

“I feel a good amount of support in the community,” she says. “They’re connecting with my pledge to get working on day one on mental health, addictions, homelessness, and housing affordability. I have a strong commitment of bringing our community together to tackle the challenges we face. I believe my many years of experience in business leadership and community service is what’s needed in the role of mayor.”

Hopeful of a strong voter turnout, Hilsinger encourages Saultites to make their voices heard tomorrow.

“I know that voters are being thorough in making sure they understand what each candidate is sharing, and I think that’s fantastic,” she says. “I hope that through that effort they’re undertaking, plus the efforts that our city has undertaken to get more voters out than in the last election will result in better voter turnout and people participate in the democratic process.”

Tobin Kern

Disappointed with the lack of climate action in the Sault, Kern entered the mayoral race back in June with a mission to tackle some of the city’s environmental issues. Now with one day to go before the vote, the climate activist is beyond thrilled with how his message has been received throughout his canvassing.

“My campaign has gone better than I could have imagined,” he says. “It’s been really great engaging with people on the issues, especially on the environment. There are definitely more people out there concerned with what we’re doing with the environment.”

“The environment may not be in the press every day, but it’s definitely on people’s minds,” he adds. “When you give people an opportunity to talk about it, you realize how important it is to voters.”

While he recognizes his name may not be as popular as some of the other candidates, Kern believes his leadership would have a positive impact on the community.

“I’m not a well-known guy,” he says. “But my career has been focused on helping people whose lives are tough and need assistance. I’ve dedicated my career in different capacities to help people thrive and realize their full potential, and I see myself running as mayor an extension of that.”

Robert Peace

Recently recognized by parliament for his humanitarian efforts in Ukraine and Romania, Peace says this election will go down as one of the most positive experiences of his life, and he feels he has established a personal connection with many residents living in the Sault.

“There are so many progressive people involved in our community who have lived here all their lives and have volunteered passionately - it makes me so proud,” he says. “People helping people, people getting things accomplished. These are the people and organizations the city needs to support.”

“The citizens of the Sault deserve a mayor who is engaged, open-minded and ready to tackle the challenges,” he adds.

While he has attended many of the multicultural and diverse events over the past few months, Peace feels other candidates haven’t gotten out as much as they should have.

“I was truly surprised that I rarely saw another mayoral candidate at most events,” he says. “From the flag raisings of four new countries to the Latin night to Diwali – this is all part of the new Sault Ste Marie. It does not matter if some of our newcomers cannot vote yet – they, along with those who choose to stay, are building the new Sault Ste Marie.”

Matthew Shoemaker

Serving the last two terms as Ward 3 councillor, Shoemaker feels his time to transition to city hall’s top spot is now.

“Throughout this campaign, I have done my best to keep a focus on the positive vision I have for Sault Ste. Marie and the ideas I would like to pursue if I am elected,” he says. “Since the release of my platform, A Plan for Progress, some of the other candidates have resorted to attacks on my plan and on me personally.”

“Going negative and resorting to name-calling is just a sign that these candidates can’t compete with the ideas in A Plan for Progress,” he adds.

Shoemaker released a full platform midway through his campaign, and he challenged voters to compare his vision for the community to the ideas presented by other mayoral candidates.

“Stories about personality and personal histories are nice, but what we need to move our city ahead are realistic ideas and elected leadership with the vision and tenacity to achieve them,” he says. “I encourage you to compare the ideas in A Plan for Progress with those brought forward by the other candidates in this race.”

SooToday will have full election coverage Monday evening. Polls will be open on Monday, Oct. 24 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.