'Need new voices': Political group announces 2 more candidates for Langford council
Langford is among B.C.’s fastest growing cities and is known for greenlighting developments and having relatively affordable housing that attracts young families.
But not everyone’s happy with the direction the city is headed.
A new political organization called Langford Now held a press conference Thursday to announce two candidates running for Langford council in the upcoming fall election: Colby Harder and Mary Wagner.
The candidates are running on a platform of change for the city and its council, which has seen little turnover in the past three decades.
"We need to have fresh voices, we need new perspectives,” said 25-year-old Harder on Thursday.
Langford Now says more candidates will likely be introduced soon, including a possible one for mayor.
Langford Now members Colby Harder (left) and Mary Wagner (center) are pictured. (CTV News)
The group and its candidates decry the pace of development in the city and think there needs to be more public consultation before major projects begin.
The political group also says development work should be done in a more environmentally sensitive way, and that the city’s infrastructure hasn't adequately kept up with its population growth.
"We have seen a lack of amenities to go along with development," said Harder.
Harder has lived in Langford her whole life and Stew Young has been the mayor there the entire time, since before she was even born.
She notes the low voter turnout there — just 18 per cent in the last civic election — was the second lowest out of any municipality in B.C.
In that election, there were only seven choices for six council spots, and only one person running against Young for mayor.
"I believe that it means that we have to provide more choices," Harder said Thursday.
David Black, a professor at Royal Roads University, agrees that having more candidates is clearly a good thing for democracy and voter engagement.
"More candidates means more debate, means more choice," he said. "It certainly is going to help turnout."
'BRING IT ON'
Young has been mayor for 29 years and likes Langford just the way it is. He says development is good for jobs and the economy in the region.
"Do I think there’s anything wrong in Langford? Absolutely not," he said Thursday.
The longstanding mayor won’t confirm yet if he’s running again in the October 15 municipal election, but on Thursday he sounded like he was preparing to defend his record.
"Sounds like a man who isn't going to put up with these people who are saying such negative things about Langford," said Young.
"Bring it on, democracy is strong in Langford," he said when discussing the challengers to the status quo.
We’ll know in four months if Langford residents want a change to that status quo when they go to the polls.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.