The council race in Daniel McIntyre has three-term incumbent Cindy Gilroy up against a four-time hopeful. “I think about running every time,” said Fred Morris, Gilroy’s lone challenger in the upcoming election. “I’m feeling confident. I have done a lot of work with the community,” Gilroy said. Some of that work Gilroy is talking about includes new recreation and public safety measures. She successfully pushed for 40 new firefighters to be hired sooner, a needle cleanup program for parks and a ban on homeless encampments where kids play while still calling for a managed encampment site. “That would provide really needed services like washrooms, like special care from outreach organizations,” Gilroy said. “I think we could be doing that, haven’t won that battle yet.” Gilroy was part of then-mayor Brian Bowman’s executive policy committee, but found herself on the outside of the committee after backing Glen Murray over Scott Gillingham for mayor in 2022. Asked by CTV News whether she is endorsing anyone for mayor this time, Gilroy said she is “staying right out of it.” “No, I’m not … I’m going to work with whoever is elected,” Gilroy said. Morris, who has ran four times in the past for council, said he jumped into the contest in the ward to avoid an acclamation. “Especially the way certain files have gone in the last four years, every ward has to have a challenger,” Morrie said. He said some of those files include the need for a new Arlington Street Bridge, an arson task force and restoring bus access to hospitals. “I’m just trying to do all the little things right, because you got to remember Cindy actually defeated an incumbent, the legendary Harvey Smith, so maybe history could repeat itself,” Morris said. Chris Adams, an adjunct professor of political studies at the University of Manitoba, suggests it’s unlikely history will repeat itself. “Gilroy is running against a very low-profile candidate, and it would be very unlikely at this stage to see Morris defeating Gilroy in this ward,” Adams said. Election day is on Oct. 28.
