Blight, Tame consider Riverview run

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This article was published 22/12/2015 (3889 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The seat won’t be available officially for several months, but behind the scenes, several potential candidates are kicking tires over the pending vacancy on Brandon’s city council.

In November, Riverview Coun. Vanessa Hamilton announced she would be running for the Liberal party in the Brandon East constituency in this spring’s provincial election. She’ll have to step down from her role on council before becoming an official candidate, forcing a municipal byelection sometime after.

Brandon city clerk Heather Ewasiuk said because there’ll be more than 12 months remaining in Hamilton’s term, council can’t choose to leave the seat unfilled until the next municipal election.

Over the weekend, both Brandon real estate agent Tyson Tame and former city councillor Murray Blight said they are considering a run for the seat.

Tame, who lost the 2014 Riverview election to Hamilton by 49 votes in his first political foray, said he was excited when he learned about Hamilton’s provincial bid. However, after meeting with Blight, he’s still trying to decide whether to put his name forward.

“I haven’t made any kind of a decision, but the truth is I’ve been excited,” Tame said. “I’ve been a little less excited since I heard of Murray’s potential run.”

He has been consulting with ward residents, and said he’s not rushing to make a final decision.

Blight, 64, has a more extensive political past. He represented Victoria ward, located on the other side of the city, for three terms starting in 2002.

The retired police officer also hasn’t made a final decision, but like Tame, has been busy discussing the notion.

“I’ve talked to residents, to some former councillors. I’m asking questions,” he said. “I want to make sure if I step in that ring, I’m not doing it just for the good of my health or prestige.”

Blight said he has also talked to Tame about the race.

“Tyson and I have talked about it. What I’ve told him is I want to talk to other people, just to see,” he said.

Tame said that if Blight were to officially announce his candidacy, he’d have to make his decision quickly.

Meanwhile, other Brandonites are entertaining the idea, including two former mayoral candidates.

Both political columnist Deveryn Ross and retired provincial bureaucrat Mike Abbey said they’d make their decision in the new year.

“I haven’t talked to anybody … It’s more of a consideration than a ‘for sure’,” Abbey said.

“I get this call every time, since I ran for mayor in 2006,” said Ross, adding it’s too soon to make a decision.

Ross and Abbey both lost to Dave Burgess in the Brandon’s 2006 mayoral race, earning 1,553 and 1,495 votes, respectively.

The final day for provincial election nominees to officially enter the fray is March 29, which means the latest Hamilton can trigger the byelection for her seat is at the council meeting on March 21.

“We did a little research and we need a minimum of seven weeks (to run the election) from the time the resignation is received and we send out the notice for nominations, to comply with all the legislative requirements for the notice and nomination dates and that type of thing,” said Ewasiuk, who has been in touch with Hamilton about the issue.

That means the actual election day for the Riverview seat will fall in late May, contingent on Hamilton’s resignation date.

The nomination period for the byelection will conclude prior to the April 19 provincial election, which means the slate of local provincial candidates — which includes former Riverview councillor Len Isleifson and Rosser ward councillor Drew Caldwell — won’t be able to make a run at the seat.

“They’d have to make up their minds if they are running provincially or (municipally),” Ewasiuk said.

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