Educational assistant enters council race

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This article was published 06/08/2022 (1410 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

One of Brandon’s latest municipal election candidates is hoping to “be a voice for the disabled community in city hall” if elected to city council this fall.

This week, longtime Brandon School Division educational assistant Phillip Emmerson announced he’s running for election in what is currently Rosser Ward but will be renamed Ward 2 after the election.

Emmerson developed cerebral palsy shortly after birth when he was revived after losing oxygen, and he uses both a wheelchair and mobility scooter.

He has previously appeared in the Sun because of his participation in wheelchair bodybuilding and for taking part in a relay commemorating the 25th anniversary of Rick Hansen’s “Man In Motion” world tour.

“It’s about time,” he said when asked what it would mean to have a member of the local disability community represented on Brandon City Council.

“If you go to major cities, other cities, there are persons with visible minority disabilities that are seeking those positions and have a voice in their community. I feel like they haven’t been neglected or discarded, but on the fringe. I would like to see some representation, and I would be honoured to be a part of that representation.”

In a list provided by the City of Brandon on Friday, both Emmerson and another candidate, Dale Bates, were listed as registered candidates in the ward.

Though he wasn’t on the list, incumbent Coun. Kris Desjarlais told the Sun earlier this year he intends to run for one more term on council.

In an interview with the Sun Friday, Emmerson said he decided to run after talking with his friends and looking for a chance to have his voice heard.

“I’ve lived in this community and in Ward 2 for a long time now, and I feel that God has given me a voice and I want to use it,” Emmerson said.

“I know that Mr. Desjarlais is currently seated in this ward. I respect that man and voted for him when he was running, [but] I chose this ward because I live in it and I feel like it’s accessible for me to get involved with the community.”

Emmerson described himself as a survivor. He has struggled with mental health issues and suffered from addiction as a younger man, but said in the last few years he has finally figured out what kind of person he wants to be.

Emmerson said his faith inspires him because, by all accounts, he shouldn’t be where he is now and it has given him the courage to step forward.

If elected, he said, he wants to be a voice for accessibility and inclusion in city hall, something he has practised as a speaker for the Canadian Association for Supported Employment.

He said one of the key issues he wants to tackle is the restoration of downtown. Not just because of the poor condition of roads and sidewalks that can make it difficult for people with disabilities, but also because he’d like to see some of the abandoned and deteriorating buildings in the neighbourhood dealt with.

“One of my plans while I’m running is to document sections of Rosser Ward that need some attention,” he said.

Another issue he wants to improve is snow removal. During most of the year, he uses Brandon Transit to get to work, but quits as soon as the snow falls because bus stops become inaccessible.

If downtown is the core of Brandon as a community, Emmerson said he believes it needs heart surgery. He said there are organizations trying to tackle drug and alcohol issues downtown, but they need some help.

“The city has been largely growing outwards, and I feel like it’s time to put some attention in the downtown area.”

Other newcomers joining the list of registered candidates include Jason Splett in Richmond Ward and Coun. Glen Parker in Riverview Ward.

Parker is running for re-election after announcing his intention to do so earlier this year, while Splett has twice made unsuccessful bids to join the Brandon School Division’s board of trustees.

No candidates are currently registered to run in Assiniboine Ward (Ward 1), Meadows-Waverly Ward (Ward 5) or South Centre Ward (Ward 6), though incumbents Sunday Frangi and Bruce Luebke have both indicated to the Sun they’ll be running for re-election in wards 5 and 6 respectively.

Coun. Jeff Fawcett (Assiniboine) remains the only mayoral candidate.

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