Election notes: Mayoral candidate Keanin Loomis pledges ward town-hall meetings

Hamilton mayoral candidate Keanin Loomis is going on tour."

Not that he hasn't already traversed the city since hitting the campaign trail in early May.

But this week, Loomis announced his campaign would host a series of town-hall meetings in Stoney Creek, Ancaster, Binbrook, Flamborough, Dundas and anywhere else we're invited."

That tour, in the run-up to the Oct. 24 vote, is to be a forerunner to similar public sessions with councillors in all 15 wards in his first year of office if elected, he said.

You deserve to be heard by your mayor and to know how your taxpayer dollars are being spent," Loomis said in a video posted to social media Wednesday.

The former local chamber of commerce boss said Hamilton's political culture suffers from way too much divisiveness," and promises to restore truth, trust and transparency."

Diplomats for democracy

Elections ambassadors are spreading word of the fall election.

The five students on the city payroll have specific tasks, such as updating the voter list or getting residents onto it.

You might run into them during their stops in all of Hamilton's 15 wards until the end of summer.

They'll be at farmers markets, parks, libraries and recreation centres, says Aine Leadbetter, the city's elections manager.

Labour endorsements

Last week, the Hamilton and District Labour Council backed mayoral candidate Andrea Horwath.

This week, the labour council - which has nearly 50,000 members - endorsed ward candidates.

They included hopefuls in seven of Hamilton's 15 wards who responded to surveys, the labour council noted a news release: Cameron Kroetsch (Ward 2), Nrinder Nann (Ward 3), Eric Tuck (Ward 4) Lynda Lukasik (Ward 5), Scott Duvall (Ward 7), Craig Cassar (Ward 12) and Kojo Damptey (Ward 14).

The labour council also announced endorsements of public school board trustee candidates in 11 wards: Elizabeth Wong (Ward 1), Sabreina Dahab (Ward 2), Maria Felix-Miller (Ward 3), Nancy Silva-Khan (Wards 5 and 10), Jay Edington (Wards 6 and 9), Ahona Mehdi (Wards 8 and 14) and Graeme Noble (Ward 15).

Those endorsements were based on advanced conversations" with the labour council's education worker union affiliates and with the candidates.

Teviah Moro is a reporter at The Spectator. tmoro@thespec.com