Kelowna, B.C., city councillor and former Member of Parliament Ron Cannan has officially entered the race for mayor, ending months of speculation about his political future ahead of this fall’s municipal election.
Cannan launched his campaign Thursday at Evil Genius Artworx, a Rutland tattoo shop where a recent clash went viral between the owner and outreach workers accusing him of kicking unhoused people using drugs at his back door.
The allegations are now the subject of a defamation suit.
It stems from the kind of social disorder Cannan says he’s ready to tackle.
“We will clean up Kelowna one block at a time and take Kelowna back for the people who live here,” Cannan told his supporters.
Concerns about social disorder and public safety across the city have been growing in recent months, which Cannan says motivated his reasons to run.
“We want to leave a positive legacy and the direction we are headed is not that in my mind,” Cannan said. “It is disaster and I really can’t see us continuing on.”
Public safety is expected to be one of the defining issues of the campaign.
“What we’ve seen in the past is a lot of finger pointing,” Cannan said. “The provincial government blames the federal government, the federal government blames provincial, local government says it’s not our responsibility. The city needs to step up.”
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However, when asked how he would address those issues, Cannan wouldn’t say yet.
“So this is day one of the campaign and as the campaign unfolds I’ll have more policy announcements,” he said, adding, “Stay tuned.”
Among those supporting Cannan’s campaign launch was Donavan Moore, owner of Evil Genius Artworx.
“When it comes time to literally dragging IH (Interior Health) and the province and the country to the table, when we create a solution that works, I mean, he’s the guy who can negotiate that,” Moore said. “He’s already done this at all levels.”
Kelowna councillor Gord Lovegrove, who is seeking re-election, also endorsed Cannan’s bid, serving as emcee at the event.
“Ron isn’t just a talker, he’s a doer,” Lovegrove said.
Longtime councillor Charlie Hodge, who is not running again, also attended the launch.
While he said Cannan would make a good mayor, he stopped short of formally endorsing him, noting that other candidates may still enter the race.
Incumbent Mayor Tom Dyas has not yet announced whether he intends to seek re-election.
Global News reached out to Dyas for reaction to Cannan’s announcement but he replied he was in meetings throughout the day.
He did, however, add he would communicate his intentions publicly within the next few weeks.
Cannan joins businesswoman Emily Salsbury in the mayoral race.
Salsbury announced her candidacy in April through a news release and will appear on the Oct. 17 municipal election ballot.
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