All the mayoral candidates were invited, but only half showed up. A debate on social issues Oct. 19 hardly resembled a debate at all, as neither leading candidate disagreed with the other on anything but details. If they talk to business people, they'll talk about business issues. But we need someone in office who can integrate those things. Solving social issues is good for business.
Homeless people are bad for business.
At the debate, Regional Chair Bob Chiarelli focused on his record of increasing funding for community services and a program called Partners for Jobs, aimed at taking people off welfare. Gloucester Mayor Claudette Cain also praised existing programs and said she would seek new partnerships with the private sector and other levels of government. Both criticized the provincial government for downloading the burden of social housing to municipalities. When asked how money would be found to sustain social services, Chiarelli said money for expansion of green space and for recreational programs would be easy to find. But when the topic switched to social housing, he said the new city can't afford new projects.