There was a little bit of confusion and concern at Hamilton City Hall on the first day those seeking a spot in municipal politics were officially allowed to register.
A number of candidates descended to the forecourt on Main Street West Monday to launch their campaigns, but not all of them followed protocol and rented usage as per city policy.
“In the past when people were filing their candidacy papers, they come out and address the crowd. So that was the same procedure that we were following,” executive director of the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion (HCCI) Kojo Damptey said.
“We finished and we were waiting for some of our supporters to show up … security folks came up … and told us that we couldn’t do it. We weren’t allowed to be there.”
Damptey, who filed to run for council in Ward 14 (Mountain), and his supporters were forced to hear his address on the sidewalk perilously close to one of the city’s busiest thoroughfares.
“We moved to the sidewalk to speak to our supporters …because … we wanted to follow the rules as much as possible so that we don’t jeopardize candidates.”
A spokesperson for the city said their policy is clearly defined and widely available online.
“Candidates are only permitted to use city facilities or property for campaigning events if the property is rented in accordance with approved corporate policies and procedures,” communication officer Antonella Giancarlo told Global News in an email.
Of the candidates who did have clearance, former Hamilton Chamber of Commerce boss Keanin Loomis — now running for mayor — opted to not to use the privilege and decided to join the others on the sidewalk just metres from Main Street.
“We certainly don’t want to make that the story today. The story is about launching our candidacy,” Loomis told 900 CHML’s Hamilton Today.
Loomis suggested relegation to the street was actually “ammunition” to bring forward an issue likely to be on the on the minds of voters come October 24 — traffic safety.
In the first four months of this year, 10 people have died in Hamilton collisions, with the latest a 36-year-old struck by a forklift at Janco Steel Ltd. on Tuesday.
The city has already had nine collisions involving pedestrians — a number that matches the total for all of 2021.
“You know, pushed to the sidewalks …. when we are having a huge discussion in this town about Vision Zero and traffic fatalities and all of that,” said Loomis.
Despite the location of the orations, Loomis did kick off his campaign suggesting he’s the guy to address the city’s forthcoming issues around homelessness, affordability, and potential battle with the province over urban boundary expansion.
“I think that’s something that we can all agree on, which means that in 25 years, we’re going to be a city of about 800,000 people,” Loomis said.
“Intensification is going to be really important … because that helps people afford to be able to live in the city. I’m really concerned about my kids’ future … I don’t want them living with me for the rest of my life.”
So far, Loomis is the only candidate officially in the running for Mayor.
It’s expected he will be joined at some point by former mayor and former Liberal MP Bob Bratina who said in late March he would be seeking the city’s top political job.
“The first key concern I am hearing about is affordability — housing affordability and spiraling costs for families everywhere, including city taxes,” Bratina said in his announcement.
“People need to see value for their tax dollars, in what is a very highly-taxed community.”
Bratina was Hamilton’s mayor from 2010 to 2014 and MP for Hamilton East/Stoney Creek between 2015 and 2021.
The city’s current mayor, Fred Eisenberger, has not revealed whether he will seek reelection and has told Global News on numerous occasions he will announce his future plans at “an appropriate time.”
HCCI's Kojo Damptey enters race for Ward 14 on the Mountain
Kojo Damptey said he will be stepping down from his role at the HCCI to become councillor for Ward 14, going against incumbent Terry Whitehead.
Best known as an advocate for the well-being of residents in community who’ve faced oppression and racism, Damptey told supporters Monday his candidacy will be rooted in alleviating “civic frustration.”
“I am running because it’s time to turn the page to a new Hamilton chapter. We’re here ready to build an inclusive, participatory democracy,” Damptey told supporters.
Public safety, mental health, public transit improvements and investments to design a better city for seniors and people with disabilities were top of list in his dialogue with backers.
After accusing others for being on council too long, he committed to no more than two terms on the job if elected.
“Because I know we need leadership and it’s important to let other people came through,” Damptey remarked.
Former HWDSB chair Alex Johnstone a candidate for Ward 4
Former Hamilton Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) chair Alex Johnstone officially entered the race for Ward 4 (East Hamilton) on Monday.
The three time elected school board trustee, who opted to not seek reelection for the school board’s top post in 2020, will hope to succeed incumbent councillor Sam Merulla.
Merulla is not expected to run in the fall election after 22 years of public service.
Former student trustee Ahona Mehdi to run in two HWDSB wards
Former student trustee Ahona Mehdi, who accused four colleagues of racism and discrimination during her tenure, is officially a candidate for two HWDSB wards.
Mehdi said her decision to run for trustee is to challenge a school board she accuses of being “entrenched with the intention of harming Indigenous students and families.”
“I chose to speak up as a 17-year-old because I had a vision of leadership that protected and prioritized marginalized families rather than further alienating them,” Medhi told supporter in front of City Hall on Monday.
Mehdi is set to run in the wards currently represented by HWDSB trustee Becky Buck.
Buck was one of four trustees Mehdi called out in 2021, which spurred on a third-party code of conduct review.
Former chair Alex Johnstone and Carole Paikin-Miller would face penalties as a result of the probe that found merit in Mehdi’s claims of racism and censorship.
Buck and trustee Kathy Archer were found not to have violated code of conduct rules and did not face sanctions.
LGBTQ2 advisory chair Cameron Kroetsch to run in Ward 2 (Downtown).
The chair of the city’s LGBTQ2 advisory committee Cameron Kroetsch is now on the list as an official candidate for Ward 2 (Downtown).
A known social justice activist in the city, Kroetsch will take another shot at the job after losing out to incumbent Jason Farr in the 2018 election.
Farr is the latest Hamilton councillor moving out of city politics.
He’s set to make a run in provincial politics as an Ontario Liberal candidate in Hamilton East–Stoney Creek.
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