Rookie Winnipeg candidate cries foul over incumbent's announcement

A candidate running for city council says incumbents have an unfair advantage since they can continue to make spending-related announcements during the civic election campaign.

North Kildonan Coun. Jeff Browaty, who is running to keep his seat, and Mayor Sam Katz announced Monday $520,000 will be spent on new playground equipment and a skate park extension on the ward's Chornick Park.(Katz isn't running for re-election.)

Evan Comstock is running in his first campaign and hopes to unseat Browaty.

Comstock questionsthe timing of the announcement, coming a mere month before voting day.

"It's certainly an advantage for an incumbent, who's spending money and planning for future projects, to have access to media," Comstock

He said intentional or not, it gives his rival a clear advantage most new candidates don't have.

"I don't have access to those types of public announcements," he said. "I could call all the media and tell them I have big plans for so-and-so too, but no one is going to show up."

On Friday, Coun. Mike Pagtakhanrevealed a refurbished Dufferin Park in his Point Douglas ward, where he is also running for re-election.

Provincial officials are barred by legislation from making any funding announcements during the90 day period before voting day.

But there are no city rules governing announcements during campaigns.

Browaty said he had no intention of gaining an unfair advantage.He said it's simply the next step in a process that takes time to play out.

"I've been working for the residents for the last eight years," he said. "Everything that you do as an elected official is for the residents. What is the exact cut-off date? I mean, that's kind of arbitrary, but again, this is fully within the city's rules."

Winnipeg political analyst and author of Politics in ManitobaChris Adams said the lack of rules makes it a tough call for people who are in office and want to stay there.

"If he wasn't at the event I think local residents would say why isn't Jeff at this event?" Adams said. "So he's in a catch-22."

Adams said however, Winnipeg's next mayor should consider amending the rules to level the playing field and clarify what incumbents can and can't do during a campaign.

"In some ways it's unfair to councillors who are having announcements being done in their wards to expect them to stay away from these events," he said.

Adams said there should be limits on when announcements can be made.

"What I'd recommend as a political scientist is that two months prior to the election day, there'd be no official announcements, no opening of any new programs, except for in the case of health issues or issues regarding dangerous situations like flooding."

Comstock said he's not opposed to the upgrades at the park.He just wants voters in North Kildonan to give him a fair chance come election day.

"I just hope that everybody plays fair."

The election is October 22.