Rankin MacSween running for mayor of Cape Breton Regional Municipality

Rankin MacSween is taking a second run at winning the mayor's seat in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.

The head ofcommunity economic development agency New Dawn Enterprises announced his candidacy Friday in North Sydney.

MacSween, 65, will again take on incumbent Cecil Clarke, whom he ran unsuccessfully against in 2012.

• Cecil Clarke unveils plan for re-election campaign in Cape Breton

The two are the only candidates running for mayorin the Oct.15 municipal elections.

Clarke did not deliver, says MacSween

At his campaign announcement at the Emera Centre in North Sydney,MacSweenwasted no time attacking his rival's record.

"There is a sense that thelast four years havebeen lost to us," he said.

MacSween accusedClarke of failing to live up to commitments Clarke made during the 2012 election campaign.

"He was going to give us a city charter. That charter has never seen the light of day," said MacSween.

A charter would allow the municipality more flexibility to change some of its own rules.

CBRM'simage needs boost

MacSween also said Clarke abandoned a plan to spend $300 million on infrastructure, includingasecond berth for cruise ships and a container terminal, which did not materialize.

Clarke, a former MLA and provincial Tory cabinet minister, could not capitalize on his much-toutedpolitical connections to bring business to CBRM, said MacSween.Hepointedto a 2016 Money Sense magazine article that said Cape Breton was the third worst cityto live in Canada.

Child poverty, taxesin platform

In the 2012 election, Clarke got 27,732 votes, while MacSween received17,847 votes.

MacSween said his election platform will focus on:

• Reducing taxes for CBRM residents.
• Improving municipal roads and infrastructure.
• Attracting immigrants to the area.
• Dealing with the "shamefully high rate" of childpoverty in the area.