Mayoral candidates weigh in on Thunder Bay event centre, racism

Superior Morning5:32The Men Who Would Be Mayor

All six mayoral candidates took to the stage last night at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium. And the debate was hot and heavy

The event centre took centre stage at Wednesday night's mayoral debate in Thunder Bay, but social issues such as affordable housing, transit and racism made an appearance too.

Candidate Shane Judge told the crowd of about 400 people that he believes many event centre decisions are made behind closed doors.

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"Well, there's retail, there's wholesale, of course, and there's fairytale, he said.

And I'm afraid we're getting the fairytale."

Contender Ken Boshcoff didn't say if he was for or against the project.

"At this time, it's just us taxpayers praying the federal government will change their national policy for our community."

But Boshcoffraised concerns about accessibility, saying his questions have not been answered.

That got the attention of incumbent Keith Hobbs.

"Ken, you must have been sleeping on Phase 3, because that is a LEED Gold building, and it's accessible, he countered.

So, I don't know what you're talking about. You obviously have not been paying attention."

Candidates Henry Wojak and Doug McKay are against the centre, while Colin Burridge wants to put the project to a plebiscite.

When the debate moved to matters of social issues, Hobbs said he has done the most of any mayor to combat racism, while Ken Boshcoff was quick to react that Hobbs should not take all of the credit.

Colin Burridge said the city should not dwell on its problems of the past, and focus on the future.

But Judge said the community has a long way to go in terms of combating racism in particular.

"I'm hoping that leaders will emerge eventually, so you don't have six old white guys running for mayor, he said, provoking the biggest reaction of the night from the crowd.

But that only comes with a lot of time and effort."