Election reflection

Keith Hobbs says it’s time for Thunder Bay to start healing.

Faced with a mountain of expectations, the city’s mayor-elect said the divisive issues that split the city over the past four years under outgoing Mayor Lynn Peterson need to be put to bed to allow Thunder Bay and its residents to move forward.

Hobbs specifically pointed to the controversial wind-farm project on the Nor’Wester Mountain range, which last week led Horizon Wind Inc. to file a $126-million lawsuit against the city when council approved just 14 of 18 of the company’s planned turbine locations. He also cited Prince Arthur’s Landing, whose inclusion of a waterfront hotel and condominium development in Marina Park led 7,000 people to sign a petition in opposition to the project.

"Those were divisive issues. I spent my career being a peacekeeper, so I need to bring the peace back to Thunder Bay," Hobbs said. "I think that’s the role of a mayor, to be an ambassador and get people working on the same page. And I do have that skill."

He plans to meet them through teamwork.

Hobbs, elected Monday night to the mayor’s chair in a resounding win over incumbent Mayor Lynn Peterson, said his first course of action will be meeting with city council, city managers and unions to share his vision for the future of the city.

"I want to get everyone on the same page," he said.

It might be a tough egg to crack, particularly when it comes to a council that saw six of seven ward candidates returned to power – McKellar Coun. Robert Tuchenhagen chose not to run – and all four incumbent at-large candidates in the race earn another four-year term.

Other than Hobbs, the only truly new face on council is union leader Paul Pugh, who won Tuchenhagen’s seat in McKellar. Former two-time mayor and Liberal MP Ken Boshcoff led the at-large race, but with 23 years of municipal government experience, will certainly have his own ideas of how best to move the city forward.

Hobbs was confident he’ll be able to overcome those challenges and promised to use their experience to the city’s advantage.

"I have a big learning curve in the next month and people like that are going to help me get through it, for sure. I have to lean on some people as well. I don’t corner the market on smarts, by any means," Hobbs said.

"I’m very confident I can work with them. I had to win this campaign, and sometimes you have to take on the hard issues. We’re going to bang heads at times, and we’re going to get along good at times. That’s just the nature of the business. But I can be a team player. I’ve been a team player all my life as a police officer, so I will be a team player on city council."