KENORA – Kelvin Boucher-Chicago, Independent candidate in Kenora-Kiiwetinoong, says he wants to see more compassion and accountability.
The Lac des Milles Lac First Nation member, born in Minaki near the city of Kenora, is described in his election leaflet as someone who has “stood up for many years as an independent advocate” for First Nations people and the unhoused.
“I have heard of and seen many politicians throwing money at the problems we encounter in society today, I believe we need a new approach. Let’s try true compassion,” his leaflet says.
This is Boucher-Chicago’s fourth federal election campaign and sixth overall. He got 165 votes in the Kenora riding in 2019, the last time he ran federally. In the 2022 provincial election he ran for the New Blue Party (the only time he has run under a party banner) in Kenora-Rainy River and garnered 385 votes.
“I’m hoping to win this one,” he said in an interview with Newswatch.
“The other ones more or less were used for informational purposes, to inform the general public of what was happening out here.
“The candidates at that time, just did not hear what I was trying to say or what I was saying because they totally ignored everything.
“This time I’m going to try to carry the message myself straight to Parliament.”
Boucher-Chicago has, in Kenora and on social media, been advocating for people experiencing homelessness in Kenora.
“We’ve known the problem for a number of years already,” he said.
“I’ve known the problem. Society has known the problem, and people keep electing people that seem to ignore the problem but will give money to the process, and that seems to be the only solution they come up with – keep putting more money into it and hope it goes away.”
Boucher-Chicago’s campaign leaflet calls for “empowering” the homeless, in part by giving them “opportunities to work, to build back self-respect.”
The campaign literature also advocates additional shelter and a community “volunteer force” to help unhoused people empower themselves.
Accountability is another key part of the carpenter and activist’s “10 points for change.”
He says that includes accountability “for all levels of government, including First Nation governments."
“I strongly believe that accountability for all federal funding must be enforced regardless of who receives it to ensure that the funding is not only being used for the purposes for which it is provided, but that it is accomplishing (those purposes).”
In his interview with Newswatch, Boucher-Chicago made particular mention of First Nations leadership.
"I haven’t seen any or heard any politician tackle the First Nation chiefs, or questioning the First Nation chiefs,” he said.
Comprising almost 257,000 square kilometres of Northwestern Ontario, the Kenora-Kiiwetinoong riding includes the cities of Kenora and Dryden, several other municipalities and many First Nations.
