Meet the Candidates: Diane Armstrong

Racism and crime top the list of issues Diane Armstrong hopes to tackle if elected at-large on Oct. 27.

Born in Quebec, but a resident of Thunder Bay since 1991, Armstrong brings a business administration background to the 2014 municipal election race.

Armstrong says she loves her adopted homes, one of the main reasons she decided to file her nomination papers, one of the first candidates to put her name forward.

“I’m running because I’m passionate about connecting with people. I like to help people,” she said.

A casual observer of all things municipal, last year Armstrong began attending city council and other civic meetings.
It opened her eyes, awakening a desire to get involved and help guide the city through tough times.

“I had the feel of it, so that’s why I decided to run. I went to committees and meetings as an observer and I was even more passionate,” she said. “I understood what they were saying.”

A bilingual candidate whose native tongue is French, Armstrong says she has plenty of ideas of how to help make Thunder Bay a better place to live.

She’d like to start a three-day festival that brings people of all backgrounds and heritage together to celebrate diversity and everything they have in common.

Armstrong is also a firm believer that the city should take care of its homeless, and suggests the construction of high-capacity building to house them, all the while working on turning them back into productive members of society. More women on the Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board would be a good start, she said.

She’s a strong backer of the proposed event centre, believing it will create more jobs. She also favours the downtown north core location proposed by consultants and backed by the current city council – just not at any cost.

“I think we need to brainstorm to find money from somewhere else so we don’t increase the property taxes,” she said.

Armstrong is married and has two children. For the past three years she’s worked at Election Canada as a secretary and receptionist.