Wolfgang Schoor says he's a Renaissance man, exactly what's needed in council chambers to make a difference and strike a balance.
Racing some of the fastest horses in Europe as a jockey in his native Germany, he's studied construction ergonomics, architecture and business management. Since moving to Thunder Bay 25 years ago he's been a carpenter. But he had to go outside the city, from Montreal to Fort MacMurray to Attiwapiskat, to make a living.
"Each and every time I would come back from a job, anywhere from three to nine months, the city changed. The taxes have gone up, the water bill's gone up. The costs are prohibitive and eventually all of our fine citizens will not be able to pay the bills," the at-large candidate said.
Annoyed at the increases, Schoor, who said he has a passion for people, was told over conversations on the streets and in coffee shops to watch city council to see how those decisions were made but couldn't believe what he saw.
"I had to shut it off. I couldn't stand it. I could not stand it. They try to talk like scientists. They're not," he said.
Council needs people with intellectual development Schoor said. The city is being run by a minority of the people, an example Schoor sees in decisions on the event centre. Building the project and saying that the public will support the idea later isn't the way to do things.
"That is not a democratic process," he said.
"If the people say 'no' then it's done. It's a question of the people."
Citizens in Thunder Bay young and old need to break the trend and start voting.
"You don't have to vote for me but vote for somebody. We've gotta shake things up a bit. We need a balance," he said.
