Did Issues or Personalities Define Lethbridge’s 2017 Municipal Election Campaign? (Part 1)

Win, lose or draw is a common phrase in many sports. It can be argued that in municipal elections, that phrase should read win, place or thanks for participating. At the recent 2017 Lethbridge municipal election, 29 candidates for Council and 3 candidates for Mayor put their name forward and while it was difficult for the voting public to properly assess 32 candidates, getting to know what they stood for was nevertheless possible through flyers, forums, electronic surveys, social media and newspaper articles featuring all the individual candidates. The speaker will analyze the election results focusing on what defined the campaign overall. She will also speculate on whether or not different personalities on Council may hamper the 2017-21 Lethbridge City Council from performing at an optimal level. Also added to the challenge will be to find ways for Council to work with a new City Manager starting in January 2018 following Garth Sherwin’s retirement. Speaker: Bonnie Farries Bonnie is a Political Scientist and holds a Masters in Political Science from the University of Lethbridge. Although all levels of government are fascinating in how they interact and affect our daily lives, Bonnie’s passion is at the local level, having worked in municipal government for over 14 years. Currently Bonnie is the Manager of Institutional Planning, Analysis and Risk Services at Lethbridge College. Moderator: Dylan Purcell Date: Thursday, October 26, 2017 Time: Noon - 1:30 pm Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr. S Cost: $14.00 (includes lunch) or $2.00 (includes coffee/tea) RSVP is not necessary