Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 23, 2004, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press wednesday june 23, 2004 b3 Winnipeg votes they went Down swinging e ight losers Are Licking their wounds today but one thing they can take Comfort in is knowing they re in Good company. Former provincial Cabinet min ister Maryann Mihaychuk and two former City councillors ? Garth Steek and Dan Vandal ? vacated their seats to vie for the position of mayor and lost. The populist but controversial businessman Al Golden added fuel to the race. And there were the so called fringe candidates ? including Natalie Pollock who twice ran unsuccessfully for mayor in the Early 1990s at the Zenith of her celebrity As a Public Access to talk show Host. Today some Are planning to run again. Others Are taking a step Back to weigh their options. Sam Katz will be our next mayor. I know he is someone who will be a very Good mayor and the City will be Well served with him As mayor by Jason Bell the first horrified of my gosh was uttered Mere minutes after election results began rolling in to Dan Vandal head quarters last night. It was Little More than a whisper from Vandal Campaign Volunteer Joann Moffatt but no More fitting words would be spoken. There were gasps head shaking and a few tears As about 40 volunteers at vandals Provencher Boulevard Campaign office lamented a sound trouncing by Sam Katz in the vote for a new mayor for Winnipeg. Vandal garnered 55,644 votes to run Sec Ond to Katz a 99,015. Vandal a former Boxer was gracious after the knockout. I a not sure what the official score is but it looks like its highly unlikely that i will be mayor he said. Sam Katz will be our next mayor. I know he is someone who will be a very Good mayor and the City will be Well served with him As Vandal resigned his St. Boniface Council seat to run to replace Glen Murray As mayor. He ran a Campaign that essentially asked Winni Eggers to again endorse Murray a vision for the City ? a new Deal with the province and Federal government downtown revitalization increased arts funding and fiscal prudence. But he admitted he did to anticipate Katz a tremendous allure to voters who were intent on change. The numbers indicate we underestimated Sam a popularity said Vandal who agreed he was gang tackled by right Wing candidates Al Golden and Garth Steek in the final Days of the Campaign who jabbed him at every Opportunity. Obviously Sam offered something different and something fresher. And i respect had Vandal won he would have been the first a tis mayor of Winnipeg. Vandal said he want sure if he would seek a Council seat in the future but added he had no regrets about gambling to become mayor. By Paul Egan what a next for Garth Steek even his Mother wants to know. As the City Council Veteran and May Oral candidate thanked supporters at his main Street Headquarters shortly before the polls closed last night Steek said he a just talked with his 81-year-old Mother. She told him so if you Don twin will you get a real Job Steek said. Steek said he will though he would not be More specific. There will be other things that will become available and we will pursue those with gusto he said. But he said he a probably finished with running for elected office. Steek had prepared to Battle for votes with fellow councillor Dan Vandal and former councillor Al Golden. But the unexpected addition of two More prominent names upset the equation. Al Golden by David Obrien Al Golden said he entered the mayoral race to Stop Dan Vandal and Garth Steek both of whom he considered weak mate rial for the Job. However he was also running to restore his reputation tarnished when he was convicted of income tax evasion and forced to resign his Council seat in disgrace four years ago. I did want to redeem myself by becoming mayor no question about it he said in an interview. Many people who Don to know me probably believed All the negative things that were said about me. The Only Way to change their opinions was to become mayor and do remarkable things for the those Hopes he conceded were dashed when the popular Sam Katz entered the race. Golden placed third yesterday with 14.84 per cent of the vote. Golden said he still believes he would have made a better mayor but he thought Katz a business credentials made him a better candidate than either the big thing was when Sam Katz entered the race said Raymond Hebert a professor of political studies at St. Boniface College. Katz took some peo ple by Maryann Mihaychuk also Likely took business votes from Steek Hebert said. Steek ? who gave up the seat in River Heights fort Garry which he a held since 1995 to join what ended up As a nine candidate race to succeed Glen Murray ? was headed for a fifth place finish last night. Steek who briefly challenged Murray for mayor in 2002 before pulling out of the race was recently accused by one of his former top supporters of All but pulling out of the current Campaign As Well. Steek said the charge is false. Vandal or Steek. I a glad we have a right Wing mayor he said. The left Wing Agenda of former mayor Glen Murray has Hurt the City and i a glad its Golden said he did to know if he would seek Public office again but said he would continue to work on restoring his name by helping others in need. He said he still believes his conviction was unjust but added he has stopped protesting because it just seemed to annoy people. A colourful character who people either love or hate Golden has always been unconventional. When the other candidates were sweating it out at their Campaign head quarters yesterday Golden was cooking Salmon roast beef and Chicken Kiev for a Small banquet at the Transcona coun try club which he manages. I made this commitment six months ago so i could to not be Here Golden said. He showed up at his Campaign head quarters in the St. Vital hotel which he owns after 8 . To concede defeat. He said he intends to continue push ing for some of his ideas including one that would see the University of Mani Toba move some of its faculties Down town. By Carol Sanders Maryann Mihaychuk gambled and lost last night. But Shell be Back. I a a fighter not a quitter said Mihaychuk who vowed to run in the next mayoral race in 2006. She gave up a provincial nip Cabinet seat to take a shot at becoming the City a next mayor. The free press endorsed her As the candidate with the Best mix of political Pedigree and connections to the nip government As Well As Street credibility As a former member of the Cabinet and former chairwoman of Winnipeg a largest school division. But As a recent probe poll predicted she lacked the momentum to pull off a win last night. Mihaychuk was running fifth according to poll results published last week. At her party last night at the inn at the Forks supporters cheered her fourth place finish ahead of Garth Steek. We put on a Campaign that had the most substance the most new ideas and the basis for the future mayoral race coming up in two years Mihaychuk told the crowd who she noted came from every walk of life every ethnic group and every political just before the party Mihaychuk sat in a private room with her Mother her Hus band and their two daughters to watch the Early returns on to. As it became apparent she would to be elected mayor Mihaychuk admitted she had a problem with name recognition on a civic level Early in the Campaign. If she could turn Back time she would have made some changes to raise her profile in Winnipeg. I think we would be had a stronger ground team and spent More Money on As she prepares for another run for mayor Shell be looking at a new career in the meantime ? Likely in Community and economic development. My hearts with the City win or lose. Whether its in the private sector or my own business i a going to be Busy build ing my Community and my City Jeff de Booy / Winnipeg free press Maryann Mihaychuk fringe candidates rack up tiny share of vote a handful of mayoral hopefuls who votes said of Katz. Ing in a fund raising tournament that losing the election. Last night he did to in the mayors office by changing the hated the of word ? fringe ? to former City councillor Shirley she had organized for the Manitoba have much to say about the results. Makeup of the executive policy com describe their candidacy were forgot Timm Rudolph finished a Distant Sev Junior optimists and could not be i just want to give my congrats la Mittee every six months. Ten by most voters yesterday. Tenth with 801 votes 0.34 per cent. Reached for comment. Tons to mayor elect Sam Katz said he also wanted to help control City together Gordon Kirkby Shirley Timm Rudolph a poor showing did to meanwhile there Are those who Kirkby who finished with 1,986 sprawl by ditching plans for a new sub Timm Rudolph Natalie Pollock and reflect her extensive City Hall expert would argue Kirkby was no fringe can votes. Division called Waverley West. Nelson p. Morrison amassed a paltry ence. Dilate. Kirkby could to say if he a run again. Pollock who finished last with 453 3,768 votes 1.6 per cent of the ballots she was first elected to Council in the Winnipeg lawyer and consultant Morrison is an instrument technician votes said she did to expect to win or cast. Sam Katz won with 99,015 votes 1986 and served As the Springfield is the former mayor of Prince Albert in the City a water and waste depart even attract a Large number of votes 42.5 per cent of ballots Heights councillor until 1992. Sask., and was a Saskatchewan my ment. He also ran in the 1998 mayors adding she ran to promote an Sborigi i think hell do a very Good Job she had spent yesterday at garters winning a Liberal seat in 1993. Race. Nal police chief and marriage for Gays Morrison who finished eighth with 528 Golf course in St. Andrews participate he moved to Winnipeg in 1998 after Morrison wanted to dissolve Power and lesbians ;