Amro Khalil (left) and Shane Delaney are running in the Air Ronge municipal election. (submitted photos)

By Derek Cornet

municipal election

Khalil seeking to reduce crime, Delaney wants more tri-community collaboration

Nov 3, 2020 | 3:53 PM

There are three main issues Amro Khalil would like to address if elected to Air Ronge council.

“For crime, during my door-to-door campaigning, that was the number one issue I heard about,” he said. “Surveillance is important, but it’s not a preventative. I believe the real issue is our youth are not positively engaged in our communities. At a grassroots level, I believe we need to examine and study the reasons to steer our youth in a more positive direction.”

Some ways Khalil believes crime can be reduced is through greater communication with tri-community agencies, more social programming for youth and activities to engage them. He said it’s important young people are stakeholders in the community.

Khalil would also address concerns regarding the pandemic by setting up a tri-community task force. He said residents are anxious about the coronavirus and there needs to be a unified approached with Air Ronge, La Ronge and Lac La Ronge Indian Band leadership. Khalil explained he has an extensive knowledge in communicable diseases having already worked during outbreaks in Egypt.

“For economic growth, I believe and would hope to see our community grow and prosper in a sustainable manner,” he said. “I would lobby government for more funding and seek new avenues for funding opportunities specific to northern municipalities.”

Twist on a classic

Regina board game designer puts new spin on crokinole

17h ago

Spring in Saskatchewan

Calm, dry weather expected across much of Saskatchewan over Easter weekend

17h ago

Tribute projects

Progress on Humboldt Broncos memorial continues eight years after tragic crash

17h ago

Khalil is the continuing care instructor at Northlands College and he holds a Bachelor of Internal Medicine and Internal Surgery from Cairo University. He is raising children in the community and is a board member with the La Ronge Child Care Cooperative. He’s also the union chairperson for employees at Northlands College.

Delaney to establish more tri-community collaboration

Shane Delaney served one term on Air Ronge council from 2008 to 2012 and he’s hoping voters will send him back to the decision table.

“I haven’t seen much change in the last eight years and there’s a few things I want to address and do,” he said. “I would like to tackle the vandalism in Air Ronge and try and reach out and talk to some people. I don’t want to disclose much of it right now because I’ve been working on it for the last six or seven months.”

Delaney wants to address crime through a tri-community approach and reaching out to others who might have some solutions. For instance, he noted there’s an increase in positive activities for young members with the Lac La Ronge Indian Band and, if those activities are achieving positive outcomes, they should be implemented in Air Ronge and La Ronge too.

“Why don’t we work together to help these youth?” Delaney said. “Why don’t we work with the band and see if they have something? If they are doing something and it’s working, then why don’t we expand that?”

Delaney mentioned he’s not in favour of amalgamation, but would like to see tri-community leadership work together more on issues facing all residents. During his first term on council, he explained he tried to do it then, but it wasn’t very successful.

“I might have a better success this time around in doing it,” Delaney said. “It takes somebody who can pull people together in order to do that and, if I’m not the person, I know the people who can. Ideas come forward and there are better people at delegating and getting things set up.”

Delaney is self-employed and owns Jor-Co Contracting and Finishing. He has some university education and he is raising children in Air Ronge.

The Air Ronge municipal election is Nov. 9.

–

derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno