By Greg Higgins

Council candidate says he wants to focus on the positives of N.B.

Oct 17, 2016 | 2:16 PM

One candidate believes building a stronger community will have a trickle down effect on issues like crime.

Kent Lindgren grew up in North Battleford and traveled around the world, just to find his way back. After living in Saskatoon while he went to school and China for a year he is in North Battleford again and said he wants to give back to the community that helped shape him.

Lindgren will be running for city council on Oct. 26 on a platform based around community unity.

“There is a lot of negativity around how we are as a community,” Lindgren said. “I am a grounded person and socially focused. We need to stop dealing with only the negatives and spin this around. It’s time to start focusing on what we do right.”

Lindgren said he wants to expand and strengthen community association. His suggestions to do that includes creating community gardens in undeveloped city lots. He also wants to create a city sustainability plan geared towards helping businesses, agencies and people to “better implement sustainable initiatives into their lives.”

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Lindgren said he wants to tackle race relations issues by creating an aboriginal liaison position within city administration. He believes the addition would help support diversity in the city.

A youth council is also a part of Lindgren’s platform.

“The council would be able to work on youth initiatives and integrate culture into the community from a youth perspective,” Lindgren said. “There are parts of that happening within the city, but I’d actually like to see a youth council.”

Lindgren felt the creation of a council could help lower some of the youth crime in the city.

Also on Lindgren’s platform are tax exemptions for businesses expanding or starting up in North Battleford. He wants to expand the Facade Improvement Program to create grants in lieu of building permits.

Lindgren is the HIV project coordinator at the Battleford Family Health Centre and felt his work will bring a unique perspective to council.

“A large part of my job is working in the community connecting people,” Lindgren said. “I connect my clients with the right services to help them achieve optimal health. I also have the experience talking with agencies.”

Lindgren said ultimately it is important council is upfront with what the issues are and work to strategically address them.

This isn’t Lindgren’s first go at politics. He was the previous president of the local NDP constituency and the vice president of the provincial NDP party.

Greg Higgins is battlefordsNOW’s city municipal affairs and health reporter. He can be reached at ghiggins@jpbg.ca or tweet him @realgreghiggins.