Councillor Doug Laing wants to continue helping the Town of Battleford move forward as he runs for re-election. (Submitted Photo/City of North Battleford)

By Josh Ryan

Incumbent campaign

Town council candidate advocates continuing relationship building

Oct 23, 2020 | 5:00 PM

After two terms on council, Doug Laing has the same passion for the Town of Battleford.

The incumbent council candidate said he hopes that residents will continue to give him a chance to give back to the town for the third time and build off of the work done for the past eight years. He said he’s really enjoyed his time on council and feels he has more to contribute, such as continuing to work on developing relationships with the city, the RM’s, First Nations communities and other levels of government.

“It’s not completed by any means, but it is something I’d really like to focus on for the next four years,” he said.

Laing said he’s also focused on looking for opportunities for the downtown and commercial business areas, while keeping the small-town atmosphere. He said it’s important to prioritize best decisions over personal options in order to be fiscally responsible, something he believes is one of the credits of the town.

“One of the traits of the Town of Battleford council is to be financially responsible and I want to continue to do that if re-elected,” he said.

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In the midst of still figuring out how to navigate the changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Laing said communication and trust with administration will be key. Whether it’s parks and recreation or the administration team, using information available to make decisions will be the best decision.

“Our management team is very strong and I think they’ve done a good job,” he said. “Hopefully we can keep that curve flat and get back to some normal activities, like our arena and other facilities in our community.”

Laing said waiting on the SHA is all they can do currently before making decisions on the arena, as their revenue generation options are limited, though he added that he understands the frustrations of residents not being able to get out and enjoy activities there.

“We’re all a little sick of [the pandemic], that’s for sure,” he said.

The campaign has been a challenge than years past, due to the restrictions of the pandemic shutting down functions and suppers that take place throughout the fall. However, Laing said they’ll have to make do.

“It has been a little bit different,” he said. “We’ll see what those challenges can bring in the next couple of weeks and try to get the word out there.”

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josh.ryan@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JoshRyanSports