Kent Lindgren hopes to be re-elected as a councillor for the City of North Battleford. (Submitted photo/Kent Lindgren)

By Angela Brown

North Battleford council hopeful

Candidate Lindgren aims to bring compassion, understanding to council table

Nov 2, 2020 | 2:18 PM

After wrapping up his first four-year term, Kent Lindgren is vying to retain his seat as a councillor with the City of North Battleford.

“I really hope to do well for my community and believe in my community,” he said. “I think I have strong skills that will enable us to keep moving forward.”

From North Battleford, Lindgren is employed at Battlefords Family Health Centre as the HIV project coordinator.

Some of the issues important to him include health care, food security, gender equity, Indigenous relations through reconciliation, and supportive housing.

During his first term on council, Lindgren was involved in helping move a number of initiatives forward. Some of the projects he is proud to be part of include council’s decision to fly the Treaty 6 flag permanently at city hall.

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“That was a really proud moment for me, and I think important for the city, because it really did signal that we were about moving forward, and moving to working together,” he said.

Lindgren said the signing of the Sacichawasihc Relationship Agreement was also a celebratory occasion for the city and region during council’s term. The agreement commits the City of North Battleford, Town of Battleford, and five area First Nations to work together for the socioeconomic benefit of the region as a whole.

“In discussions with other councillors and people I know in other cities and towns, that [type of agreement] does not exist in other places,” Lindgren said. “That level of commitment to working together isn’t in other places. So that is something I am really proud to have been a part of.”

Among the issues he wants to keep working towards if re-elected is trying to make the community a better place to live in.

“I think a lot of the discussion is sometimes framed around safety and crime,” Lindgren said. “For me it’s really focused on our community wellbeing, and what that means.“

He is also wants to continue to see the city’s new housing strategy implemented.

“Housing is really important, and it affects our health, but it affects our economy as well in many different ways,” Lindgren said. “So when we have safe, stable housing for all members of our community we all benefit from that.”

Being active in the community is also integral to Lindgren’s goals. He currently sits on a number of boards for organizations such as the Canadian Mental Health Association Battlefords branch and the Dekker Centre for the Performing Arts.

Lindgren said he brings a “well-rounded perspective” to council, seeing the many different parts of this community, how they work together, and how to work towards making improvements.

He has worked with many people over the years, across many different cultures, bridging the cultural divide.

“That is really something I believe I am strong in, being able to work with all people, finding out what we need, and making those the centre-piece of what we do,” Lindgren said.

He also believes he “brings a level of compassion and understanding of our community” to his work on council.

“Sometimes that can be very hard to approach things with that level of compassion for people, but also that understanding of how we have come to be where we are at this time,” Lindgren said.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW