'I believe in Saint John'
Election Mayoralty candidate says there has to be more accountability and consultation
SAINT JOHN - Editor's Note: This is the third of a series of five profiles of the candidates in the Saint John mayoralty race.
Most businesses in the historic Saint John City Market haven't yet opened for the day when Michelle Hooton and several members of her campaign team arrive for a regular breakfast get-together at the popular eatery Slocum and Ferris.
It's the start of another busy day in Hooton's campaign to become the city's mayor. The first-term deputy mayor is wearing running shoes and she'll need them for a day that will include taking part in a neighbourhood cleanup campaign, handing out seedlings to city residents to mark Earth Week, a late-afternoon meeting of campaign advisers and attending a fundraising dinner.
Port City voters don't have a gender bias - two of the last four mayors have been women - but Hooton will have to overcome a crowded field that includes three other members of the outgoing council - councillors John Ferguson and Ivan Court and incumbent Mayor Norm McFarlane - and newcomer Michael Richardson.
Hooton emerged on the scene four years ago with tremendous popularity. As a first-time candidate, she outpolled 49 other hopefuls and earned the deputy mayor's title as the top vote-getter for the 10 at-large seats. She picked up 13,192 votes, while her nearest rival collected a little more than 9,300.
That popularity wasn't enough to overcome the disdain the voters had for Bernard Lord's government when she ran for the provincial Tories in a 2005 byelection and was defeated by Liberal Ed Doherty.
Hooton returned to her duties as deputy mayor and eventually made the decision to seek the top job.
"I think we have such an amazing opportunity before us," she says. "It's going to require a leader that truly believes in the people that leader will serve. With the issues that the city will have before it in the next four years, it's going to require the commitment of a full-time, full-term mayor and I will absolutely commit to that."
Hooton says her business background would serve her well as the city continues its transformation into the region's energy hub.
"I'm the only person running that has 30 years of being a business owner, so I bring a common-sense business approach to the table," she says. "I also have such a complete and total belief in the people of Saint John that I understand how important it is to listen and to make sure that when someone far more intelligent and for more experienced than I offers advice, that it should be listened to and considered."
She says her top accomplishment as a councillor has been speaking out on behalf of the people who elected her.
"There must be more accountability and the community has a lot to bring to the table and public consultation is critical to the success of our future."
Her biggest regret during her four years on council is not being able to convince enough of her fellow councillors to vote down the controversial tax concessions on the Canaport LNG terminal.
"Not being able to convince council to vote against the tax deal," she says, was disappointing. "Up until that point, this council had the trust of the community and I knew that night we lost it. And that demonstrated to me how important it is to be open.
"That project was going ahead with or without that deal. I knew it then, I know it now, everybody knows it."
Hooton was the first out of the blocks to endorse a major reduction in the city's property tax rate. She says it's the top issue at most doors she's knocked on and a reduction could pave the way for greater investment in the city.
"Property taxes is the No. 1 issue that I've heard at the door - for taxpayers, it's high on their list of concerns," she says. "As mayor, I see lowering the tax rate as an opportunity for us to be competitive and to attract investment. It takes a business perspective to understand that."
Hooton says it's important for the new council to work together better than the outgoing group.
"The community wants a council that will listen - to them and listen to each other," she says. "We have to try to reach a consensus that's in the best interest of the whole community and I have demonstrated the ability to debate respectfully in some very heated discussions and ultimately - and we've seen this with the wards debate and the north of Union project - I was able to have council reach a consensus that was in the best interest of the community.
Hooton says she loves the city and its rich history and she would be proud to serve as mayor to help forge the city's future.
"I really believe that there's nothing that Saint John can't do," she says. "It goes back to the Great Fire. When the city burned down, rather than leaving it in ashes, we rolled up our sleeves and we built a beautiful city again. It's that kind of intestinal fortitude that we're made of.
"The bottom line is that I believe in Saint John."
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She talked lower taxes in December then voted for the budget resulting in a major increase in our tax bills.
She will often say one thing and then vote for the opposite - not what a leader with conviction would do.
Remember when she said Terry Totten taught her everything she knows about council.
He may have taught her all she knows but he sure did not teach her all he knows.
She is too easily swayed and senior staff would run her just as they did Shirley McAlary and Norm McFarlane.
Hooton's "business background" is she owned a push cart selling lemonade in King's Square (a teenager), opened an aerobic studio,worked in the city market before opening her flower stall & bought the pasta place in city market. When she was questioned by a political science student back when she was running for the PC's MLA, she lambasted the student for questioning her business sense. She basically brushed him aside. The question was about what she would do for taxes for small business owners & the student claimed her platform didn't cover this off. That's when Hooton got annoyed & pretty much said, I'm older than you & know what I'm talking about (is that like father knows best attitude??).
What's changed that makes you think as mayor you'll be able to convince people now if you couldn't then? If it was that important to you as you stated, then you would have gone that extra mile. No, Ms. Hooton, you didn't & carried on with oh well, business as usual.
Michelle, did you have a sore neck? Is that why you posed with your head to one side (is the camera rolling)? She would change the decorum in council that would see everyone being respectful, respectful debate & to listen. She said "we often don't listen". Does that include you Ms. Hooton or just applies to others? Question about getting the young voters out & I had to laugh when she said any one of her daughters would think she had 2 heads if I told them what to do! She's forever telling them what to do & is not interested in allowing them to participate in a discussion only if it's in agreement with hers! Michelle Hooton left Saint John to open her aerobics studio in NYC.If that business had survived, she wouldn't have been back to Saint John. She's was looking to buy a home there.It was easier to come home instead of finding work & not because she missed home.
With four days left before voter's head to the polls, 150 showed up at e.p.r. last night to hear what three of the mayoralty candidates had to say on several issues. Candidates Ivan Court, John Ferguson and Incumbent Mayor Mcfarlane touched on several topics including the future of water management. Macfarlane says he's proud of the work he and council have accomplished in this mandate: council has done.
Mcfarlane adds for a number of years prior, there has been no increase in the budget. Candidates Michelle Hooton and Mike Richardson were invited to the discussion but did not show up.
Why didn't Michelle Hooton take this opportunity to get her message out there? Is it because this was an informal debate where she'd have to think on her feet & not from 'prepared' answers to questions? Perhaps her common sense approach isn't common practice!
'I believe in Saint John'
Is that a new play Michelle's directing?
I also watched the videos of the other candidates and she is the only one worth considering.