Sspomitapi
Pronunciation: SS-POH-ME-TAH-PEE
Map
Candidates
| Name | Contest | Taproot Survey | Website | Disclosure | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Councillor | Complete | N/A | joannewrightyeg | |||
| Councillor | Complete | N/A | N/A | |||
| Councillor | Complete | N/A | N/A | |||
| Councillor | Complete | N/A | N/A | |||
| Councillor | Complete | N/A | harmankandola | |||
| Councillor | Complete | N/A | N/A | |||
| Councillor | Complete | N/A | moebangayeg |
Taproot Survey responses
Taproot has put together 30 multiple-choice questions drawing from what we heard when we asked voters what key issues they wanted the candidates to be talking about as they competed for votes in the 2021 municipal election. We sent this survey to candidates; now voters have an opportunity to answer the same questions to see how they align with those who are running for mayor and council in their wards.
Taproot received 7 responses to the Taproot Survey from candidates in this ward. Here they are by category:
Economy
How much should the city spend to help local business recover from the pandemic?
a) It should spend more
b) Current support is sufficient
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
c) It should spend less
No candidates selected this response
d) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
Is the city's current approach to encouraging economic diversification heading in the right direction?
a) Yes, we have effective initiatives in place
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
b) No, the city should put more resources behind nurturing homegrown businesses
c) No, the city should put more resources behind attracting global businesses
d) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
Do you support the Downtown Vibrancy Strategy released in June?
a) Yes, and we should fully fund the plan
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
b) Yes, at the current level of investment
c) No, we have already spent enough on downtown
No candidates selected this response
d) No, I support investment in downtown but not this plan
Moe Banga Councillor
e) I don't have a position on this issue
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
Environment
What do you think of the Community Energy Transition Strategy and action plan?
a) It's a good start but we need to go farther to reach our goals
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
b) It's a strong plan; we just need to follow it
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
c) The action items are too expensive
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
d) Climate action is not the responsibility of the city
No candidates selected this response
e) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
Should effects on the climate be taken into account in every decision city council makes?
a) Yes, every decision has climate implications
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
b) Yes for some decisions but not all
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
c) No, most decisions don't have climate implications
No candidates selected this response
d) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
Do you think city council should have approved the Epcor's E.L. Smith Solar Farm?
a) Yes
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
b) No, I support solar power but that's the wrong location
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
c) No, I don't support solar power anywhere
No candidates selected this response
d) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
Finances
What do you think the city's main fiscal challenge is?
a) City council hasn't been willing to raise taxes enough
No candidates selected this response
b) The city has limited ability to raise revenues
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
c) The city spends too much
No candidates selected this response
d) The city spends its resources inefficiently
e) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
What do you think of the city's revenue split between residential and business taxes?
a) The current mix is acceptable
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
b) Residences should pay more
No candidates selected this response
c) Businesses should pay more
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
d) Both should pay less, even if that means a reduction of services
No candidates selected this response
e) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
What do you think of the size of the city's workforce?
a) The city has about the right number of employees
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
b) The city has too many employees
Moe Banga Councillor
c) The city has too few employees
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
d) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
Housing and homelessness
How should the city approach the provision of affordable housing?
a) The city should build more affordable housing, even if it can't get funding from other orders of government
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
b) The city cannot afford to build more affordable housing without financial support from other orders of government
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
c) The city should not build more affordable housing regardless of financial support from other orders of government
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
d) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
Should the city expand its Housing First programs?
a) Yes, Housing First is the right approach and we need more of it
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
b) No, the existing programs are sufficient
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
c) No, residents should undergo treatment for underlying issues such as substance use and mental illness before participating in housing programs
No candidates selected this response
d) No, this shouldn't be the city's responsibility
Moe Banga Councillor
e) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
How should the city address encampments?
a) The current policy towards encampments is acceptable
b) Encampments should be allowed if there are no better housing options available
c) Encampments should be dismantled immediately
No candidates selected this response
d) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
Planning
Which statement best describes your opinion of city council's zoning decisions?
a) Council has shown the right amount of flexibility regarding zoning bylaws
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
b) Council has been too flexible under pressure from developers
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
c) Council has not been flexible enough to make way for development
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
d) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
Do you support the city's current approach to infill?
a) Yes
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
b) No, primarily because it harms the character of mature neighbourhoods
No candidates selected this response
c) No, primarily because it allows too much gentrification
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
d) No, primarily because it interferes with market forces
No candidates selected this response
e) I don't have a position on this issue
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
How should council bring the 15-minute districts described in the City Plan to life?
a) Council should use every tool at its disposal, including financial penalties and incentives
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
b) Council should rely mostly on zoning decisions to support their creation
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
c) Council should not intentionally create 15-minute districts
No candidates selected this response
d) I don't have a position on this issue
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Police
Which statement best captures your beliefs about racism and the Edmonton Police Service?
a) Systemic racism is apparent throughout the EPS
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
b) The EPS is not racist on the whole, but there are some racist members
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
c) There is no racism within the EPS
No candidates selected this response
d) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
What should be done about the police budget?
a) Increase it as determined by the funding formula
b) Freeze it until it is in line with comparable cities
c) Decrease it somewhat
No candidates selected this response
d) Defund the police altogether
No candidates selected this response
e) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
When police request funding for capital projects, how should council respond?
a) Council should trust the police to know what they need and generally approve their requests
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
b) Council should closely scrutinize all requests
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
c) Council should not approve any further funding requests from police
No candidates selected this response
d) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
Politics and governance
Should candidates disclose their donors?
a) Yes, before the election
b) Yes, after the election
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
c) They shouldn't have donors
No candidates selected this response
d) They shouldn't have to disclose donors at any point
No candidates selected this response
e) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
Should city council continue to have a code of conduct?
a) Yes, and the current one is working fine
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
b) Yes, but the current one is not doing the job
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
c) No, elections are a sufficient mechanism for governing councillors' conduct
No candidates selected this response
d) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
Do referendum questions and Senate votes belong on municipal ballots?
a) Yes
No candidates selected this response
b) No
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
c) I accept the principle but object to some or all of these additions
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
d) I don't have a position on this issue
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Quality of life
How much should the city spend to help the arts sector recover from the pandemic?
a) It should spend more
b) Current support is sufficient
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
c) It should spend less
No candidates selected this response
d) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
Should the city have more permanent public washrooms?
a) Yes, we need more permanent public washrooms
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
b) No, we have enough
No candidates selected this response
c) No, we shouldn't have any
No candidates selected this response
d) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
Do you support the city's current approach to upholding the spirit and specifics of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 calls to action?
a) Yes, I support the current approach
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
b) No, the city should do more
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
c) No, the city is doing more than it should
No candidates selected this response
d) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
Roads
What should the residential speed limit be?
a) 30 km/h
No candidates selected this response
b) 40 km/h
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
c) 50 km/h
No candidates selected this response
d) I don't have a position on this issue
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Where do you stand on accommodating active transportation?
a) The city should make roads more accessible to active transportation
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
b) The city has enough infrastructure for active transportation
c) The city should make roads less accessible to active transportation
No candidates selected this response
d) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
Do you support the expansion of major roads?
a) I support these expansions
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
b) I oppose these expansions, primarily on financial grounds
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
c) I oppose these expansions, primarily on environmental grounds
No candidates selected this response
d) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
Transit
What should be done about transit fares?
a) Fares should decrease
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
b) Fares should be frozen where they are
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
c) Fares should go up as planned
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
d) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
What is your position on the bus network redesign?
a) It struck the right balance between frequency and coverage
No candidates selected this response
b) It sacrificed too much coverage to provide more frequency
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
c) The city should have taken money from something else to increase frequency and maintain coverage
d) Regardless of how it is configured, the city spends too much on transit
No candidates selected this response
e) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response
What should be done about LRT expansion?
a) Divert budget from other projects to build the LRT more quickly
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
b) Continue with the current plan
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
Moe Banga Councillor
c) Pause LRT construction and consider bus rapid transit instead
No candidates selected this response
d) Pause LRT construction and explore more future-focused technology like autonomous vehicle networks
No candidates selected this response
e) I don't have a position on this issue
No candidates selected this response