Donald Teuma-
castlletti
MRC PONTIAC July 19, 2017
As many people may know by now, Pontiacers will have another box to tick in the upcoming municipal elections. That’s because Pontiac voters will now have the power to elect their official warden, a role that has previously been selected by the council of mayors.
What does that mean for the Pontiac? One big thing is that anyone has the potential to be the warden come the final tally after election day, on Nov. 5, 2017.
So how does someone go about getting their name on the ballot? The Equity spoke with MRC Pontiac Director-General Bernard Roy in order to find this out.
First off, running for warden works much like running for mayor or councillor.
“The nomination papers must be filed officially during the period beginning on day 44 (September 22) and ending on day 30 (October 6) at (4:30 pm),” said Roy, in an email. “The candidate must collect at least 10 supporting signatures. He or she is also responsible for checking and confirming his or her eligibility. The candidate or his or her official agent must also follow a simple correspondence course on their roles and responsibilities in matters of political financing and control of election expenses.”
That means that those seeking to run for the position must be aware of the basic requirements of running for municipal office. Whereas a candidate may join the race now, failure to garner 10 signatures, file their nomination papers or follow the political financing course would find them stopped in their tracks.
Joining the campaign now, it turns out, is quite simple.
“To campaign immediately, a future candidate can officially declare [themselves] a candidate by submitting an engagement form before [the] official filing period,” said Roy. “To do so, the candidate must communicate with the returning office.”
As for confirming a candidate’s eligibility, it’s also rather easy. They must be at least 18 years of age on polling day; a physical person with Canadian citizenship; not under curatorship; free of conviction within the last five years of any corrupt electoral processes; and also live in the MRC for 12 months, whether that time has been continuously or not.
Responsibilities for this role are some that should be greatly respected.
“The warden represents the population of Pontiac. He or she will defend issues that are important to the population,” said Roy. “The warden must also communicate well and frequently. He (or she) will be elected on ideals, or for a particular project or program. [They’ll] be accountable to the population with transparency and honesty, and periodically report on the progress of his (her) agenda.”
An important factor for this role, he stressed, is that the warden is representative of 18 municipalities across the MRC, with diverse cultures pocketed throughout. The challenge, therefore, is uniting them towards a singular goal for everyone’s benefit.
“The elected warden has many responsibilities. But the ultimate one is to serve. He serves the population of Pontiac. Everything else is an offshoot of that main responsibility,” said Roy.
As of the print deadline, only two candidates have thrown their name into the hat: current Warden Raymond Durocher and former MNA Charlotte L’Écuyer.
Roy is looking to add a few more names to the ballot.
“Let me quote [French educator and historian] Pierre de Coubertin, ‘The most important thing is not to win but to take part,’” said Roy.
Roy stresses, however, that candidates don’t need any political experience in order to run for the position. In fact, he encourages those without it to try their hand, as it may bring out greater competition.
“Just pay attention to Hon. Diane Lebouthillier, [who] became the first warden of MRC Rocher-Percé in 2010, with no municipal experience. She is now the Minister of National Revenue and [a] Member of Parliament in Ottawa,” said Roy.
