Candidates sign up for Hamilton’s municipal election

We’re 10 months away from this fall’s municipal election but across the province Thursday was day one to register to run for office. In Hamilton we already know there will be a new councillor in ward one as Brian McHattie has officially signed up to run for Mayor. We have more on the first day of candidate registration at city hall.

To the applause of family and supporters, ward one Councillor Brian McHattie walked down from his 2nd floor office at city hall to officially file his registration papers to run for mayor: “Ten years on council for me it feels like a critical time for Hamilton and a critical time and a critical time for me to step up and play a different role in this city.”

McHattie briefly touched on some themes he wants to address in his campaign including Hamilton’s air quality, engaging the city’s neighbourhoods and heritage protection.
McHattie also accused current Mayor Bob Bratina of not being involved in city issues and says he wants to see changes in council: “We’ve got huge talents on council and councillors are sitting on the bench and they’re not being allowed to be involved in citywide issues. That’s a huge change when I become mayor.”

When asked about the comment, Mayor Bratina pointed to the accomplishments made during his term such as the Pan Am Stadium and all-day two-way GO Transit at a James Street North station: “Everything that I’ve stood for has come about and mostly with unanimous or near unanimous approval of our council colleagues so you take that for what its worth.”

Bratina wouldn’t say directly if he will be running again: “Upon registering, I’d be the Mayor and a candidate. We’ve got a lot of issues that we’re dealing with right now and I prefer to do that out of the realm of campaigning.”

Although in the past, he *has said he sees no reason not to seek re-election on October 27th. While former Mayor Fred Eisenberger is also expected to run again.

So far the only other official candidate for Mayor is Michael Baldasaro. He has run in each of Hamilton’s municipal elections, save for one, since 1984.