Broadcaster Hal Anderson seeks Winnipeg city council seat

Winnipeg broadcaster Hal Anderson says he's running for city council in the seat now occupied by Coun. Kevin Klein.

Anderson announced Wednesday he is stepping back from his longtime role as a talk-show host on CJOB and will soon register to campaignfor the council seat in Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood.

Anderson said he has learned a lot about the city issuesover the course of his 39-year career in broadcasting.

"I've done a lot of listening and a lot of talking, and now I feel like the timing is right for me to get to work," Anderson said in an interview several hours after saying goodbye to CJOB listeners.

Federal guidelines for TV and radio broadcasters require people running for public office to step away from the microphone over the course of an election campaign.

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Anderson said CJOBhas granted him a leave of absence in the event he wants to come back on air.

"I'm not leaving because I don't love and enjoy what I've done all these years. I'm leaving because it's a new chapter," he said. "I lost my mom recently, unexpectedly, and that just reminded me life is short."

Anderson said he's 58 years old and does not want to wait until he's 62 to run for council.

Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood is a wide-open seat because Klein is running for mayor. Anderson endorsed Klein on air during his farewell address.

Anderson also asked listeners to vote for him.

"Please support me, as you have for so many years on the radio," he said on air.

Anderson's only opponent in the ward so far called that plea "free advertising."

"He's the celeb, but I have no concerns, because city council needs a business person," said Brad Gross, a realtor who ran for mayor in 2010 and also sought the Old Kildonan council seat in 2018.

The city official in charge of election spending said he does not believe Anderson broke any electoral rules by asking listeners to support him.

"What he's doing is campaigning before he's registered, but he hasn't spent any money," said Richard Kachur, the city's campaign expenses and contributions officer.

Anderson said he did not tell anyone at CJOB he was going toask voters for support.

"That was my statement. I put it out there because they've supported me on the radio for many, many years, and I put it out there wanting them to know that I was hoping to get their support, whether they were in Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood or not," he said.

The civic election is on Oct. 26.