Community involvement focus of new La Loche, Sask., mayor

A new man will be taking the mayor's seat in La Loche, Sask., after the community's election Wednesday.

Robert St. Pierre was elected mayor with 473 votes, beating the 330 votes for Kevin Janvier, who served as the community's acting mayor since late 2015 when Georgina Jolibois was elected the area's MP.

"I guess people just saw what they wanted to see, and they see something more with me," St. Pierre told CBC on Friday, "something that's more open, someone that's going to be involving the general public on decisions."

Having spent his life in La Loche, St. Pierre has been involved with a number of local boards. Now that his children are grown and he and his wife have a well-established business, St. Pierre said it was the right time to run for mayor.

He said he spent a lot of time visiting people in the community to find out what they want.

"They want to be involved. And I was able to offer that to them."

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St. Pierre extended his gratitude to the former acting mayor and council, who had to lead the community during the devastating January shooting that left four people dead.

St. Pierre's family has also experienced violence first hand. His daughter was hit in a drive-by shooting in 2009, and his brother was killed in a shooting the following year.

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The newly-elected mayor said he thinks public safety is important to the entire community.

"So what I'd like to do is involve the community in public safety and how we move forward with that. Because a lot of people have ideas and people have concerns and issues they want to bring forth."

St. Pierre said health services and education are other issues he'd like to address. First, however, St. Pierre said he will take some time to transition into and learn about his new role.

Results of the La Loche municipal election

Mayor

• Robert St. Pierre 473 votes
• Kevin Janvier 330 votes
• Ida Lemaigne 178 votes
• Daniel Montgrande 110 votes

Councillors

• Randy Herman with 657 votes
• Justina Kilfoyl with 394 votes
• Stephen King with 374 votes
• John Janvier with 301 votes
• Keith Shewchuk with 227 votes
• Marina Janvier with 221 votes