Mayoral candidate looks to make most out of campaign office

Elliot Lake Councillor Chris Patrie has set up shop in the Hillside Plaza on Hillside Drive North.  

That happened Thursday morning when he arrived to start work in a storefront campaign headquarters which he rented for the duration of the 2022 municipal election campaign.

From that base he hopes to engineer a campaign to become the city’s next mayor.

Why a campaign office since usually municipal candidates don’t go to that much trouble?

Patrie said a candidate needs a base where people can come and talk because door-to-door canvassing has limited effectiveness. He has found many voters are missed on each canvass.

He plans to roll out more of his campaign plans and promises after Aug. 19, the last day for candidate nominations.

Patrie who was first elected to Elliot Lake City Council in 2006 said he registered to run for mayor early, on May 12, because he wanted to send a clear message, that this time he’s going after the mayor’s chair.   

He’s in favour of attracting as many people to the polls as possible. That means not only in the final vote on Oct. 24, but also in the advance polls (slated for Oct. 7-8 and Oct. 11-13) and in the Special Ballot Advance Voting to be offered at city hall throughout the months of September and October, til voting day.

Incumbent Mayor Dan Marchisella is seeking his third term as the city’s chief magistrate. He is the only other declared candidate so far in the mayor's race. Marchisella too has not released a full platform and plans to do so as the campaign unfolds. He registered to run for a third term on June 30.

Who else could run? Patrie's not sure but he believes at least one woman is interested in testing the waters.

Asked what needs to be done next term, Patrie replied, “I believe that we need to focus more and get the work done. There's an awful lot of stuff that's not being done yet. And I want to see it happen. I want to get our Art Centre rebuilt, our theatre. It's imperative to get that and get the museum opened back up.

“And I believe that if we worked well with the province and the federal government, there is funding out there we can get.

“If I get elected, I'm going to Queen's Park and I'm going to work on it. The important thing is you have to work with the staff. Appreciate the staff, appreciate the politicians that are in power. It doesn't matter that we're 'orange,'" he explained.

Patrie discounts those who say Elliot Lake will always be shut out at the federal and provincial government troughs as long as people keep voting for NDP reps in Ottawa and at Queen’s Park.

“If we work well with the provincial government, the federal government, there's funding there.

“Years ago, we had funding from parties. When the mall collapsed in 2012, it was 'red.' The Liberals came and gave us a lot of money and we were 'orange,'” he went on.

“So if you work with the people that are in place instead of telling them that they're just beating us up and picking on us and this and that. I think if we work with them, we will start to get that funding back. And that will be my goal if I’m elected,” Patrie concluded.