A chat with mayoral candidate Robert-Falcon Ouellette

A former federal member of parliament is now vying to be Winnipeg’s next mayor.

Robert-Falcon Ouellette, a 27-year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), said of all his work experiences it’s his time in his military that prepared him most for the position of mayor.

He noted that during his time in the Canadian Armed Forces he watched some really great leaders, as well as some “terrible” ones.

“I took an intermediate leadership program at the Royal Military College and an advanced leadership program as well at the RMC,” Ouellette said in an interview with CTV News Winnipeg.

“I think those really offered a lot of techniques about what we need to do as leaders to get people moving in the right direction and getting collaboration.”

He said we have to stop electing politicians who do the same things, associate with the same kinds of people, and come up with the same solutions.

One of the solutions Ouellette is suggesting to stop the rise of violent crime in Winnipeg is to ensure there is proper treatment for people dealing with addiction, including prescribed pharmaceuticals and a supervised consumption site.

“The challenge in offering all those services is it does require the province to help,” he said.

“But if they are not willing to help, then I think it’s time for the city to have the leadership and the guts to go at it alone and to do something.”

To do this, Ouellette said he would take vacant parking lots in downtown Winnipeg, and tax them as if they were a four-storey building, generating millions in revenue.

“We’re not going after the mother and the dad and the working class in the neighbourhoods and trying to get more money out of them,” Ouellette explained.

“We’re going after those land developers who aren’t developing our downtown.”

You can watch the full interview here with mayoral candidate Robert-Falcon Ouellette, and hear more about what he is promising to do if elected mayor.

CTV News will be conducting interviews with all 11 mayoral candidates in the lead-up to the election. You can find more coverage of the mayoral race on the CTV News Election Page.