Meet the Candidates: Martin Chevalier
Municipal Elections are taking place in October. As one of the main media outlets in the City of Cornwall, The Seeker is always eager to getting to know the candidates. As such, we send each candidate a questionnaire requesting for them to give their position on the most pressing issues near and dear to you, our readers. During the upcoming weeks, we will be publishing the answers from each candidate who choses to respond. Every candidate was sent 11 questions, penned by our own, Jason Setnyk. They can chose to answer as many as they want. We will post them online as they come in. Here are Martin Chevalier’s Questions and Answers. Click on any question to reveal the answer.
1 – Please give us a brief biography / tell the readers about yourself.
(e.g., work/family/education/experience)
I am from Montreal area. Did a BAA at Moncton University. Moved in Orleans in 2007 and bought a home in Cornwall in June 2019. I worked most of my life in the tire industry for manufacturers and distributors. I love exercising, biking, gym and like to encourage to move !
2 – If you were on Council the previous term, tell us about your accomplishments during the past four years. If you were not on City Council this last term, please tell us why you are running and what you hope to accomplish.
I would love to get involved in attracting businesses in the area and make Cornwall a better place. I biked the city in all directions and noticed many ideas of improvement. I would also love to see our communications improved. Cellular network is very bad here.
3 – With rents skyrocketing, what can City Council in Cornwall do to prevent renovictions like those at Cumberland Gardens that have impacted many in our community?
I am not familiar with this situation so I have no ideas on how to solve this problem. I am sure there is a lot of specialist in different Government organizations who must have ideas on how to handle this and just need the political support to do it ?
4 – In 2018, the City of Cornwall purchased the old Bank of Montreal building in our downtown for $450,000 as the future home of Cornwall’s Art Centre. In 2019, Council heard a report that renovations would cost an additional $4 to $6 million dollars. In addition to the fundraising already being done, will you support some public tax dollars going towards a Cornwall Art Centre, or should the municipality pause any additional financial support?
Why not asking the population to vote on this by a online survey ?
5 – Post-pandemic, what can Council do to improve Economic Development for the city and support existing businesses?
The landscape of the retail is changing with online shopping and other heavy trends. We need to be careful and not try to maintain some business models on the decline too. We need to attract the business of the future.
6 – What are your thoughts on the McConnell Medical Clinic closure? Although health care is a provincial issue, is there anything Council can do to attract more doctors and nurses to our city?
I have no opinion on this, it’s not something I was aware.
7 – While climate change is a global issue, what can the City do locally to keep our neighborhoods cool and protect natural resources like the St. Lawrence River?
We need more bike paths, more bike racks to lock your bike, maybe a system of bike renting.
8 – Many City businesses are open on Sundays, and many events happen on Sundays. Do you support Sunday service for Cornwall Transit?
Yes. Maybe a bus service Ottawa/Cornwall and Montreal/Cornwall need to be analyzed
9 – What can we do to improve social services in Cornwall? Examples include but are not limited to Cornwall Transit, childcare spaces, or LTR spaces.
Can we increase the hours of operation of the pool? I think the city could use another pool too ?
10 – Do you support keeping tax increases to a bare minimum? If yes, where would the savings come from, and would you support reducing some services? If you do not support keeping tax increases to a minimum, explain your reasoning why.
Implement a car pool system for city vehicles. Trying to get more things automated. Review all the jobs and see if some are still required?
11 – How can candidates contact you? Please provide a phone number and/or email and/or one website (or one social media link).
Ma*************@ou*****.com
613-330-1468
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