C/O Keanin Loomis

Loomis discusses Sewergate, developing a more responsive city hall and the importance of the student vote

The Silhouette sat down with Hamilton mayoral candidate Keanin Loomis to discuss his platform for the upcoming municipal election.  

Loomis has been an active member of the Hamilton community through his involvement in Innovation Factory as chief operating officer and as president and CEO of Hamilton Chamber of Commerce.  

Loomis was motivated to run for mayor after feeling that some issues were mishandled by the current governing body. Namely, the sewage leak in Cootes Paradise and the police response to violence at 2019 Hamilton Pride.  

“One of the big things that motivated me to run was the dumping of sewage into the Cootes Paradise and its subsequent coverup. It just absolutely disgusted me. It was one of the reasons why I decided to step up, because we need better leadership in this community,” said Loomis. 

One of the big things that motivated me to run was the dumping of sewage into the Cootes Paradise and its subsequent coverup. It just absolutely disgusted me. It was one of the reasons why I decided to step up, because we need better leadership in this community.

Keanin Loomis, Hamilton mayoral candidate

Loomis discussed the main pillars of his campaign — rebuilding trust in city hall, growing Hamilton economically, enhancing responsiveness in city hall and focusing on a safer and cleaner city.  

Loomis expressed there has been a shift in focus away from crucial issues and towards petty grievances in city hall, which he identified as a problem.  

“Week after week after week, we're seeing embarrassing things happening at city hall and a lot of wasted energy focused on personalities . . . we needed better leadership in this community,” said Loomis 

Loomis’ platform also includes a plan for furthering Hamilton’s economic development. Loomis plans to focus on affordability and accessibility for all citizens. Alongside this, he also discussed the need to take the city’s carbon footprint more seriously.  

“I am going to be focused on creating a clean, safe and healthy Hamilton. For my kids, for equity seeking groups that might not feel safe here and for the environment as well,” said Loomis. 

I am going to be focused on creating a clean, safe, and healthy Hamilton. For my kids, for equity seeking groups that might not feel safe here and for the environment as well.

Keanin Loomis, Hamilton mayoral candidate

There will be a significant amount of turnover following this municipal election, as at least seven positions are being elected out of the 16 person political body, providing a unique opportunity for change. Loomis explained that this potential for reform is notable, especially regarding current challenges city hall has faced in staying focused on important issues.  

“[I] want to make sure that very quickly I set the right tone and make it very clear that we are not going to continue to do things as city hall has over the last couple of decades. If we can get over that hump, I think that we'll be able to really get down to business and work on meeting our challenges and taking advantage of opportunities,” said Loomis.  

[I] want to make sure that very quickly I set the right tone and make it very clear that we are not going to continue to do things as city hall has over the last couple of decades. If we can get over that hump, I think that we'll be able to really get down to business and work on meeting our challenges and taking advantage of opportunities.

Keanin Loomis, Hamilton mayoral candidate

Loomis also emphasized the importance of young people keeping informed on the election and casting their vote. McMaster students are directly impacted by the decisions the municipality makes and Loomis suggested that by developing a stronger understanding of these decisions and how they’re made, students will be sure to find something that motivates them to get to the polls and vote.  

“If you can understand how all three levels of government impact you on a daily basis, you will be a generally more informed citizen and you will be motivated to have your say when the time comes to speak up,” said Loomis 

Keanin Loomis is running for mayor in the Oct. 2022 municipal election. His candidate profile has be posted as part of a series the Silhouette is running to build student awareness about the municipal election. Candidate profiles will continue to be posted in alphabetical order over the next few weeks. Election Day is Oct. 24 and more details on how to vote can be found here.  

Ikhuiwu details his mayoral platform, focusing on the housing crisis and the importance of unity

The Silhouette sat down with mayoral candidate Solomon Ikhuiwu to discuss his platform and experience running in the upcoming municipal election. 

An evangelical preacher, trained paralegal and author, Ikhuiwu is a candidate in Hamilton’s mayoral race who is excited about unifying the city and advocating for its residents.  

Ikhuiwu outlined the four key pillars of his platform as integrity, affordability, environment and community. Practically, the issues Ikhuiwu highlighted as being central to his platform are addressing the housing crisis and unifying the city. 

In particular, Ikhuiwu identified housing as being one of the most important issues in this election. In the past he has donated clothing to unhoused residents of Hamilton, cleaned up parts of the city for them and spent a lot of time talking to them. He expressed that these experiences have driven him to prioritize the housing crisis in his platform.  

"Winter is coming and [unhoused people] don't have a place they can call home and many of them complain that the shelter system is worse than prison,” said Ikhuiwu.  

Winter is coming and [unhoused people] don't have a place they can call home and many of them complain that the shelter system is worse than prison.

Solomon Ikhuiwu, Hamilton Mayoral Candidate

Ikhuiwu did not provide more details regarding his plan to address the housing crisis. In their article, CBC Hamilton noted his platform also includes developing transition programs for unhoused folks. 

In terms of unifying the city, Ikhuiwu spoke about hoping to increase collaboration between different parts of the city. He did not provide further details on how this unity would be achieved.  

Ikhuiwu did, however, speak about his desire to be an accessible and open mayor. Despite not having prior political experience, he believes his experiences as an author and a preacher have given him the ability to connect with many people and help them with the different circumstances of their lives, making him well-equipped for the job of mayor. 

“Let me clarify that I'm not a politician. I represent the everyday, hard-working people,” said Ikhuiwu.  

Finally, Ikhuiwu emphasized the importance of the student vote in this election, emphasizing that student voices matter for the path of the city. He also urged students to give Hamilton a chance, rather than rushing to leave the city upon completing their degrees.  

"[Students] tell me things like I can't wait to leave the city of Hamilton, I can't wait to move somewhere else, I can't wait to take my talents to a different place because we don't want to be a part of [this city]. So, my plea to the students is: be patient with city hall. Be patient. I'm bringing change. Give us a second chance,” said Ikhuiwu.  

[Students] tell me things like I can't wait to leave the city of Hamilton, I can't wait to move somewhere else, I can't wait to take my talents to a different place because we don't want to be a part of [this city]. So, my plea to the students is: be patient with city hall. Be patient. I'm bringing change. Give us a second chance.

Solomon Ikhuiwu, Hamilton Mayoral Candidate

Solomon Ikhuiwu is running for mayor in the Oct. 2022 municipal election. His candidate profile has be posted as part of a series the Silhouette is running to build student awareness about the municipal election. Candidate profiles will continue to be posted in alphabetical order over the next few weeks. Election Day is Oct. 24 and more details on how to vote can be found here.  

Mayoral candidate Hermiz Ishaya discusses the housing crisis, the importance of the youth vote and his experience as the youngest mayoral candidate

The Silhouette sat down with mayoral candidate Hermiz Ishaya to discuss his platform and experience running in the upcoming municipal election.  

At 21 years old, Ishaya is the youngest candidate in the mayoral race. He described himself as being eager for change in the city and optimistic about the abilities of young people to make a difference.  

At 21 years old, Ishaya is the youngest candidate in the mayoral race. He described himself as being eager for change in the city and optimistic about the abilities of young people to make a difference.  

Ishaya identified housing as a key issue in this election and a key component of his platform. He expressed frustration at how difficult it has become to buy a house in Hamilton, particularly for young people.  

“In my opinion we should be building more houses. We have free space in the city and we can build more houses. By building more houses, we can decrease the prices of houses. We can also decrease the price of rent, because if there's more supply, there will be less demand,” said Ishaya.  

According to a 2021 study by the Smart Prosperity institute at the University of Ottawa, Hamilton will need to build 52,400 more homes by 2031 in order to successfully mitigate the current housing crisis.  

Lack of supply is also only one aspect of Hamilton’s ongoing housing crisis; other issues at play include gaps in tenants’ rights, gentrification and systemic inequalities.  

Beyond housing, Ishaya discussed his desire to build better infrastructure and roads, to invest in family businesses and to get more young people involved in politics.  

In their article about the mayoral candidates, CBC Hamilton detailed Ishaya’s plan to build more bike lanes and trails, highlighting the affordability of biking as a mode of transportation.  

Ishaya also expressed a desire to act as a positive role model for young people.  

“I decided to run for mayor because I've always really been attracted to politics and I decided [that] I wanted to be an example for younger people. I wanted to show younger people that anything is possible if you put your mind to it,” said Ishaya.  

I decided to run for mayor because I've always really been attracted to politics and I decided [that] I wanted to be an example for younger people. I wanted to show younger people that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

Hermiz Ishaya, Hamilton Mayoral Candidate

Ishaya urged young people to continue to involve themselves in politics, encouraging them not just to vote but also to consider running in elections as well.  

“Young people need to be really involved because it's their future as well. They're the ones that are going to be paying mortgages in a few years. They're the ones that are going to [have] a high amount of debt, so of course, they have to be worried about [politics],” said Ishaya.  

Ishaya has been doing the majority of his campaigning on his Twitter. He also stated that he and his team were working on a website; however, as of the publication of this article, the website does not yet appear to exist.  

Hermiz Ishaya is running for mayor in the Oct. 2022 municipal election. His candidate profile has been posted as part of a series the Silhouette is running to build student awareness about the municipal election. Candidate profiles will continue to be posted in alphabetical order over the next few weeks. Election Day is Oct. 24 and more details on how to vote can be found here.  

Ejaz Butt’s platform focuses on supporting the unhoused community, building the LRT and fostering accountability at City Hall 

The Silhouette sat down with Ejaz Butt to discuss his campaign for mayor in the 2022 Hamilton municipal election.  

Butt first ran for mayor in the 2014 Hamilton municipal election. After years of being a proactive citizen in Hamilton politics, Butt discussed how he felt it was time to become involved and build his platform. He was particularly motivated to run for mayor and give back to the city after observing deficits in tax policies and a lack of transparency and accountability in Hamilton City Hall.  

Many may recognize Butt from his unique car, which he has decked out in merchandise as advertisement for his campaign. Butt has been involved in the taxi industry for over 20 years and currently works as an Uber driver, providing him with many unique advertisement opportunities. 

Butt has a 20 point campaign agenda which he explained was formulated based on feedback from citizens. A few significant focuses of this agenda include affordable housing and rent capping, investing in more shelter homes for the unhoused population and turning attention towards youth facing affordability challenges. 

“Young professionals and entrepreneurs are facing an economic crisis due to volatile and high interest rates and affordability of housing. [The youth] need more attention at this time,” said Butt.  

“Young professionals and entrepreneurs are facing an economic crisis due to volatile and high interest rates and affordability of housing. [The youth] need more attention at this time,”

Ejaz Butt, Hamilton Mayoral Candidate

Additional focuses of Butt’s campaign include updating police stations with more modern technology, revitalizing downtown areas, keeping urban boundaries firm, cleaning contaminated water and finishing the LRT project.  

When discussing the LRT, Butt explained despite over a billion dollars put towards the project, very few results have been seen. It is important to Butt to ensure tax dollars are being put towards their appropriate use. 

“The main problem is in City Hall, [specifically] in the planning and development department where most of the corruption is done. I may not root out the corruption, but at least I can reduce it. If elected, I will freeze the property taxes for four months, because we have already gone through a lot,” said Butt.  

“The main problem is in City Hall, [specifically] in the planning and development department where most of the corruption is done. I may not root out the corruption, but at least I can reduce it. If elected, I will freeze the property taxes for four months, because we have already gone through a lot.”

Ejaz Butt, Hamilton Mayoral Candidate

Butt highlighted the ongoing housing crisis in Hamilton and the lack of resources available to combat the issue. He detailed how issues within shelters, such as unsafe environments or lack of security, also make these resources inaccessible for many citizens.  

Lastly, Butt explained his campaign strives to centre Hamilton youth and their economic future. He expressed the urgency of addressing the housing and affordability crises as soon as possible, as remaining complicit will only harm young people entering the workforce, such as McMaster University students.  

“The youth are leading us into the future. My generation has already done our time. If our young entrepreneurs are not looked after, we will see more homeless people on the streets,” said Butt.  

“The youth are leading us into the future. My generation has already done our time. If our young entrepreneurs are not looked after, we will see more homeless people on the streets."

Ejaz Butt, Hamilton Mayoral Candidate

Ejaz Butt is running for mayor in the Oct. 2022 municipal election. His candidate profile has be posted as part of a series the Silhouette is running to build student awareness about the municipal election. Candidate profiles will continue to be posted in alphabetical order over the next few weeks. Election Day is Oct. 24 and more details on how to vote can be found here.  

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