MOOSE JAW — Zac Monchamp announced that he will run for a position on Moose Jaw city council in the upcoming civic election. Following his announcement, the Moose Jaw Express reached out with a few questions on Oct. 29.
Q: “What motivated you to enter public service?”
A: “I was motivated by the lack of change and progress on the issues that I and others I know are facing in Moose Jaw,” Monchamp said. “I see the taxes always increasing but there’s little that I and most others see being done with them.
“I want Moose Jaw to prosper so my children will have options here, (and) so they can settle and have their own families in Moose Jaw in the future.”
Q: “How would you describe yourself as both an individual and as a candidate?”
A: “I am a very curious person by nature; I ask a lot of questions (and) I enjoy solving problems and working with others to find common ground for those solutions,” Monchamp replied. “As my family wasn’t well off, I’ve had to learn the value of a dollar early, so I’m very financially conscious of what are needs (and what are) wants.”
Q: “How do you stay connected to the community?”
A: “I stay connected to the community the same as most others do — through events, friends, family, and social media groups,” he said. “It’s very important as someone seeking public office to know what the community is experiencing.”
Q: “How would you describe your vision for the city?”
A: “My vision for Moose Jaw is one of growth and opportunities for everyone, regardless of their financial or social standing.”
Q: “How will you ensure accountability and transparency in your role?”
A: “When it comes to accountability and transparency in my role, part of my plan is to deliver the answers that I get to my questions to the people,” Monchamp said. “I will engage with the public in different forums and also deliver their questions to council when I can’t answer them myself.
“To ensure the privacy of residents, I will not include their names unless they want me to.”
Q: “What are your top guiding values?”
A: Monchamp said his guiding values include honesty, communication, collaboration, and positivity. “I am a firm believer in ‘The cup is half full,’ and as a single vote on council, teamwork is essential to getting progress made.”
Q: “What would you say are the top three issues or concerns that you would like to address?”
A: “I believe the top three issues facing Moose Jaw are, simply put, infrastructure, economic, and social issues,” he said. “Many of these issues have been amplified by previous councils and (this is) why I decided to run.”
Q: “In your own words, why should people vote for you?”
A: “I believe voters in Moose Jaw are tired of the status quo,” Monchamp said. “I, like many residents, want change and want to see a Moose Jaw (full) of prosperity and opportunities. I hope they will give me a chance to bring that change and push for progress on the issues facing Moose Jaw. (These issues) are only going to get worse if council keeps kicking the can down the proverbial road.”
In closing, Monchamp asked voters for the opportunity to bring about change.
“I am running because I want to see fiscal responsibility; I don’t want to see taxes keep going up while the roads keep crumbling,” he said. “I want to refocus the city’s priorities onto the things that will benefit everyone — not just a select few.
“I believe we need more low income housing. Our infrastructure is crumbling, and I think city hall should be more reactive and flexible when it comes to businesses. Moose Jaw has promise and deserves changes for the better,” he continued. “That’s why I’m asking you to give me the chance to work with — and, most importantly, for — the residents of Moose Jaw as one of your representatives on council.
“I want to thank my friends, family, and fellow residents for helping me have this chance to be a councillor and (to) bring (about) change.”
You can reach out to Zac Monchamp through email at [email protected].
A complete list of election candidates with a link to their interviews can be found at "MJVotes24: A list of all 29 candidates in upcoming civic election."
The upcoming civic election will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 13.
