Councillor Henry Braun announced today he will be conducting a telephone survey over the next two to three weeks about the issues Abbotsford citizens consider most important to the in the upcoming municipal election.
In response to question about the secret telephone survey which is being conducted in Abbostford, Braun, who announced his candidacy June 10, told Abbotsford Today, “Neither I or my campaign team commissioned any poll. However, some of my volunteers will begin a random telephone survey asking what their top two or three issues in the next week or two. Each caller will identify themselves and state that they are calling on behalf of Councillor Braun who is running for the position of Mayor. We will be not be hiding who is calling and why!”
Braun re-iterated statements he made when announcing his candidacy.
“We have lost the trust of our citizens. We have been unjust to our citizens and we have to earn their trust back,” he said.
At the time Braun listed the major issues over the last several years in Abbotsford which he believes have broken the relationship between citizens and their municipal government:
- Abbotsford Entertainment Centre (AESC) losses
- Abbotsford Heat Contract
- Water Referendum
- YMCA Proposal
- Chicken Manure Incident
- Homelessness
- Financial Mismanagement
In announcing his candidacy, Braun said that the other major issue he felt would have to be addressed immediately is the City’s reputation for the way it deals with the homeless. Braun said he believes the Housing First approach to helping homeless citizens is key and that he has some reservations with the idea of a Dignity Village-style housing project because, in his mind, he needs to be convinced that approach leads to positive outcomes and is anything other than a temporary solution.
One of his strongest arguments made during the press conference was about the need for City of Abbotsford to start obeying the law, obeying its own bylaws and ensuring there is a level playing field for businesses and residents.
“The flagrant violations of our own bylaws have to stop,” he said, adding that the issues he was speaking about are not the fault of staff but rather of a council which, too often, doesn’t do its homework.