Edmonton election ward profile: pihêsiwin
Ward pihêsiwin is located in southwest Edmonton along the North Saskatchewan River.
Pihêsiwin is Cree for the Land of the Thunderbirds.
From an aerial view, the ward is said to be shaped like a thunderbird, or a pihêsiwin -- the majestic bird of the Cree people.
- Complete coverage of the municipal election
- Edmonton's new Indigenous ward names, explained
- New places for familiar councillors? More than new names to city's overhauled electoral wards
Here's a look at the candidates in pihêsiwin.
TIM CARTMELL
Tim Cartmell (Supplied)
Tim Cartmell is the incumbent in Ward pihêsiwin.
He was first elected to Edmonton City Council in 2017 and is seeking re-election in October.
Cartmell is a professional engineer and owns a small consulting engineering company.
Being a lifelong resident of Edmonton, Cartmell believes his professional experience and education have helped him better serve the community.
“I have seen our city and ward develop and evolve over the years,” he said.
“I have been involved at the community level in advocating for those amenities that our community desired, including the Terwillegar Recreation Centre, the Go Centre and the community theatre at Lillian Osborne High School.”
The biggest challenge the city will face will moving forward will be recovering from the pandemic, Cartmell told CTV News Edmonton.
“As a city, we will need to work hard to restore public confidence to use transit, to come back to our recreation centres, to visit our public spaces.”
“At the same time, the city faces very serious financial challenges,” he added.
Without financial health, the city will be “hard pressed” to take on other issues in a meaningful way, he said.
“Making difficult decisions about what the city can do and what it can't will be a primary focus for the next four years.”
GUISCELA PEREZ ARELLANO
Guiscela Perez Arellano (Supplied)
Originally from Durango, Mexico, Guiscela Perez Arellano moved to Canada in 2012 and became a Canadian citizen in 2019. She has lived in the ward for nearly nine years.
For her, this election is about representation, resilience and accountability.
“As an immigrant, a person of colour, and a young woman, I don’t feel represented or see myself reflected by our current city council," she told CTV News Edmonton.
Perez Arellano is fluent in four different languages and says can bring a global perspective to City Hall.
“I know many people in our community don't feel that their voices are heard. I am here to change that,” she added.
If elected, Perez Arellano wants to work toward a more financially resilient city, improve city services for Ward Pihêsiwin and make city infrastructure more “climate resilient and energy efficient.”
As a survivor of domestic abuse, Perez Arellano told CTV News, "It is so important to create safe communities, resources for those who need a hand up, removing barriers, and working together to truly create an inclusive society.”
Read profiles for mayoral candidates and wards on our municipal election page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.