(Supplied: Gerald Scott Hafner)

By Abby Zieverink

municipal election

Gerald Hafner seeks seat on Grande Prairie City Council

Aug 25, 2021 | 4:08 PM

A new candidate has filed their papers for the municipal election on October 18 in hopes of taking a seat in Grande Prairie City Council.

Gerald Hafner says he has spent the last 22 years in Grande Prairie. Prior to his time in the Swan City, he says he’s always lived in the Peace Country.

Being that this is his first time running for council, Hafner says if elected, he plans to feel out what is on the table before he offers promises to residents in the city.

“Once it’s out there, and we can vote on it, I can talk to the people and get decisions on based on what Grande Prairie wants,” he said.

“My platform is I’m going in new, and if I’m elected in, I basically want to see what is advantageous for Grande Prairie.”

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Being a business owner in the city, he says his favorite part of the job is talking to people.

If elected, Hafner says he would also make it a priority to talk to members in the community to see what changes they would like to see.

“I do it the same way I run my businesses, my bowling alley, I give, give, give, so that is the way I want to come into this. I can’t make guarantees as a new guy, that would be impossible to do.”

Hafner tells EverythingGP one thing that he would like to do is help the homeless population in Grande Prairie, as he suggests it hits close to his heart.

“I know that side a little bit, I saw a lot of that side, so when I see it here, I get worried a little bit,” said Hafner.

“I was one of those guys on the street when I was young. I never got into the booze and drugs. I was a year-and-a-half on the streets in Edmonton, but I kind of ran away from it all.”

“I had it pretty rough when I was young, and I don’t forget that… Because if you do, it comes back to bite you.”

Hafner joins a list of 14 candidates who intend to run for council this fall, including:

• Ejibola Folashade Adetokunbo-Taiwo
• Ngemital Paul Rovin
• Michael Patrick O’Connor
• Solomon Okhifoh
• Grant Berg
• Neil Tuazon
• Dylan Bressey
• Kevin P. O’Toole
• Wendy Bosch
• Tammy Brown
• Kevin McLean
• Yad Minhas
• Sarvinder Singh

Three people have also put their names forward for mayor, including Eunice Friesen, Jackie Clayton, and Bryan Petryshyn.

Four candidates have also filed their papers for the office of Public School Board Trustee, including Joan Nellis, Andre Ouelette, Paulette L. Kurylo, and Rob Martin.

Russ Snoble is the single candidate that has filed their papers for the office of Catholic School Board Trustee, Ward one.

The municipal election will be held on October 18.