In episode 13 of Strait Talk, Civic Journalist Jake Boudrot speaks with Port Hawkesbury mayoral candidate Archie MacLachlan about his decision to run in the upcoming election.

The first question focused on MacLachlan’s background, aimed at introducing him to new residents and younger voters. MacLachlan shared that he has lived in Port Hawkesbury for over 30 years, having grown up in West Bay Road. He previously served as the president of the union representing workers at the Point Tupper paper mill and was also a member of Unifor’s regional council.

“That experience has given me lots of opportunities to negotiate and deal with people fairly, and listen to people and hear their concerns,” MacLachlan explained. “I attribute that union experience as a great foundation to turn to local politics.”

MacLachlan ran for mayor in the 2020 municipal election but was unsuccessful.

“I didn’t run for a one-shot deal,” he said, expressing his enthusiasm about campaigning again and connecting with the voters of Port Hawkesbury.

When asked about the key issues facing the town, MacLachlan stated that he feels the town is “stuck in neutral.”

“We haven’t progressed in the last four years, and probably eight years,” he said. “The Strait area has so much potential, but we haven’t been able to move forward. You always hear about the next big project, but it just never seems to materialize.”

In terms of solutions, MacLachlan emphasized the importance of collaborating with neighbouring municipalities and higher levels of government to promote the region.

“The council, it seems, hasn’t worked together over the last number of years, and I hope to be able to work with the councillors as a team,” he said. “The Reeves Street situation has been an ongoing problem for years, and it shouldn’t have been.”

Acknowledging that “taxes are very high” in Port Hawkesbury, MacLachlan admitted he doesn’t have an immediate fix but hopes to work with the provincial government on the issue.

When asked about his goals for a first term, MacLachlan highlighted the need for housing, particularly for seniors, people on low or fixed incomes, and the middle class.

“We have a lot of residents who have lived their whole lives in Port Hawkesbury, own their homes, but are now struggling to maintain them,” he noted. “They want to stay in this area, but there’s no place for them to go.”

As this will be Port Hawkesbury’s first entirely electronic election, and with a plebiscite on the alignment for Reeves Street, MacLachlan anticipated some challenges, particularly for those unfamiliar with the technology.

“It’s going to be different, no doubt,” he said. “When you do something for the first time, there’s always going to be hiccups, so I expect some frustration.”