“Bingo guy” takes a stab at local council

DENISE RIDEOUT

Alden Williams wants to bring a common-sense approach to the table.

The candidate in the upcoming municipal byelection says if elected to sit on Iqaluit city council he will look for practical answers to Iqaluit’s problems.

Take, for instance, his approach to the traffic congestion on Iqaluit’s streets. “What can we do to make the driving a little better? How about putting in turning lanes at the Four Corners? Or perhaps we need to think about installing traffic lights,” Williams said.

Or look at his take on the city’s shortage of housing units. “If a developer wants to build a building, that’s going to open up more places for housing,” he said, referring to city council’s rejection of a new apartment complex in June.

Williams is a wildlife officer for the Nunavut government’s department of sustainable development. He has lived in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut for 12 years, working first as a wildlife consultant and then as a wildlife officer for the south Baffin region.

Williams has spent the past five years working in Iqaluit. But he’s probably best known around town as “the bingo guy.” Every Monday night, Williams can be seen on the local television channel calling bingo for the Elk’s club, where he is a volunteer.

This is Williams’ first run at municipal politics. He figures he’s more than ready for it. “I know it’s going to require a lot of my time to represent people. I’m willing to put in that time,” he said.

He’s quite aware the position will be challenging at times. “The tough part is to try to make everyone happy. Iqaluit is multicultural and everyone has their own goals,” Williams said.

His priorities range from improving road conditions to traffic to town planning to water and sewer services. “Some of the issues I’d try to support are the social issues to provide a better quality of life to the residents,” he added.

Respecting the Inuit culture and incorporating it into council’s policies is important for Williams. “We have the cultural background to keep in mind. I deal with hunters every day. I lived in small communities for most of my time in the North, so I feel I have a handle on it.”