Image Credit: CFJC Today

By James Peters

Two & Out

PETERS: Dudy’s arts centre promise a shrewd election gambit

Apr 8, 2022 | 10:59 AM

AS MY FRIEND DOUG COLLINS POINTED OUT in his editorial on CFJC Today, the Kamloops mayor’s race is a lot more populated than it is typically.

Local voters already have more plausible choices than in any municipal election in recent memory — and there may be more to come.

It portends positively for the council race.

When you have a crowded mayor’s race like this, including several candidates with good name recognition, you need to find a way to stand out from the crowd.

A couple of candidates are trying to do that with the law and order approach, promising if they are elected there will be a new sheriff in town, so to speak.

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Dieter Dudy took a different tack, promising a performing arts centre would be built on his watch.

It’s a risky move — certainly a lot riskier than saying you don’t like crime.

By tying his candidacy to the arts centre, you may see Dudy as alienating a large chunk of potential voters.

That may be the case, but in doing so, he’s also consolidating the other portion of voters who support the arts centre and believe it would be an important addition to the city into his camp.

Let the opponents split their votes between the other three or more candidates.

If the other candidates end up expressing support for an arts centre, they will appear to be following Dudy’s lead. That only benefits Dudy.

It’s a shrewd move for the councillor — and evidence that he has some experienced help in his corner.

There have been rumblings about putting an arts centre referendum on this fall’s municipal ballot.

It would save tens of thousands of dollars to put the question on a regular ballot rather than run a separate vote.

But Dudy has made the question moot — his candidacy becomes its own performing arts centre referendum.

For a guy who was a humble farmer and a political neophyte until a few years ago, he certainly seems to know what he’s doing.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.