Name: Sarah Etter

Ward You’re Running In: 6

Current Occupation: Administrative Assistant

Voter Information: www.sarahetter.com, @SarahEtterYQR, sarah@sarahetter.com

I am a 24 year old Administrative Assistant and part time student, going for a BSc. of Statistics at the University of Regina. I grew up on a farm just outside of Regina, (Richardson) and completed French Immersion elementary and high school in Regina. I am an administrative assistant, and I am a part time student at the University of Regina, going for a BSc. in Statistics. My interests are reading, music, the arts, economics and politics.

QUESTION AND ANSWER

1. Briefly, why are you running for council?
I am running for council because I would like to see a city that is affordable and is a place where young, creative people are excited to be. I would like to be a part of a government that is transparent and very actively engages with citizens, making decisions with them, not for them.

2. What is the single most pressing issue facing Regina? How would you solve it?
Housing. In Regina there is a huge issue with a lack of affordable housing/housing in general. In Ward 6, this has extended into another problem of a lack of safe housing, and rampant slumlords. We need to be stricter with the condo conversion bylaw, as well as stop de-listing and demolishing heritage apartments. The city needs to stick to a given percentage of rental housing that needs to be built along with other building development. We need to create incentives for condemned housing and empty lots to be sold and re-developed for infill projects. We also need to provide more security to people who report their unsafe housing issues so that they won’t be out of a place to live.

3. Imagine the Regina Of The Future that you want to help build. What will it look like?
RofF in my eyes will be an engaged city with citizens who feel like they are actually being listened to. It will be a greener city, with more of a concentration on density than sprawling. It will be a place where creative people want to stay, where we have spent money on local art, design, architecture, and materials instead of going out of the city/province/country. It will also be a city where projects are well managed, and instead of money going to cost overruns on luxury projects it will go to things we actually need.

4. Beyond immediate concerns like housing, the stadium and infrastructure renewal, what “big idea” project do you want to work on that nobody seems to be talking about?
I think that an open, transparent government is big, but it is also easy to remedy. Council should be completely responsible to taxpayers and all expenditures should be made public. Council should create a better mechanism to relate with the community.

5. Name something the last council got right.
Fiacco & the current council have been very good Regina salespeople. We have definitely seen growth in Regina, as well as an increase in Regina pride.

6. Now, point out their biggest mistake.
See question #2. The housing crisis could have been largely prevented had the city had a bit of foresight. The amount of condo conversions should have never been approved.

7. What are you reading these days?
A Healthy Society – Ryan Meili
Ham on Rye – Charles Bukowski

8. Beyond your residence, do you own any property in Regina or in the immediate area?
No.

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FUN QUESTIONS!

1. What is your favourite Regina restaurant?
I don’t want to pick just one, so it’s a tie between Siam/Da India Curry House/Bushwakker/Slow Food Pub

2. Who is your favourite Regina artist?
I’m nostalgic for Despistado. Otherwise: FadaDance, Chris (Tiny) Matchett, and the Red Hot Riot improv/comedy team.

3. What actor would play you in the gritty cable drama, Queen City Hall?
Carey Mulligan

4. How would your character die?
Probably some kind of slumlord-gang related murder.

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PICK A SIDE

Cats or Dogs? Dogs.

Vampires or Werewolves? Both are just fine as long as they aren’t sparkling.

Boxing or Roller Derby? Derby!

Steak or Sushi? Sushi.

Hill Towers or Legislative Building? Legislative Building

Quance Street or Dewdney Avenue? Quance is city planning tragedy. Dewdney for sure.

Artesian or Wascana Park Gazebo? Artesian

Prairie Dog or Richardson Ground Squirrel? I think this is a trick question. Prairie Dog!

Giant Grasshopper or Stegosaurus? Dinosaur over insect any day.

Saskaboom or SaskAdvantage? Both.

Bike or Sports Car? Bike!

Le Macaron or Five Guys? My diet says neither but my heart says Le Mac.

The Beatles or the Rolling Stones? The Beatles.

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BONUS QUESTION: Make up your own question (And answer it, of course!)
Sarah chose to skip the bonus question.

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