NEW GLASGOW, N.S. — In the 2016 municipal election Sharon MacLean was eight votes shy of winning a seat as a councillor for Ward 1.
Now that a byelection is being held for the seat after Troy MacCulloch had to leave for work, she is giving it another try.
“My platform remains the same with trying to bridge the gap in our community with our youth and our seniors,” said MacLean who is a lifelong resident of the community.
MacLean is a continuing care assistant now, and previously worked at Riverton Home as a resident counselor. She has been a board member for Pictou County Roots for Youth for the last three years.
If elected in the by-election which will be held May 4, she said she’d like to bring back the old fashioned values of community.
“You see buildings that are not being utilized. There are things that can be done,” she said. “They want to keep the kids off the streets and keep them from drugs, well give them a place to go. Give them something to do.”
As someone who has worked in long term care, she said she would like to see the gap bridged between youth and seniors. She personally loves seeing the seniors faces light up when they have school kids come in.
“A lot of the seniors are dropped off at nursing homes and not looked back on,” she said.
As someone who has three adult children, MacLean said she’d like to see more jobs brought into the community and that there be more training opportunities for youth such as how to conduct themselves in an interview.
“Things that were taught when I went to school are no longer there,” she said. “The kids unfortunately need those things. Those are just everyday life skills that they’re not being taught and they need to be.”
If elected she said she would work hard to get answers for her constituents.
“I’m a very passionate person when I believe in something,” she said. “Some people have used the phrase I’m like a dog with a bone. I don’t let go until I get answers that are satisfactory.”
Also running in the byelection are Russell Borden and Henderson Paris.
