Calling himself old school, downtown businessman Shawn DeNeire has joined the race for a seat on city council in the Oct. 24 municipal vote.
DeNeire was born and raised in St. Thomas and was a Central Elgin Collegiate Institute grad although he also spent time at Arthur Voaden Secondary School and Parkside Collegiate Institute.
The owner of DeNeire’s Gallery of Fine Art, is focusing his campaign around three words.
While admitting St. Thomas does have a homelessness issue, Shawn DeNeire feels it is not necessarily linked to mental health and addiction issues.
As for mental health issues, DeNeire warns they are only going to get worse.
As to homelessness, DeNeire makes it clear he is not opposed to the city’s emergency shelter The Inn, it is just in the wrong location.
He feels the shelter would be better located in the city’s industrial area in the north end.
With concerns about location of the shelter, DeNeire is of the opinion some members of council are now back-tracking.
As for solutions to homelessness, mental health and addiction issues, DeNeire says the city has to get the province’s attention by involving Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Rob Flack.
When he begins campaigning for the Oct. 24 vote, it will be a matter of speaking the truth, asserts DeNeire.
So, what should a new city council look like after the Oct. 24 vote?
Written by Ian McCallum
