The Coast sent all 53 candidates running in HRM’s municipal election the same 15-question survey in order to help their residents and our readers know a little more about who’s running for council. Here’s what Kate Watson from Dartmouth Centre sent back. [Disclosure: Watson is The Coast’s regular freelance theatre writer, on hiatus from that work during this election.]
Why should residents of your district vote for you?
I’m passionate about municipal politics and passionate about Dartmouth. My work as a journalist has taught me to ask questions, find answers and boil information down so it’s easily understood. I am very involved in my community and I work hard to connect people and organizations. Plus, I’m feisty!
What’s something you wish people were talking about more this election?
The importance of diversity in the voices around the table at city hall.
What’s the last thing you Googled?
Susan Sarandon’s ex-husband. (I couldn’t remember his name...it’s Tim Robbins.)
What’s the most accurate criticism someone’s made about you?
Someone sent me a message the other day to say that they had seen me on the news, and that I moved my head too much. (It’s true! I’m an over-animated talker.)
What was the first concert you ever went to?
Simon and Garfunkle at the CNE in Toronto in 1983.
What was the last movie you didn’t finish?
Chicago. I saw it in movie theatres when it came out, but fell asleep the other night while watching it on Netflix.
What pisses you off?
When people don’t spay or neuter their cats.
What’s changed the most in your district since 2012?
There’s been a real influx of young people moving to Dartmouth because it’s affordable and very cool.
What’s a specific moment in politics or your professional life that you really regret?
When I was writing for the Transcontinental’s Weekly News, I was offered the opportunity to do a story where I would get to fly over some wilderness area in a helicopter. I had already committed to covering another event at that time, so I declined. Now I wonder if I’ll ever have another chance to go up in a helicopter.
What’s the last thing that made you really laugh?
From Twitter:
“How to cook the perfect amount of pasta:
1. Pour out how much you think you need
2. Wrong”
What’s your go-to meal when cooking?
Eggs. They’re cheap, easy and versatile. I am an expert poacher.
What worries you the most about the Halifax Regional Municipality and the issues it's facing?
HRM is setting growth targets that could see an extra 50,000 people in the region by 2021, with a majority of them located in the Regional Centre and urban communities. I believe we are going to need to see some significant investment in our aging infrastructure to make this possible.
How would you describe your opponents in this race?
Seven gentlemen.
What’s something you don’t know, but want to learn?
I’d like to learn to speak French well. Right now I can say rudimentary things and conjugate a whack of verbs, but I’d love to be able to really express myself.
What do you promise NOT to do if elected?
I promise to not stop taking transit. I’ll commit to making the bus and ferry part of the way I get around HRM, because I really believe that first-person knowledge is necessary when figuring out how to make transit better.
