NORTH PERTH – Mayor Todd Kasenberg admits that the 2022 municipal election campaign was markedly different than his first experience four years ago.
Kasenberg, who was decisively re-elected to North Perth’s top job for a second consecutive term on Oct. 24, said that there seemed to be more of an air of hostility towards and amongst the broad scope of 18 North Perth candidates.
“This time around I saw more evidence of ill will, manifested in such things as people pulling signs down, or defacing signs with rude graffiti,” said the Atwood resident the day after the election. Kasenberg added that he also experienced personal and unfiltered social media attacks, and was forced to make a ‘hasty retreat’ in some instances of door knocking around the community. “For most of us, this is a second or third role in our lives. We didn’t sign up to be abused. This campaign was interesting because that abuse was there. It was prevalent, and some of it was being flung by other candidates. It’s change that’s happening in our society.”
Kasenberg went on to say that he believes much of the current political strife is due to the scars left by a pandemic that is still taking its toll, and that aspects of federal and provincial politics have trickled down to the ‘municipal sphere.’
“I will concede to some concern around the changing attitudes of society,” he said. “The pandemic has harmed many of us in ways that are perhaps detrimental to our character. The pandemic has had its impacts; the politics of our time has had its impacts. This campaign was certainly more negative.
“There were certainly players this time around that introduced notions and beliefs that were antithetical to good government and were unabashed in doing so.”
Despite the adversity he and some of his fellow candidates may have faced campaigning, Kasenberg is optimistic for the coming term.
“We will have some different voices at the table, and we will have differences of the opinion,” he said. “I think one of the good news stories of the outgoing council is that we found a collegial space. And I have every confidence that we will find a collegial space for the next council as well. It’s something that I will certainly work hard to achieve.”
