Ward 1 candidate drops out of race

A candidate for Ward 1 announced this afternoon that he's withdrawing his candidacy.

Ian Heft, a Masters student at Laurentian University and a former university employee, said Aug. 28 that other demands have forced him to re-evaluate his Ward 1 candidacy. That ward covers the West End, Gatchell, Copper Park, Robinson, Moonglo, the south of Ontario Street and the west of Regent Street.

"This isn’t about deciding it was poorly thought-out or inappropriate," he wrote in a release to media. "This is more of a “life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans” kind of situation."

The full text of Heft's letter to the media appears below.

Dear Friends,

After considerable thought and reflection I have decided to withdraw my candidacy for the Greater Sudbury Municipal Election on October 27th 2014.

Prior to making the commitment to run I gave it considerable thought and consulted many people whose opinion I valued about whether I would be the right person for the job. I was concerned about whether it was a good fit, whether I could bring my ideas and energy to the position to serve the residents of this city. I received an incredible amount of encouragement and support and I decided that I was well-suited for this endeavor.

I still feel the same way. This isn’t about deciding it was poorly thought-out or inappropriate. This is more of a “life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans” kind of situation. Because of funding restrictions and full-time/part-time student designation I was essentially forced to leave my job in order to afford to study at the university where I worked. To finish my Masters degree I had to torpedo my professional life, throwing myself into further financial uncertainty. Now that the MA is just about done I’m exploring options, taking on new opportunities and performing a job search in earnest. I am facing the reality that in the period leading up to the election I’ll be exploring new opportunities and working to defend my thesis. Some of these opportunities may take me to other areas and other communities. It’s also a critical time for family members who are dealing with illness – professional and academic opportunities that bring me closer to them would be a large factor as well when considering my future and where it will happen.

I’d like to be on much more stable ground in terms of my professional life and financial situation. I’d like to be able to fund and fundraise for a strong campaign. I want to be able to devote my time to the issues of an election race when I’m not scrambling to finish a degree and find a job.

This didn’t line up this time but I’m thankful for the opportunity to become involved, to learn so much and meet so many people and so grateful for the support I received from the community and my friends and family.It was immensely exciting to be a part of the election campaign that had the most candidates EVER! the level of engagement and the amount to which Sudburians are eager to make change is incredibly encouraging. I have many plans to remain engaged and connected. Greater Sudbury has been incredible to me and I’ve had many opportunities to do very rewarding work alongside people I greatly admire. If I am able to secure work where I can continue to serve this community and my life is on much more stable ground in four years – more likely than not you will hear from me again.

Thank you very much for your support, best of luck to the candidates who’ve put their hats in the ring and all the best to our future councillors who I hope will bring new vision and energy to our vibrant community.

Best Regards,
Ian Heft