Chase calls radio attack ads inaccurate

Today, Stephen Chase set the record straight on the radio attack ads targeting him personally.

“I feel like I’m a prime minister in a federal election,” Chase said Thursday, referring to the very personal nature of Federal politics.

Who is responsible?

The radio ads are being played by the “Coalition for Concerned Citizens”, the same group that tried to boycott the Santa Clause parade in the past.

Bruce Court involvement?

Bruce Court’s brochures say that he is the chairman of the Coalition of Concerned Citizens, Unions & Small Business; however, he says that he stepped back from the group when the campaign started.

“It’s nothing to do with me,” Court said. “I don’t even know what the ads say.”

He said the correct person to talk to would be Linda Stoddard, who couldn’t be reached for comment.

Special Interest Groups Interference

“It’s all very interesting,” Chase said. “It’s unfortunate that special interest groups want to misrepresent my position for self-interest.”

Chase has come under attack before over his stance on the city’s water infrastructure. The Canadian Union of Public Employees has been distributing signs and pamphlets urging “no to water for profit,” while Chase says he has no intention of selling Saint John’s water.

He says he only wants council to look closely at whether the private sector can do a better, more cost-effective job running the filtration plants than the city’s union workers have.

Stephen’s Public Ownership Motion

Keep in mind, Stephen was the Councillor who made the motion to Council that reaffirms the city’s commitment to public ownership and control of the water supply. This is something that CUPE fails to mention in their disinformation campaign.

Chase wants for safe, clean drinking water

Chase says citizens want public ownership of the water itself and safe, clean drinking water - in both cases, he wants the same, he said. But if a private company can do a better job running the plants then council should consider it, he said. If the research shows that the union workers are still the best choice, Chase says he can live with that. But he says he won’t let the union management control the agenda.