By Mark Squibb/September 30, 2021
Mount Pearl residents were onboard with Nicole Kieley and her platform, and proved it at the polls.
Kieley earned 4,538 votes, the most votes of any candidates.
She felt honoured by the confidence that residents placed in her.
“The most I was expecting, and am grateful for, was a seat,” said Kieley. “All I can say, along with all the other candidates, is that we tried our absolute best. I did absolutely everything I could with the campaign. It was exciting. I was a little shocked, and also greatly honored that so many people I had connected with and that I listened to believed in me and the work I want to do for Mount Pearl.”
Kieley ran first not for municipal politics, but provincial politics— twice. She ran as an NDP candidate in a 2017 byelection, and again with the Liberals in the 2019 election.
She said her previous experience on the campaign trail helped her a great deal this third time around .
“You learn every time,” said Kiley. “And, it really takes a village. I certainly had an immense amount of support from my family and friends.”
Kieley said that her provincial losses didn’t sour her from politics because of her passion for public service work.
“It’s never a loss to put yourself forward,” said Kieley. “Everyone has passions, and everyone has skills, and I think between my community work, and my work in a field [as executive director of the NL Sexual Assault Crisis and Prevention Centre] where things don’t always come easily and there’s been circumstances of crisis that I’ve worked through. And recognising that resilience can be found in vulnerability and our losses and places we want to grow. I truly believe that.”
She said she will take the concerns she’s heard at the doors to the council chambers, beginning with low hanging fruit like neighbourhood issues, including safety concerns in local neighbours.
“From that, let’s look at policies and programs and infrastructures,” said Kieley, adding that inclusion and diversity in all planning were essential to her platform.
The Team Gushue Highway, and the increase of speeding that may be associated with it, has been one piece of infrastructure that she has heard at the doors time and time again. Kieley said short term solutions such as speed calming measures can be enacted, but the long-term solution will likely require the participation of the provincial government, which she would advocate for. She would also like to continue to see increase of supports for local businesses.
