What's next for Kat Pasquach after political newcomer's strong showing in Windsor's mayoral race? - CBC

Kat Pasquach positioned herself as an alternative to the political establishment. (Camille Cottais/CBC)Social SharingWhile political veterans Drew Dilkens and Fred Francis were the front-runners in Monday's Windsor mayoral race, the third-place finisher was a political newcomer who positioned herself as an alternative to the political establishment.

Kat Pasquach won support with pledges to improve transit and cycling infrastructure, promote youth mentorship programs and put public washrooms in the downtown core.

She ended the night with 12.25 per cent of the vote or 7,253 votes, earning congratulations from Mayor-elect Fred Francis during his victory speech for "a very very good and well-organized campaign."

She also received dozens of messages of support on social media.

Reporter Desmond Brown spoke with Pasquach about her performance in the election and whether she has a future in politics.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Looking back at Monday's election, how do you feel about the support you received from Windsor voters, particularly as someone running for mayor for the first time?

I feel great. I really felt the momentum building as we moved forward in the campaign. I know a lot of people were sort of questioning who I was at the beginning, maybe not familiar with a lot of the community work that I do in Windsor. But the momentum definitely built, and I think that that was clear with the result that we got.

You entered the race as a political newcomer competing against two well-established political figures. What do you think resonated most with voters about your campaign and your message?

My ability to speak about the issues that were much closer to residents in the city. I definitely know that this was a strong point. We have seen a lot of conversations about affordability in our city and what that means to the average resident in Windsor, and I really believe that there was a big disconnect between the messaging from Drew Dilkens and Fred Francis and what we actually mean by affordability and day-to-day struggles. 

You've built a political profile and gained support across the city. How do you plan to build on that momentum?

I didn't enter the mayoral race with a plan for what would come after other than what it would be like to win, and how it would affect my personal commitments and my career otherwise. Right now, I have the opportunity to reflect and take the time on what the next four years will look like. But I know that I do have a strong interest to continue engaging in municipal politics and seeing where this journey takes us.  I really want to be able to hold the next council accountable to some of the commitments that they put forward.

Is this the beginning of a political career for you? Would you consider running for mayor again in 2030?

The plan is to definitely run again for mayor in the next four years. I'm open to seeing what comes my way, but right now, I do enjoy the volunteer commitments that I have in the community and the boards that I serve on. And so we'll see how the momentum shifts over the next little while.

What would you like to say to the Windsor community at this time?

I'm incredibly grateful for every vote that I did get, and I'm really happy that with my campaign I was able to address a lot of issues that I don't know would have been a part of the conversation, a part of the debates the way that they were. I'm really happy that I was able to bring new perspectives in terms of how we can support youth and how we can support the arts in Windsor, because I think that those were areas that have been overlooked for too long in our community.