A Regina election candidate is running for both city council and the public school board.
Nishchal Bhagi is a council candidate in Ward 7 and is also running for school board trustee in Subdivision 6.
Bhagi owns a taxi company and is trying to earn his license for immigration counselling. He says if he’s elected for both councillor and school board trustee, working four jobs won't bother him. He says his experience as a business owner has prepared him to work long days.
“Most people, they are hard-working because they know cost cutting comes with their hard labour,” Bhagi said.
“I have an experience of working even 120 hours in a week, so I don't mind you know putting in my time for both the positions."
The city says election rules allow a candidate to run for school board trustee and councillor at the same time. Under the Cities Act, a candidate can run for councillor and school board trustee in either the Catholic or public school division in the same election.
The same goes for mayoral candidates, who can also run for school board trustee in both school divisions.
"You can't run for a council race and also run for a mayoral race. But if you are wanting to run for a councillor or a mayoral race and then also run for one of the school boards, you're more than welcome to run for both,” said Regina election coordinator Amber Ackerman.
“The same rules apply for the school board trustee positions. There’s no rules stating that you can't run for both the public and separate board trustee, just as long as you meet all the other requirements."
This isn't the first time a Regina candidate has run for councillor and school board trustee at the same time, but no one has ever been elected to both positions in a single election.
Henry Baker, the man Regina City Hall is named after, held both the mayor and NDP MLA’s seat at the same time from 1964 to 1967.
Based on a report by CTV Regina's Cally Stephanow
