Winnipeg mayoral candidate Umar Hayat says social housing a priority

Umar Hayat, welcome back to CBC. Thank you so much, Marcy. Really appreciate it. So let's get started with your platform. You've listed combating crime and poverty as two of your priorities, and you say solutions that are based in, quote, human rights. What do you mean by that? Marcy, first of all, I'm going to tell you, social housing, more, I would say, outreach, that's a main problem for Winnipeg right now. So, we unfortunately spent already $214 million to build a new Winnipeg police station, but we couldn't find the problems, solution for the problems, I would say. We're investing so much money to the police, that's not the solution. We need to find the root cause. Same like right now, Winnipeg police, they're doing open drug everyday raids to find out vulnerables, to give them a hard time. That's not even the Winnipeg is. So you're not in support of the police crackdown for public drugs? I have a simple plan. It's a detail. Of course, $34 million to addiction. That's a main problem in Winnipeg, homelessness and public safety. So we have a limited time. There's everything information on my website. So I can give $10 million. I'm going to go to housing first, supporting housing. Number second, $8 million to mobile outreach and addiction navigation. $6 million treatment. That's the most important thing. Do not go to vulnerable. They don't know their mental health is not good. So let me interject on two questions that build on what you said. One is, I'm curious if you as a mayoral candidate support the supervised consumption site that's open. I had another press conference, CBC might be busy somewhere anyway. So I had an interview with Free Press and CTV. Location is not good. okay i last six months you probably didn't notice i goes to every day uh all encampments in winnipeg i talk to vulnerables sit down with them they are super nice people we need to take care of them we need more outreach that's already said we need more social workers go sit down with them so you don't like the location yeah i'm not against the idea concept exactly we need Logan and i would say Main okay like Marvin Hotel is the best example or we had a couple boarded places vacant hotels over there i wish we choose good location okay because people i'm not sure where would you put it sorry where would you put it again Logan and Main right in front of access center um are you calling people that were that you've met as you've been traveling to meet different people did you say rebels no i didn't oh sorry i misunderstood one rebels okay so um the thing is uh last six months i sit down with them they need the opportunities we have right now like slow mission and main street they need more funding um where would you get it because i know that you have things broken down and i know i interrupted your flow and people can go to your website but you have said you'll freeze property taxes you actually said not only that you said you'll reduce them thank you so much so you won't have money coming in there excellent idea thanks for giving me opportunity i'm gonna i'm all about investment increase businesses one of my idea i hadn't spoke with anyone i would pledge over bond we have so far 3.5 billion dollar debt and over assets 9.5 billion dollars everything is a public information go to a city of Winnipeg website and financial informations i'm gonna pledge over bond to raise 1 billion dollars okay and i'm gonna tell federal government and provincial government to make an oil refinery in Winnipeg so we can create jobs. The only problem in right now Winnipeg, we are talking about putting so much burden on residential homeowners. That's not the city we're going to raise. Look at even in Edmonton, their businesses taxes, $1 billion. In Winnipeg, only $200 million. So look at the total, even the numbers i'm talking about so you'd increase business taxes not the business taxes promote businesses when you reduce crime more investment coming into winnipeg and when more investment comes it's not about 7-eleven k circle um target giant tiger they closing down we are actually losing revenue from businesses that's why we have only 200 million dollars sorry go ahead marcy please well i was going to ask you because i was watching some of your campaigning on social media um and and i have a character question because you videotape yourself and you post your recordings of people in in like bus shelters who are struggling with addictions you're handling their drugs in some of these videos can you understand why some people might think umar that that's like that's a problem it's showing poor judgment you know marcy thank you so much for asking this question people they are very very happy when they see me always i introduce them first myself and one of the 12 or used to be 15 mayoral candidates they feel so proud themselves when i handed over to food to them sit down listening their issues give them more better social housing more outreach worker if they you know what they feel like mayor is not the guy who's sitting in office he put big signs all over the Winnipeg big hoardings and they feel like there are big shots mayor candidate or mayoral guy should be come sit down with them and listen them their own personal issues there's one more you're lying on the highway though i think thank you so much so what are you doing there because for me that that might be i can understand why people might think that seems like why would you do such a thing like it's the judgment seems off very good i am if you talk about my all issues is a common man issues okay like 24 7 construction when i'm talking about you probably had my this interview in eight years ago so uh no doubt i'm not going to get the name for different candidates they had even a press conferences uh they just came up with my idea and tell them that's their idea so you're trying to get attention thank you and the issues which matters a lot thank you so much okay yes okay um in terms of um uh why people should vote for you to be the next mayor of Winnipeg um over the other 11 candidates what would you bring to the job free transit okay of course you already mentioned freeze property tax even reduce give them rebate water and sewer charges is definitely i'm gonna freeze it and give them rebate i'm gonna promote the businesses reduce crimes i would say sorry reduce public safety top in my mind no one can smash your window no one can um how would you stop that very good question give them more social housing addiction is the main problem in winnipeg when you give them a good rehab center, give them a good treatment. To attach addiction and crime together. That's my main priority for my whole campaign, to go and crack down people on vulnerable sitting at Logan and Main or downtown and just show them open drug, Winnipeg police. Do not show them Winnipeg police to come see them. When they see Winnipeg police uniform, what you already mentioned, I was there sitting down with them. It's triggered the situation. We have Definitely do not Winnipeg police or any uniform Just simple plain clothes and very friendly people if they can talk to me they can share their ideas to me Why not they can go more happy to share more outreach workers So my idea is to give one single call even CBC one time announced 66 opioid calls in winnipeg one day one single call winnipeg approximately three to five thousand dollars one paramedic one cops like couple cops or why it's not a cop's job to show see the it should be outreach workers they can show up and talk to them along with paramedic and even fire departments okay winnipeg police actually trigger the situation if you were there that I'll be part of your platform. Of course. Everything is a public information. Umar Hayat, good luck on October 28th. Thank you so much, Marcy. Love you. Especially CBC, love you. Thank you so much. Thank you so much.