Controversial former London councillor running for old job

Stephen Orser spent eight years representing his East London ward.

Now, he wants the job back.

The controversial former councillor filed his papers to seek election in Ward 4 on Monday.

He was in office from 2006-2014, when he lost re-election to Jesse Helmer. Helmer announced he would not be running for re-election in 2022 last spring.

“When I looked at this year’s race, and I contacted the other people that are running, it was plain to see that if I filed, I’d be the only Ward 4 home owner running, so I filed,” said Orser when asked why he’s getting into the race. “We have people not from this ward running, they don’t live in the ward. You shouldn’t run and not even be able to vote for yourself.”

As for his controversies while in the role – backyard chicken arguments, telling a constituent to ‘duck off’ in an e-mail, getting a set of tires paid for by the city and more – Orser says he’s learned.

“I did make mistakes, nobody is perfect,” he told London News Today on Tuesday. “I wouldn’t have gotten into that chicken fight that went on forever and never ended. I got too emotionally attached to issues. The time I told the guy to ‘duck off’, I should have just said nothing. Times change, we all learn things.”

However, Orser noted he wasn’t the only one who brought controversy to London City Hall.

“I made mistakes, I’m not perfect, far from it. But take a look at all the perfect mayors we had, and how they went down in flames,” he said.

As for other priorities, Orser cited housing and development.

“I witness so many people laying on (Dundas) street, it really saddens me,” he said. “We’ve got to look at options like building a homeless high rise, and getting provincial and federal help. Build a room for them to have.”

Orser is one of four candidates in the ward currently.

He’s running against Tariq Khan, Matt Nicolaidis and Susan Stevenson.

London’s municipal election is on October 24th. The nomination deadline is August 19th.