A farmer living in the Blenheim area is looking to get elected to Chatham-Kent's (CK) next municipal council.
Hassan Tariq is running in Ward 2, which covers Blenheim, Ridgetown, Highgate, and other smaller communities.
He told CK News Today he wanted to run to ensure people in the agriculture sector are represented and that their taxes are being used properly.
"A lot of these farmers I speak to on a daily basis, they're struggling. We're spending money on random projects," Tariq said.
He specifically believes the municipality is subsidizing too many groups, which ultimately means taxes will need to be increased to cover the spending gap.
One of the main issues Tariq would advocate for if elected would be backyard chicken coops.
"They're a preventive measure for ticks, plus you get eggs, and eggs are really expensive these days," he added.
Tariq would also like to see improvements to rural roads, such as adding barriers around large sewer ditches, and providing better support for small businesses.
Despite having no political experience, he believes he's the right person for the job because he has a different mindset from many current council members.
"A lot of the people, they have an old school mindset. They're too conservative; I am, too, but not too conservative. I want everybody to be prosperous in this community," added Tariq.
CK's election will be on October 26, 2026.
