Warren Pister: Honesty the most important part of public service

By Medicine Hat News on September 22, 2021.

Warren Pister hopes for a seat on city council and a chance to show that honesty is the most important part of public service.

Pister came to Medicine Hat in 1992 when he was transferred with the RCMP. After retiring in 2005 he spent some time in the oil and gas field and then moved on to a contract courier delivery business with Loomis Express. Pister and his wife have three children and a grandson.

Pister says he does not support the sale of the power division and hopes instead that the city can capitalize on the potential. He also wants to make moves to preserve, rebuild and create more inter-community recreational facilities.

“More smaller community-oriented recreational areas such as pools, ice sheets, even expansion and locating new skateboard areas for our young people… Having (facilities) within the community areas where it’s a short distance to go, it is more comforting for parents, it’s easier for the young people to access,” Pister explained.

Pister strongly believes an honest approach in how city council conducts day-to-day business is important as they move forward.

“Honesty is a clear way of showing the people that you are in it for what it takes to make it best for everybody. Everyone talks about ‘transparency this’ and ‘transparency that’, and that’s good, but transparency is sometimes a confusing point because you can be transparent but you don’t have to be honest,” said Pister. “Honesty is the most integral part of working in a public service, so I would make sure that what we do going forward, especially from my position as a councillor, would be that everything is open and honest. And transparency just flows in with that normally.”

Pister says the first thing he will do if elected is carefully review the city’s spending and budgeting operations. He hopes Hatters will recognize the significance of his experiences as they take to the polls.

“I think years of public service and experience is very important for people to look at,” said Pister. “When you’ve got that, it’s an advantage.”