Hygenn says he’ll run again
By Lethbridge Herald on May 15, 2025.
Al Beeber
Lethbridge Herald
Lethbridge mayor Blaine Hyggen is making another run for the top job in civic governance.
Hyggen announced late Wednesday afternoon that he will be seeking re-election in the Oct. 20 municipal election.
In 2021, Hyggen secured 11,973 votes – 42.9 per cent of the total – to be elected as mayor in his first campaign for the position, after beating former council member Bridget Mearns by 508 votes.
Hyggen was first elected to city council in 2013 and was re-elected in 2017. He’s the first person to declare a candidacy for the mayor’s position.
Hyggen made his announcement in front of a crowd of supporters at Honkers Pub and Eatery in North Lethbridge.
At his campaign launch, Hyggen told a crowd of supporters including family and friends that “
After being introduced by his wife Jenn, Hyggen told the packed crowd at his launch “three and a half years ago you put your trust in me” to lead as mayor which he called his greatest honour.
Hyggen said together council has worked to build something lasting and made meaningful investments in public safety, infrastructure, housing and other initiatives and made clear that “no voice in our community will go unheard.”
He told a media scrum his top priorities for the future include doctor recruitment and retention as well as public safety.
For another term he is reiterating that priorities also include fiscal responsibility and needs before wants.
“Serving as your mayor has been the greatest honour of my life but the work isn’t finished. I’m running for re-election to continue building a Lethbridge that is safe, welcoming, and full of opportunity for everyone who calls this city home,” Hyggen said in a media statement.
“We’ve made meaningful progress, but there’s more to do. With the support of the community, I’m ready to keep moving Lethbridge forward — with common-sense leadership and a deep respect for the people I serve.”
In the last four years, says Hyggen, he has supported law enforcement and improved access to mental health and addictions services as well as advancing strategies to address homelessness in Lethbridge. He’s also worked on economic growth by championing small business recovery and attracting investment “to fuel local job creation.”
And the mayor says he has worked to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely with transparency and long-term planning in mind.
Hyggen has set up a website – www.hyggen.ca – that details his priorities for the next four-term term of council. That website went live on Wednesday night.
17-16
You have my vote . . . I know you have worked hard in efforts to gain back our city’s reputation and reduce the unhoused and drug crisis we face while coming up against many walls that prevented you from making better progress.
I know you also had concerns regarding the new exhibition buildling construction/operation and wanted some oversight such as a committee but your concerns and others were defeated when that came up several years ago.
I haven’t always agreed with every decision you made, but I cannot think of any political figure in my several decades of life I ever agreed 100% with.
I believe you have had a positive impact on our city by your leadership!
Thank you for wanting to continue this position often when it is under heavy criticism and sometimes seems like a thankless position! I appreciate your dedication and for taking the time to listen to our concerns when needed!
You have great knowledge on the issues this city faces in these troubled times and it would only make sense to allow you to continue the hard work you began!
I’m assuming the “needs before wants” means no pickle ball courts, bike lanes or similar wants. Our taxes are already too high with the wants and Exhibition costs and will increase again in 2026. Many residents are on fixed and/or low income and cannot sustain these taxes forcing us to sell and move.
So, Hyggen, who the Lethbridge Herald has specifically misspelled his name as Hygenn, claims he believes he’s done well for Lethbridge.
Yet has openly and specifically gaslighted citizens of Lethbridge, by refusing to actually deal with and ensure proper accountability to those same citizens, while banning citizens from contacting him, and the rest of council to be forced to deal with bureaucrats, who we didn’t vote for.
They openly and specifically allowed the Agrihub project managers who did NOT work for the city, to manage/audit the budget for the Agrihub which cost Lethbridge taxpayers an additional $30M, at an increase to our taxes to 5.1%. Bureaucrats like Executive Joel Sanchaz was supposed to be monitoring it, however he claims “Whoops”, we’ve fixed it now, while laughingly adding it to the property tax.
Also we are told Bureaucrats at City Hall, like Joel Sanchez (who we didn’t vote for) are the ones researching and approving these projects, meanwhile our City Council (who we did vote for) only rubber stamp them?
They have pushed through or attempting to push through a $300M bridge which Lethbridge taxpayers cannot afford, but City Council doesn’t care. When told of the pending recession, the actual debt that Canadians as a whole are facing, they’re response, specifically by John Middleton-Hope and concurred by the other council members: “That does not concern us.” While pandering to that same Federal and Provincial Governments for funding, which again Lethbridge taxpayers will pay, just through another venue.
Federal government claims their “debt” is $1.3 Trillion (and growing), BOC claims they cannot borrow nor lend any more funds. PBO claims that regular Canadians, “Including Lethbridge” are about to default on $2.5Trillion (and growing) personal debt, ie Mortgages, Loans, credit cards, Lines of credit.
Meanwhile BMO, RBC, CIBC, Scotiabank, TD Bank have committed $7.972Billion in fraudulent investor protections and Money laundering.
You can rest assured the INVESTORS, Shareholders and Executives will not pay a dime while getting their bonus’.
To sum up:
$1.3Trillion in Federal Debt and growing, as per the Federal Government
$2.5Trillion in Personal debt and growing, as per PBO
$7.972 Billion in Investor Fraud and Money Laundering by MAJOR BANKS.
For a total of $3,807,972,000,000.00 yes…… $3.8Trillion, of debt that Canadian Taxpayers, INCLUDING those in Lethbridge, and the City Council, INCLUDING Blaine Hyggen, claim: That doesn’t concern them?”
But they want to run again?
Banks have incurred huge penalties for Money laundering, fraudulent investment documentation,
https://fintrac-canafe.canada.ca/pen/4-eng
TD Bank – has faced significant fines, notably a $3.09 billion penalty in the U.S. (at a current exchange rate of $1.40) which equals $4,326,000,000.00(yes Billion) Cdn for money laundering violations. Additionally, FINTRAC imposed a separate $9.185 million penalty in Canada for similar compliance issues. Which totals $4,335,185,000.00 Cdn yes Billion.
https://violationtracker.goodjobsfirst.org/?company_op=starts&company=TD+bank&offense_group=&agency_code=
https://violationtracker.goodjobsfirst.org/?company=Toronto+Dominion
RBC – Specifically, the violations included: Failure to report suspicious transactions: RBC failed to submit 16 suspicious transaction reports (STRs) out of 130 case files reviewed. Failure to provide information in the prescribed manner: RBC failed to provide information in the prescribed form and manner in suspicious transactions reports. Failure to keep policies and procedures up to date: RBC failed to keep written policies and procedures up to date. $1,003,484,615.00
https://violationtracker.goodjobsfirst.org/?company=RBC
https://fintrac-canafe.canada.ca/pen/amps/pen-2023-12-05-eng
BMO Current Parent Company Name: Bank of Montreal
Ownership Structure: publicly traded (ticker symbol BMO)
Headquartered in: Canada
Major Industry: financial services
Specific Industry: banking
Penalty total since 2000: $191,283,637
Number of records: 22
https://violationtracker.goodjobsfirst.org/parent/bank-of-montreal
https://violationtracker.goodjobsfirst.org/?company=BMO
https://www.investmentexecutive.com/news/from-the-regulators/bmo-agrees-to-pay-us40-million-to-settle-sec-charges-on-supervision-failure
Scotiabank has been fined multiple times by US and Canadian regulatory bodies for various violations. In 2023, they were fined $22.5 million by the CFTC and SEC for off-channel communication violations. Previously, in 2020, they were fined $127.4 million for price manipulation and false statements related to futures contracts.
As per violation tracker the total fines are $224,233,000.00
https://violationtracker.goodjobsfirst.org/?company=scotiabank
CIBC – While Fintrac claims $42M USD (@1.40 exchange) Violations tracker shows it is $124,436,598.00 in total since 2005.
https://violationtracker.goodjobsfirst.org/?company=Canadian+Imperial+Bank+of+Commerce
https://violationtracker.goodjobsfirst.org/?company=CIBC
https://fintrac-canafe.canada.ca/new-neuf/nr/2023-12-07-eng
https://fintrac-canafe.canada.ca/pen/4-eng
Total Costs from Banks who committed Investor Protection Violations and Money Laundering $7,972,261,678.00 – YES that’s billion.
When we hear from politicians at ANY level that monies spent on fraud, laundering, by other entities, including other levels of government, and banks which directly impact taxpayers, “That doesn’t concern us.”
While continuing to beg, borrow and pander for funds from Taxpayers to cover those losses, which we did not personally incur, it shows a completely different level of incompetency, ineptitude that should not be leading anything, but their own misfortunes. Not ANYTHING that taxpayers are on the hook for.