Bob Lagassé, MLA for Dawson Trail, has been taking a new approach in creating community connections by hosting community gatherings called Coffee with Bob. Lagassé started doing these informal sit-downs at the beginning of his term as way to reach out to his constituents on a more casual basis.
Seeing an opportunity to connect members of the community with the right people, Lagassé has now started doing the meetings with regional mayors.
“People will come with an issue and it won’t necessarily be provincial,” says Lagassé. “This is an opportunity for people to connect with the right people.”
The RM of Ritchot participated in a Coffee with Bob session on Friday, November 23 at 457 Main Street in St. Adolphe. Ritchot Mayor Chris Ewen joined Lagassé for the session.
“The main idea is to connect with residents for the Dawson Trail riding and Ritchot,” explains Mayor Ewen. “It’s an informal coffee chat where we will talk about anything from politics to road issues to personal lives. It’s a great way to get to know people around us and be able to service them better, or even just be able to say hello in the grocery store.”
During his term so far, Lagassé has tried to be mindful of the importance of maintaining relationships with his constituents by continuing to be a presence in the riding.
“A lot of times people get elected and then they disappear,” says Lagassé. “Some of our job pulls us away from the communities, but in my opinion the communities are the most important part.”
An event like Coffee with Bob is something that is unique to rural communities and allows the different towns to come to together and foster the one-community mentality.
“The RM of Ritchot, especially myself as mayor, appreciates the time our MLS's have taken with us to ask questions, hear ideas, and meet our residents together,” Ewen adds. “I look forward to positive initiatives MLS Lagassé has brought to Ritchot, especially Coffee with Bob.”
