John Prystanski

John Prystanski is a former city councillor in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He represented the north-end ward of Point Douglas from 1989 to 2002.

City councillor

1989-1995

Prystanski was first elected to the Winnipeg City Council in the 1989 municipal election, defeating incumbent councillor Terry Wachniak. He was still in his mid-20s at the time of his first election, and worked with the City of Winnipeg streets and transportation department.[1]

He was on the right-wing of council. He was appointed to the board of the Winnipeg Enterprises Corp. shortly after the election.[2] Re-elected in 1992, he was chosen over Glen Murray the following year to serve on Winnipeg's safe city committee. Some women's groups expressed concern that he was not sufficiently sensitive to their concerns.[3] He also chaired an ad hoc committee that sought to win tax credits for Winnipeg residents who renovate older homes.[4]

Prystanski was appointed to the Planning and Community Services Committee in 1993.[5] The following month, he and Glen Murray were the only two councillors to vote against spending $30,000 on a bid for the 1995 Grey Cup.[6]

Prystanski represented one of Winnipeg's lowest-income areas. In 1993, he called for a crackdown on prostitution through traffic restrictions and greater lighting.[7] On another occasion, he described Winnipeg's licensing system as ineffective in cracking down on underage drinkers.[8] He helped establish the Westland Foundation in 1994, with the intent of providing funding for inner-city projects.[9] He supported the maintenance of historical sites in his ward, and angrily rejected Al Golden's suggestion that Point Douglas was too dangerous for municipal heritage projects.[10] Prystanski also supported community policing, and threatened a crackdown on local flea markets in 1995.[11]

Prystanski supported efforts to keep the Winnipeg Jets hockey team in Winnipeg, and was an early backer of a new arena proposal from the Manitoba Entertainment Complex in 1994-95.[12] In August 1995, he supported a proposed municipal reform to give the Mayor of Winnipeg the ability to cast an extra tie-breaking vote on council.[13] He opposed extending municipal benefits to the partners of same-sex couples in 1994.[14]

Prystanski became a member of the Manitoba Métis Federation in 1994, citing his mother's heritage in a Métis family in Ste. Rose du Lac.[15] He described himself as having no party affiliation in a 1995 interview.[16]

1995-2002

Prystanski endorsed the mayoral candidacy of Peter Kaufmann in the 1995 municipal election, who finished a surprisingly strong second against incumbent Susan Thompson, while Prystanski was easily re-elected in his own ward.[17] He was chosen as deputy speaker of council shortly after the election.[18]

When the City of Winnipeg began looking for a new police chief in late 1995, Prystanski argued that the successful candidate should be committed to community policing and have good relations with visible minority communities.[19] In April 1996, he supported the contracting-out of transit services for persons with disabilities.[20]

Prystanski remained involved with several initiatives intended to address the poverty and challenging living conditions of his ward. He supported unsuccessful efforts to introduce a strict youth curfew.[21] In June 1996, he asked federal Justice Minister Allan Rock to introduce legislation allowing drivers to lose their cars if caught soliciting for prostitution.[22] This plan was rejected in a 1997 municipal report, but was implemented by the provincial government in 1999.[23] In 1998, he supported a plan to ban squeegee kids from Winnipeg's streets.[24]

Some regarded Prystanski's voting record as inappropriate for the representative of a low-income ward, and he was opposed by an ad hoc citizens' group called "It's Our City" in the 1998 election.[25] He was also targeted by the Canadian Union of Public Employees.[26] He was nonetheless re-elected, with a narrow victory over rival candidate Pauline Riley. He again endorsed the mayoral candidacy of Peter Kaufmann, who was narrowly defeated by Glen Murray.[27]

Prystanski sought re-election as Deputy Speaker when council reconvened, but was defeated by Harry Lazarenko.[28] He was subsequently appointed to the Property and Development Committee.[29] In 1999, he led a task force that examined a spate of arsons within his ward.[30] In 2000, he voted in favour of a motion for municipal term limits.[31]

In 2000, Prystanski launched a motorcycle refinishing and parts business called The Chrome Pit. He was later criticized by the media and other councillors for devoting more time to his business than to his duties as a councillor. A 2002 article in the Winnipeg Free Press indicated that he was often late or absent from council and committee meetings, and rarely turned up at his municipal office. Soon after the article was published, Prystanski indicated that he would not be a candidate in the next election.[32]

He later supported MaryAnn Mihychuk in a 2004 mayoral by-election.[33]

After politics

In 2007, jurors in a trial involving the Hells Angels motorcycle gang were shown evidence that Prystanski had submitted an application to join the organization. He declined to comment.[34]

Prystanski received a law degree at the University of Manitoba Faculty of Law. He was elected as the Manitoba Aboriginal Law Students Association representative to the Manitoba Law Students Association. Currently, he is a Barrister and Solicitor with the law firm McJannet Rich and the president of the Westland Foundation.

Footnotes

1. "John Prystanski" [correction notice], 5 October 1995, A7.
2. William Neville, "Some arms are longer", Winnipeg Free Press, 17 June 1993. Neville argued that Prystanski possessed no obvious qualifications for this position, and speculated that his appointment was at least partly due to his alliance with the centre-right. For a reference to Prystanski's age, see "Prystanski finds elders demand a little respect", Winnipeg Free Press, 17 May 1993.
3. "First-graders' art decorates city hall", Winnipeg Free Press, 17 March 1993.
4. Dan Lett, "City backs tax credits for repairs", Winnipeg Free Press, 21 October 1993.
5. Dan Lett, "Alliance approves postings", Winnipeg Free Press, 4 November 1993; Bill Redekop, "Mayor warned to change style", Winnipeg Free Press, 6 November 1993.
6. Scott Taylor, "Council fumbles ball on sports", Winnipeg Free Press, 19 December 1993.
7. Teresa Crellin, "Prostitute problem on move: residents", Winnipeg Free Press, 15 September 1993.
8. Daniel McIntyre, "Club flouting law, councillor claims", Winnipeg Free Press, 5 May 1994.
9. "Foundation set up to support groups in the inner city", Winnipeg Free Press, 21 July 1994; "Foundation works behind scenes, keeps north end programs going", Winnipeg Free Press, 7 May 1997, p. 1.
10. Nick Martin, "Restoration possible for historic site", Winnipeg Free Press, 7 June 1993.
11. Paul McKie, "Military timing right on until Dumont's joyride", Winnipeg Free Press, 12 April 1995 [community policing]; Nick Martin, "Flea market operator", Winnipeg Free Press, 21 June 1995, p. 2.
12. Buzz Currie, "Who voted for and against arena proposal", Winnipeg Free Press, 15 October 1994; Stevens Wild, "MEC must sway five skeptics", Winnipeg Free Press, 27 January 1995; Nick Martin, "Spirit gets its last shot", Winnipeg Free Press, 11 August 1995, B3.
13. Stevens Wild, "Task force wants tie-breaker for mayor", Winnipeg Free Press, 3 August 1995, B3.
14. Dan Lett, "Same-sex debate stews", Winnipeg Free Press, 5 July 1994.
15. "WIN candidate won't drop out", Winnipeg Free Press, 23 September 1995, A6.
16. "John Prystanski", Winnipeg Free Press, 5 October 1995, A7.
17. Nick Martin, "Thompson mulls choice of cabinet", Winnipeg Free Press, 27 October 1995, A3.
18. Stevens Wild, "Lines drawn at city hall", Winnipeg Free Press, 13 November 1995, A7.
19. Nick Martin, "City in a rush to find a new police chief, councillors complain", Winnipeg Free Press, 16 December 1995, A6.
20. Treena Khan, "Bus safety fears dismissed", Winnipeg Free Press, 18 April 1996, A6.
21. Treena Khan, "Councillors say no to curfew for youths", Winnipeg Free Press, 4 June 1996, A4; Aldo Santin, "Curfew call falls on deaf ears", Winnipeg Free Press, 13 June 1996, A6.
22. Treena Khan, "Green light sought to nab red-light car", Winnipeg Free Press, 4 June 1996, A7. Winnipeg police supported the proposal later in the year. See "Police target johns' cars", Winnipeg Free Press, 8 October 1996, A12.
23. Aldo Santin, "Police to nix plan to fight prostitution", Winnipeg Free Press, 6 September 1997, A7; John Lyons, "Pimps, johns may lose vehicles under new law", Winnipeg Free Press, 2 February 1999, A11.
24. Kim Guttormson, "Kids' chastise city council", Winnipeg Free Press, 10 February 1998, A3; Brian Cole, "Ban on squeegee kids unfair" [editorial], Winnipeg Free Press, 10 March 1998, A11.
25. Kim Guttormson, "Coalition goes on attack against three councillors", Winnipeg Free Press, 5 September 1998, A6.
26. Bill Redekop, "Civic union puts out political wish list", Winnipeg Free Press, 5 October 1998, A3.
27. David O'Brien, "Speaking your language", Winnipeg Free Press, 23 October 1998, A10.
28. Keith McArthur, "Lazarenko lands deputy speaker's job as committees set", Winnipeg Free Press, 13 November 1998, A5.
29. "Here's who sits on civic committees", Winnipeg Free Press, 13 November 1998, A5.
30. Keith McArthur, "House torched in `fire zone' second arson in as many days", Winnipeg Free Press, 30 January 1999, A1; David O'Brien, "Firefighters out to track down arson magnets", Winnipeg Free Press, 6 May 1999, A3.
31. David O'Brien, "Term limits voted down after council gets testy", Winnipeg Free press, 19 October 2000, A8.
32. David O'Brien, "Prystanski quitting civic politics", Winnipeg Free Press, 26 June 2002, A3.
33. "Behind the scenes of election campaigns", Winnipeg Free Press, 21 June 2004, A13.
34. Mike McIntyre, "Here's the evidence -- would you have exonerated the Hells Angel?", Winnipeg Free Press, 13 May 2007, B1.