Municipal Election 2026: Alastair MacFarlane Candidate for Ward 4

Join us for a special series of CAC: In Conversation, covering the 2026 Municipal Election in the Fundy Albert Region. 

In this conversation, we chat with Alastair MacFarlane, Candidate for the position of Councillor of Ward 4.  

All candidates were given a list of potential questions at least 24 hours in advance of their interview and were asked the same questions. We have completed light editing for clarity, length, and sound quality. All views and opinions represented in the interviews are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect those of Connecting Albert County. 

Connecting Albert County thanks our presenting sponsor, the Bennett & Albert County Healthcare Foundation.

For more information on Connecting Albert County, please go to our website or find us on Facebook or Instagram.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Hello and welcome to Connecting Albert County in Conversation Series. This is part of our special edition covering the 2026 municipal elections in Funday, Albert. We are here today with Alistair McFarlane, the candidate for ward four, along with, I believe there's two other candidates running in your ward.

SPEAKER_01 0:24

Yes, there are.

SPEAKER_00 0:25

So there are three in ward four, and Alistair is running as well. So Alistair, thank you for being here with us today.

SPEAKER_01 0:34

Thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_00 0:36

So we wanted to give all the candidates running an opportunity for the community to get to know them as a way to help engage hopefully voter turnout, as well as folks being able to make informed decisions on who they want to represent them in their ward and in their community. So we appreciate the time that you're giving to us to help us achieve this goal. Maybe as we begin, um, you can just tell us a little bit about yourself.

SPEAKER_01 1:03

Well, I am 28 years old. I am a machinist, and I live here in the village of Hillsborough. Um as a kid, I used to always come in the summers to visit my cousins on Albert Mines Road. And ever since I was little, I fell in love with this town, and I told my dad I wanted to live here. And then as an adult, I made it happen. I moved here with my wife four years ago. Um, we were actually married here in town. Uh, we were recently baptized here in town, and our first daughter was born here. Uh, my experience with politics is pretty limited. Really, I only started paying attention with the um chicken petition I ran against the rural plan last year.

SPEAKER_00 1:52

And what was that experience like for you?

SPEAKER_01 1:55

It was really good. I was super nervous going out and talking to everyone in the community. I'm not that good at talking to strangers, but people are so kind here and so welcoming. And it well, it broke the ice really well. And once I got talking, it was easy to form a bond with the community.

SPEAKER_00 2:13

Okay. So this definitely the uh the chicken petition does show community leadership, I think. And could you describe your leadership style and maybe more information about how you've demonstrated community leadership?

SPEAKER_01 2:30

Well, I consider myself to be a collaborative leader. I think it's really important to listen to people and hear what they have to say. Um, a number of my platforms for this election and my ideas come from conversations I've had with people in this ward, uh, both currently and back when I was running that petition. Now, I don't shy away from conflict, and I'm if I'm passionate about something, I can fight real hard for it, but I like to resolve things amenably. A good example of that would be during the chicken petition. I I fought that pretty hard and I kept that role plan from going through in the form it was presented, but I also engaged in a lot of polite and productive conversations with counsel and the mayor. I always try to keep an open mind on issues because I don't always see the full picture or know the whole issue, and I know that. So when I'm confronted with all other opinions or arguments against it, I always try to pause and step back and look more into it and reassess.

SPEAKER_00 3:40

I think that's important as you're looking at uh municipal council, but in any situation where you have a group of people, conflict is bound to happen. And conflict can actually be a really good thing and move things forward. How do you think you will handle conflict within a municipal council setting if you were the winning candidate in your ward?

SPEAKER_01 4:06

Well, I will engage with people and I'll I'll be very spirited. But at the same time, we're all pulling for the same team. Although we represent different sections of the community, at the end of the day, everybody who's a member of that council is working for the community as a whole because we're all in this together.

SPEAKER_00 4:24

Why did you decide to run for council in this particular municipal election?

SPEAKER_01 4:29

I'm running in it for a number of reasons. I have uh when I was running that petition, a lot of people in the neighborhood suggested that I should run for council in the next election. And some of my friends have because they want to see some positive change in the area. And I've engaged with a lot of business owners who'd like that as well. Um, I kind of have a vested interest in the future of our town, knowing my daughter's gonna grow up here, and I want the town to be the best it can be. Um, I really love our village, and I believe I'm the person who's best suited to help us navigate the challenges we face today.

SPEAKER_00 5:10

You have done um a lot of work and a lot of communication. Before we move on, for the reader or the readers andor listeners um that aren't familiar, what was the chicken petition? We've made mention to it, and it just occurred to me that somebody listening may not know what that was.

SPEAKER_01 5:27

Well, last year when the rural plan was presented to council and very soon to be adopted, I overheard just by happenstance from being at a town meeting at the right time that the new rural plan was going to remove backyard chicken keeping from the entire municipality. It was also going to dezone a number of hobby and cattle farms in Hillsborough and Riverside Albert and change them over to strictly residential zoning. And when I heard this, considering at the time I had six little chicks in a box in my closet growing up, I couldn't stand for that. That was one of the biggest reasons I was so excited to move here was to keep some hens in the yard, get some fresh eggs every day. And so I spoke to my boss and I told him the situation, and I took some time off work and I spent about 40 hours over the span of a few days going all the way around the town and getting signatures from everybody who answered the door to try to stop this from happening.

SPEAKER_00 6:37

Okay. And were you successful?

SPEAKER_01 6:39

I was. Luckily, the community came out in droves to support the initiative.

SPEAKER_00 6:45

That's great. Well, congratulations on that. So now that folks know when we make reference to the chicken thing, they they can understand. Um, so how has that or how have you been preparing in your bid now for municipal counselor?

SPEAKER_01 7:02

Well, I've been studying a lot about both our bylaws as well as provincial bylaws. Um, I've been speaking to some mentors in the community, like former mayors and counselors, and also, and this is most important to me, getting out in the community and engaging with people who live here, asking them what they're concerned about, what they'd like to see, things where they think the future government could do better for them.

SPEAKER_00 7:30

Okay. So, what are some areas that um folks have been giving you feedback on that you've created, you mentioned into a platform. So, what is your platform and what do you see are the most pressing issues right now facing our community?

SPEAKER_01 7:50

Well, my platform is fairly long and maybe a little complicated. It's available um both on my Facebook page and I've been going door to door, giving it out in person. But I focus on three areas. I want transparent local government, I want ecological development and sustainability, and I want local investment and community outreach.

SPEAKER_00 8:15

Okay. And if you had to pick kind of the primary things you want to accomplish as the successful candidate, um, what would you say, like your first term you would want to walk away with? Because those are some big topics, like you mentioned.

SPEAKER_01 8:29

I think the very first and biggest victory for me will be the future rural plan. I want to make sure that it respects our existing zoning and also the rural nature of our communities. I want to make sure that it makes it easier for people starting and operating businesses within our town. Yeah, I want it to keep our right to grow food and raise animals and respect our architectural heritage as well.

SPEAKER_00 8:56

Okay. Is there anything you would like to add about your platform? Because you did mention it is a longer one, and I don't want to rush you through this stage.

SPEAKER_01 9:05

Uh, that's okay. Uh like I said, it's it's very many points, and we'd be here all day if I started going into detail on it.

SPEAKER_00 9:12

Super. So if folks want want more detail, they can find you online.

SPEAKER_01 9:17

I will make all decisions based on the benefit, first and foremost, of Ward 4 residents and also residents of the municipality as a whole. And I'll always be ready to provide a clear explanation of why decisions are being made and the thought process behind them. Because the most important part of representing the ward is representing and serving the people in it.

SPEAKER_00 9:41

Thank you very much. Moving on to the issue of time, serving your community through municipal government can be time consuming. There are multiple meetings per month at various times of the day and evening, as well as community events, boards that you need to join, and other projects. Can you speak to any concerns that voters might have about how you will manage your time and how available you will be to serve your constituents?

SPEAKER_01 10:09

This was actually the biggest concern my wife had when I talked to her about running. My busy schedule. But luckily, as it is, I have a very flexible schedule and I've never been one to shy away from a heavy workload. Um, once you get past scheduling, a lot of council duties are things I'm naturally interested in, anyways. I like town meetings following along. Like right now, I care about and spend time learning about things like our local governance and bylaws, municipal budget, and the services we have here on my own time. So I see this as an opportunity to turn my vested interests in the future of our town into a greater public service.

SPEAKER_00 10:51

Thank you. Earlier this year, there was a lot of discussion around mandatory training for municipal counselors and the availability of said training. Uh, are you for it or against required training? And have you had any training thus far?

SPEAKER_01 11:08

I think training, especially what I saw about conflicts of interest, is very important because I think um we did run into some issues there, and I think accountability from that is also important. I am for training, and I'd like to see some implementation in our municipality, even though the province decided against making it required. I've not taken any to date, but of course I would if the opportunity came up.

SPEAKER_00 11:35

And you've mentioned policies and procedures. So, as you are probably aware, the New Brunswick Local Governance Act is the primary legislation that governs municipalities, rural communities, and regional districts. Following the major reforms effective in January of 2023, there were some key updates that happened in relation to regional service delivery, uh, the new local governance commission, and the restructuring of the districts. The act does set the framework for council powers, financial duties, and bylaws. Can you share with us your level of familiarity with the New Brunswick Local Governance Act?

SPEAKER_01 12:16

I'm a bit familiar with it as it is, because I have read it over at least once in relation to um previous events in town.

SPEAKER_00 12:25

And you did mention transparency and conflicts of interest. And there have been many public conversations around concerns in regards to these topics, in particular, transparency of local council, perceived conflicts of interest that have occurred around decision making. What is your response to this concern and how has it impacted local governance?

SPEAKER_01 12:49

Well, it was actually those concerns that kind of led me to go to that council meeting where I learned about the rural plan. So conflicts of interest and collusion are a very quick way to lose trust with the community. And it's something that's not easily undone or fixed. And sometimes the decisions can't even be undone or fixed. So it's really important to be proactive about it. A lot of people in my ward express the same concerns I have, but also share my hope that our future council can be much more transparent going forward. We can increase communication from the local government to the community and make it easier for people to stay abreast of what's being decided.

SPEAKER_00 13:36

If you are the successful candidate, how would you hold yourself transparent and avoid conflicts of interest and institutionalize that into your municipal work?

SPEAKER_01 13:48

Well, as a counselor, I'll always hold the same interest as my constituents. And I will always make decisions for their collective interest above my own. I'll also always be prepared to explain and justify my decisions and my thought process when I make these.

SPEAKER_00 14:06

In regards to the nature and environmental file, so we're going to be moving into a different files that the municipality holds that they have impact or some type of relationship to within the community. And a lot of these questions, as well as the previous ones, but a lot of folks sent in questions that are very specific. I've done my best to pull them together for you in a way that is more accessible. And like you mentioned, we could sit and chat all day about them, but we'll try and keep them more succinct. The village of Funde Albert has a lot of resources, but perhaps the most obvious is our connection to the natural environment that we have. It is so profound in our region that it's actually highlighted in the tagline friendly by nature. We are also part of the UNESCO Funde Biosphere region, which is a huge and global significantly significant designation. How do you see the municipality's role in maintaining, managing, and utilizing our natural resources?

SPEAKER_01 15:12

Now, I have a horticulture diploma, and anyone who knows knows me knows I love plants. So I have a large personal interest in holistic ecology. I'm kind of an environment nerd. So first and foremost, I'd like to see our municipality end glyphosate spraying in our boundary and particularly in our watershed. Um, personally, I'd like to push for sustainable forestry practices and habitat preservation within our municipality as well. I think our position in the fundy biosphere gives us great means to position ourselves as an ecotourism destination. And the municipality should celebrate and invest in our unique climate and biomes. Like so many people don't even know about the hundreds of unique varieties of heritage apples scattered throughout our region.

SPEAKER_00 16:07

That's incredible. I'm sure you could tell us about a lot of them. I know we've had conversations in the past alluding to that, that very thing. So you mentioned um the spraying of the region's forest with glycophates, which was a specific question that the community had asked of your thoughts there. Um are there any other environmental or ecological perspective or issues that you bring to this role?

SPEAKER_01 16:35

Well, um, very particular to my ward is that we have the very early starts of a Japanese knotweed infestation on Pleasant Street. Now I know that Alma has had an initiative to combat Japanese knotweed inside of their town. I believe there's a nonprofit working there. And I would like to use their expertise to preemptively combat it here before it spreads into our waterway.

SPEAKER_00 17:03

Thank you. Moving into the housing poverty and cost of living issues, there is always a lot of discussion around the challenges of living. The cost of living has a huge impact on the residents of your village. There is issues with precarious housing in our region, and many statistics suggest that there is a pretty significant number of residents who are within two paychecks at a risk of homelessness or being displaced. There is an increased use of food banks and other food security resources. And I could continue to list all of those types of things related to issues of poverty and cost of living. How have you or how will you use the full range of municipalities' tools and resources to increase access to things like affordable housing, to reduce or eliminate homelessness, increase food security, or in general have a positive effect in any area of poverty reduction?

SPEAKER_01 18:05

Well, first and foremost, I think an important thing we can do is limit or stop entirely property tax increases by better managing our budget. And I have spoken to some business owners in the community, and I'd like to find opportunities to work with them and local investors to create affordable and accessible housing. The rural plan is also very important for this because maintaining our zoning and our right to grow food and raise animals helps the food security of our residents. I'd also like to see the development of an edible forest, both for teaching younger folks about our climate and what can be produced in it, as well as encouraging residents to plant their own fruit and nut trees. And I'll be donating $2,000 a year from the council salary, if elected, to our local food bank.

SPEAKER_00 19:09

Some of the things you've mentioned do touch on the areas of economic development. What do you see as the municipal council's role in regards to economic development?

SPEAKER_01 19:22

Well, I'd like to see a lot more communication between the council and local business owners. I know our municipality as a whole does have a chamber of commerce, but I'd like to see one specific to Hillsborough, where an ambassador from our local businesses could directly uh speak to the council about concerns they have with our downtown. So I want to work with those businesses in Ward 4 to help them thrive and address their concerns, such as parking and pedestrian access.

SPEAKER_00 19:52

And what do you think are the best ways to grow our community?

SPEAKER_01 19:56

Well, one thing that makes me really, really happy is that we've seen growth in recent years post-COVID, and we've seen young families, established workers, and even retirees moving into our community because they love our climate, they love our lifestyle, they love our town. And I think that's an important thing there. I do think we need to attract some new businesses to our ward to enhance the livability for our residents, such as maybe more restaurants. And I believe our council needs to make sure they're supporting the essential businesses inside of our community, such as the grocery store, pharmacy, and keeping the post office.

SPEAKER_00 20:38

And do you have any ideas on how the municipality could do that? How what that support looks like?

SPEAKER_01 20:45

I believe that we need to find zones where we can grow or develop businesses that will cause tourists to want to stop in our town, walk around, spend a bit of time and money here, and maybe even choose to stay.

SPEAKER_00 21:02

Moving into the arts, culture, and history files. Do you think that history, art, and culture add value to the municipality?

SPEAKER_01 21:13

I do. Our area has an uncanny ability to attract artists to it. I think it's something to do with how beautiful our landscape is. Um, in particular, Hillsboro has a rich architectural heritage. And some of it is currently falling into disrepair. But I'd like to see the town proactively pursue government funding and grants for beautification and restoration of these heritage properties.

SPEAKER_00 21:43

So therefore, do you think the how do you think the municipality can further engage with history, arts, and culture file through things like strategic planning, policy, investment, even programming, so on and so forth?

SPEAKER_01 21:59

Well, like I Said, I'd like to see more investment in maintaining our architecture. And like I said as well, we have many wonderful artists who call our community home. And I'd like to better showcase them, uh, possibly with better signage and funding to the arts.

SPEAKER_00 22:17

Roads are always a concern for residents, about especially this time of year. Things are shifting and changing, but there is a lot more than roads, especially with amalgamation. We've gone from having one central location and three locations to now from one edge of Riverview all the way to Alma and all of the infrastructure that's included in that. How have you or how will you utilize the full range of the municipalities' tools and resources in managing, maintaining, or improving important municipal infrastructures or potentially developing new projects?

SPEAKER_01 22:56

Well, I'd like to work with our public works, private contractors, and the provincial and federal government to manage and improve our roadways, as well as clearly demarcate where our responsibility is on it, because the 114 is a rather major road that's administered both by our municipality and the province at different points. I would like to see some traffic calming in our neighborhoods and possibly something to ensure people obey the speed limit on the main street, as well as safer crossings for our school and for our downtown businesses.

SPEAKER_00 23:30

We've mentioned a bit about amalgamation and you've talked a bit about Hillsboro specific things. Regardless of individual feelings on amalgamation, we are living with the consequences that there is no more separate entities, that it is all Funday Albert. How will you approach the challenges related to this particular experience? And are you prepared to serve the greater community of Funday Albert?

SPEAKER_01 23:58

I'm going to approach problems related to amalgamation thoroughly. And I want to work with the other ward counselors on our shared problems. Because, like you said, we can't put the genie back in the bottle on amalgamation. And we are all in this together, and it's up to us to make it work.

SPEAKER_00 24:18

So as we wrap up, is there anything we haven't covered that you would want municipal residents to know about you and your bid in this election?

SPEAKER_01 24:28

All I really have to say there is that I live in this community. I love this community. I want my daughter and all of our children to grow up in a town that is as good as it can be. And I'm ready and willing to do as much work as it takes to make that a reality.

SPEAKER_00 24:52

Awesome. Thank you very much for your time today. I do really appreciate it. Um, if anybody has wants more information, they can reach out to you on your social media. And all of the information from all candidates is now listed on the Government of New Brunswick website under the municipal candidates uh section. So if we have listeners that want to know more and how to reach you, that is one way to do so. And I believe almost all the candidates also have a social media page right now. So thank you very much, Alistair, for taking the time with us again today. Um, we look forward to hearing more from you in the future. And if you are listening, thank you so much. We will see you again soon with another installment of Connecting Albert County in Conversation.