Dominique Bertrand is running for a seat on Russell Township Council with a campaign focused on managing growth, improving road safety and maintaining the community’s small-town character.

Bertrand is one of five candidates running for four councillor positions in the 2026 Russell Township municipal election. Incumbents Charles Armstrong, Lisa Deacon and Jamie Laurin are also seeking re-election, while Nick Gallagher is the other challenger. Mayor Mike Tarnowski has been acclaimed for the 2026–2030 term.

Bertrand said running for municipal office has been a long-term goal.

“I always had in mind that once I retired from education, I would run in a municipal election,” she said. “I’ve always been strongly involved in the community, and I’ve always felt that need to help and also to help plan a little bit what the future is going to look like in the municipality.”

She retired in June 2025 after serving as principal of Russell High School. She said the timing allowed her to spend a year preparing for the 2026 election.

“I wanted to give myself the chance to be as prepared as I could be because if I’m going to represent the community, I need to be ready,” she said.

Managing growth

Bertrand identifies growth as one of the municipality’s main challenges.

Russell Township has experienced significant development in recent years, she said, and further growth will require careful planning around where new homes are built and how existing land is used.

“We don’t always want to be pushing the boundaries of the municipality,” Bertrand said. “We need to protect the lands around it and we need to protect what is inside the boundaries.”

Rather than continuing to expand outward, she said the municipality should consider ways to make better use of existing land and increase density.

At the same time, Bertrand wants to preserve what she describes as Russell Township’s small-town feel.

Her campaign slogan is “Respect our roots to grow together,” reflecting what she sees as the importance of maintaining community connections as the township grows.

Bertrand, who has lived in Embrun for 50 years, said volunteers are an important part of maintaining that sense of community.

“We grow, but that doesn’t mean we forget what we have,” she said. “I think the way forward is to maximize our volunteers and continue encouraging people to get involved in the community.”

Road safety

Road safety is another major priority for Bertrand, particularly as the township continues to develop.

Her background in education has given her experience with the number of children who walk or cycle to school, she said. She also regularly walks and cycles in the community herself.

When new neighbourhoods are planned, Bertrand said, pedestrian and cycling safety should be incorporated from the beginning.

“One of the things I would like to do is that I strongly believe every residential road should have a designated line for pedestrians and cyclists,” she said.

She also wants growth and development to be planned in a way that allows residents to move around the community safely without continually expanding its boundaries.

Experience in education and community organizations

Bertrand said her career in education has provided her with skills she could transfer to municipal government, including decision-making, listening and problem-solving.

She worked as a teacher before becoming a school principal and said the experience required her to make difficult decisions while listening to different perspectives.

She has also been involved with several local organizations and boards, including the Russell Public Library Board, Maison Interlude, the Russell Coyote organization and the Centre créatif d’Embrun.

Bertrand currently serves as vice-chair of the Russell Public Library Board. She said the board recently reached an agreement with the municipality to build a new library branch in Embrun, a development she said she is particularly proud of.

She also previously co-owned a small organization business, helping clients establish systems for managing their homes, schedules and paperwork.

“I listened to what people needed, put systems in place and then followed up to make sure everything didn’t fall apart once I left,” she said.

A long-standing connection to Russell

Bertrand said her five decades in the community and her professional and volunteer experience distinguish her campaign.

She also emphasized her Francophone background and her ability to bring an educational perspective to council.

“I’ve grown up here, I raised my family here, I’ve worked in the community and I’ve been part of several boards,” she said.

Bertrand said she believes one of her strengths is her ability to listen before making decisions.

“The people I’ve worked with will say that I listen really well, and I listen to understand, not necessarily to respond,” she said. “I take the time to listen, analyze the problem, and I’ve made a lot of difficult decisions in my career. I’m ready to make more.”

With the campaign now entering its final weeks, Bertrand plans to increase her door-to-door efforts after doing some canvassing earlier in the campaign.

“I really care about this municipality,” she said. “I’ve always defended it and I’m always going to continue to defend it.”

The municipal voting period in Russell Township will run from October 21 to October 26, with voting available online or by phone. Voting closes at 8 p.m. on October 26.