WINNIPEG'S ho-hum mayoral race suddenly got interesting yesterday as two left-of-centre candidates -- including a member of Toronto Mayor David Miller's successful campaign team -- declared their intention to run against Sam Katz.

[Kaj Hasselriis], 32, has worked as a CBC Radio broadcaster and an Ottawa lobbyist for same-sex marriage rights and also got under Katz's skin by mounting a public-pressure campaign following the death of council's bus rapid transit plan.

He has worked on election campaigns for Winnipeg city councillor Donald Benham and school trustee Kristine Barr, and on Jack Layton's federal NDP leadership campaign. Hasselriis also played a big role in Miller's dark-horse bid to become Toronto's mayor.