Strong, Respectful & Principled Leadership

Earlier today, McNab/Braeside Mayor Lori Hoddinott shared a post on multiple social media sites where she lambasted Mayor Lisa McGee of the Town of Arnprior for comments about amalgamation, annexation and municipal restructuring made at Arnprior’s All Candidates Meeting a couple of weeks ago. While I share Mayor Hoddinott’s belief that any discussions about theContinue reading "Strong, Respectful & Principled Leadership"

Investing in Roads, Parks and Recreation

To me, the best investment that we can make as a Township is in our built infrastructure which provides benefits for both current and future residents as well as serving as the foundation for economic activity across the municipality. Whether it is our roads, parks or other Township assets, we must take a measured andContinue reading "Investing in Roads, Parks and Recreation"

Stablilizing and Rebuilding Trust

As I've spoken with residents while knocking on doors, one message has come through clearly: residents feel our Township has become unstable over the past four years, and many have lost confidence in their local government. That instability has included Integrity Commissioner investigations, the resignation of the former Mayor, and an unusually high number ofContinue reading "Stablilizing and Rebuilding Trust"

Responsible Financial Management

One question that I hear frequently is how I would approach property taxation and financial planning as Mayor and if I would support tax increases in future years. While I would love to say that this question is easy to answer, it is sadly not straight-forward or reasonable to answer with a simple “yes” orContinue reading "Responsible Financial Management"

Respectful Election Conduct

The cornerstone of Canadian democracy is that we can disagree on particular policies or programs but we can do so respectfully without descending into behaviour that could be considered to be bullying, harassment or discrimination. Over the past few days, there has been some debate on social media about bullying and harassment directed at electedContinue reading "Respectful Election Conduct"

Community Safety and Addressing Speeding

One of the issues that I hear about most frequently in all corners of McNab/Braeside is the increased levels of speeding on our roadways. While speed enforcement is exclusively under the authority of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), the Township and its Council can play a more active role in promoting road safety on ourContinue reading "Community Safety and Addressing Speeding"

Accountability and Transparency

To me, accountability and transparency are the most important values in municipal government, and I believe that it is the responsibility of all elected officials to support the right of their residents and ratepayers to be present, to ask questions and to get involved in the decision-making process. Council Meeting Times Earlier this week, TownshipContinue reading "Accountability and Transparency"

I’m Running for Mayor

McNab/Braeside has had a chaotic four years under the failed leadership of current Mayor Lori Hoddinott and former Mayor Mark Mackenzie. Taxes have continued to grow while the community has not seen the core services and capital investments that it needs and expects for the dollars we pay annually in property taxes. Instead, this CouncilContinue reading "I’m Running for Mayor"

A Practical and Balanced Approach to Tackling Climate Change

Right off the bat, we know that climate change is real and that it continues to impact communities like ours right across Canada. From wildfires to tornadoes to floods, rural communities have been on the frontline of dealing with climate impacts while also trying to provide regular services to their residents. Personally, I think backContinue reading "A Practical and Balanced Approach to Tackling Climate Change"