August 8, 2010
Four months ago today, I filed my nomination papers and began working hard to become your voice from Ward 6 on City Council. Since then, I have been knocking on doors all across the ward, talking to hundreds of people about how they think the City is doing on the issues that matter to them and about the kind of collaborative leadership that I would bring to City Council.
There are still months to go before the election, but several things are clear.
Most people love their city and appreciate the direction it has been going in, particularly with the redevelopment of the UpTown core. Most people have not heard or don’t trust that amalgamation will serve them or their neighborhoods better. Many are concerned about the maintenance of parks and public spaces, and many more in the Beechwood neighbourhoods are concerned about the sustainability of their local pools and tennis courts. People are concerned about how we get around the Region, from our older roads to the infrequent buses and from our narrow and sporadic bike lanes to the promises and costs of light rail transit. Many people also want to protect our environment and improve our drinking water.
From all corners of the ward, people also raised student housing as an issue, not just regarding the situation in Northdale, but also in other neighbourhoods. They are looking for the City to take a new direction and finally find solutions. But from Sugarbush to Maple Hills, many more long-term residents than I had expected were concerned that the status quo is also not fair to students. From absentee landlords that let housing deteriorate and others that cram too many people into too small spaces, they know that it will take more than just better by-law enforcement and zoning to build neighbourhoods that serve and are fair to all of us.
They are looking for new leadership with new ideas and a new approach.
What I have learned most from the last four months is how proud people are of their city and how much hope they have for its future and their family’s future. Knowing how cynical people generally are about politics and politicians telling them what they want to hear, I have also been continually impressed with the willingness of people to have their views challenged with new information and I have appreciated learning new things from them.
The right kind of leadership is to not just listen to what concerns people have, but to have an honest dialogue about what we can do. To present new information and have a real discussion about what other possibilities there are. To challenge and be challenged by each other to imagine new ways to solve the problems and seize the opportunities that face our community.
Each new door and each new conversation has been energizing and enlightening on the big issues and the small ones. From zoning by-laws and amalgamation to the speed of cars on the street and the height of the grass in the local park, this campaign has reinforced that the issues that most affect our quality of life are truly the local, municipal issues. These are the issues that a collaborative approach and the right leadership can solve.
I look forward to meeting more of you, hearing from more of you, and continuing the conversation about what we can build here in Waterloo together.