Heritage has become an issue in this campaign, not least because of the attention it has received since the Council voted to declare a number of our heritage buildings surplus to requirements and decided to put them on the market. I have worked through the Heritage Advisory Committee, a Committee of Council to which I was named four years ago, and through the North Grenville Historical Society, of which I am President, to counter Council’s moves to dispose of our built heritage. Continue reading →

The Municipality of North Grenville has a tremendous wealth of talent and expertise at its disposal. The voluntary sector is incredibly energetic and productive, making this a wonderfully caring and dynamic community. Our business and educational sectors are an asset that not many municipalities enjoy. North Grenville Council could act as mediator among these sectors, bringing them together and ensuring that everyone has a role and a voice in our common future. No Council has everything necessary to run this Municipality to its fullest. Council needs to look at ways in which the wider community can be brought into the system to maximise the business and social potential of North Grenville. Here are some of the ways they can do this: Continue reading →

The official motto of North Grenville is “Green and Growing”. Whatever about the Green part, we are being constantly assured that we are growing at a rapid rate; that we are, in fact, one of the fastest growing municipalities in Ontario.  “Growth” is one of those words that immediately implies “Good”, Growth is Good, and that is usually the case. But if there’s one thing the international economic crisis has taught us, it is that growth is not always good, it can sometimes be incredibly destructive. Continue reading →

In every election campaign there is what is known as “The Question”, the one all candidates need to answer at some point: why are you running? Why should people vote for you, instead of the others? Why are you going to be better at the job than the people already in office? Here is my answer: I want the people of North Grenville to know that someone on Council is actually listening to them, treating them with respect, and taking the time to answer them properly. I want the people of North Grenville to have a voice: to know that they are part of the decision-making that shapes the future of their community. Continue reading →