Late last year, when our outgoing city councillor announced he would not stand for reelection, I was in Copenhagen at the United Nations climate change negotiations. At that meeting it became clear that national governments weren’t adequately planning for the future, but that municipal governments, on the other hand, have an exciting opportunity to build communities that will thrive both today and tomorrow.
I decided to campaign for election as the next City Councillor of Ward 27 because I think that the decisions that are made in this ward in the next four years will be critically important. City finances must be brought under control to ensure our long-term prosperity. Better service delivery needs to be a priority. Transit must be strengthened so that more people can rely upon it as a convenient and appealing way to get around. And our democratic processes must be renewed so that our faith in our own government is restored, and that Torontonians are involved and engaged rather than cynical and tuned-out.
Today, my spouse Claire and I feel lucky to live at the centre of a great city. I’ve lived in Ward 27 for the past 10 years, living in amazing and diverse neighborhoods from the downtown core to Yorkville to Church/Wellesley to the Garden District. A graduate of Ryerson University, I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Radio and Television and made a career in interactive media, producing and building businesses around web sites and mobile applications for some of Canada’s largest media companies. Achieving seemingly impossible business goals with limited resources has prepared me well for the challenges of City Hall.
As an activist, I’ve fought for human rights and equality: elected to the United Church of Canada’s national governing body, I voted in 2000 and 2003 to affirm that our country’s second largest denomination would support and perform same-sex marriages. As a political candidate, I brought the Green Party of Canada its strongest-ever result in this riding in 2008. (In municipal politics, however, there are no parties, and I’m pleased to be running as an independent candidate endorsed by people from across the political spectrum and all over the ward.)
As a policy author and speaker I’ve focused on the health of our democracy itself, speaking out in lectures and on TV (including TVO’s The Agenda with Steve Paikin) about the need for democratic renewal. And as a volunteer Vice President of the Ontario Recreational Canoeing Association and board member of a Toronto-based boys-and-girls camp, I’ve cemented a firm belief in the importance of children’s and outdoor education, and the need for keen oversight and financial discipline in any organization, small or large.
I’m running for city council because I passionately believe that our ward can be a great place to live, work and play—if we make the right decisions now. I can make a measurable difference in these key areas, and I am asking for your support.
