I’m losing faith in the idea that democracy exists in this city.
I’m not happy with absolutely everything the current council has done, but I’ve looked through the candidates’ profiles and I’m struggling to see who’s actually offering something better. There are plenty of buzzwords and promises made by CHATGPT, but once you cut through the bullshit, what are they actually saying?
Everyone keeps saying, “We need change.” Fine. What does that change look like?
What are you going to do? How are you going to pay for it? And if you can’t get the rest of council to agree, then what?
People seem to forget that council works as a team. You don’t win an election and suddenly get to run the city yourself. You have to work with whoever else gets elected, whether you like them or not.
A group of politicians stuck in a four-year pissing contest does absolutely nothing for the people hard working people paying their salaries.
I was glad to see some new names on the ballot. I wanted real competition that would put the current councillors on their toes and make them earn their jobs. But being new doesn’t
automatically make you better, and being there for years doesn’t mean you’re owed another term.
Show me that you understand the job.
If you’re going to save me money, tell me where you’re cutting. Are we talking about waste, or am I getting less snow clearing and grass cutting so you can say you saved me a few bucks then spend it elsewhere? If you’re promising better services, tell me where the money is coming from.
I care about whether the road I take to work is maintained. Whether the sidewalks and curbs get fixed. Whether the park is clean and safe when I take my kids there. Whether the roads get cleared in winter so I can get my elderly father to the hospital if something happens.
That’s the everyday stuff people count on the city to get right.
Development is going to keep coming. Tell me how you’ll deal with it, what you’ll expect developers to provide, and how you’ll make sure roads and services can keep up. Be open about who supports your campaign and any relationships that could affect your decisions.
No one is going to magically fix traffic, lower everyone’s property tax bill, or get rid of crime. Anyone promising all of that is selling you complete bullshit. Tell me what you can realistically improve and how you plan to do it.
And I’m tired of hearing that the answer is simply younger people or “new blood.” I don’t care how old you are. I care whether you’re capable, prepared, honest, and willing to work with people you disagree with.
The current councillors should have to answer for their records. The people trying to replace them should have to prove they can do better.
That’s where my frustration is. I want better choices, but I’m not going to assume someone is better just because they haven’t had the job yet.
Give me a reason to vote for you beyond “it’s time for change.” Tell me what you’ll actually do when you get there other than waste 4 years of my tax dollars trying to figure the job out and whore yourself out to the nearest MP and/or developer.