On Oct. 24, voters across Waterloo Region in Ontario will head to the polls to elect city and regional councillors, mayors and a regional chair.
Residents of Cambridge, the region’s second-largest city, will elect councillors in eight wards in addition to a mayor to form city council.
There will probably be not less than three recent faces in place, as Ward 4 Coun. Jan Liggett is running for mayor and Ward 5 Coun. Pam Wolf is looking for certainly one of two seats on regional council. Ward 3 Coun. Mike Mann has chosen not to hunt re-election.
Ward 1 Coun. Donna Brown is looking for a fourth term in office but she is going to must get past Paul Brown, Helen Shwery and Eric Takor on election night to accomplish that.
To assist voters ahead of this election, Global News has reached out to all of those running for regional or city council, mayor or regional chair in Kitchener, Cambridge and Waterloo with available online contact info. Those running for office were emailed a listing of seven questions and in the approaching days, the responses for each candidate who replies will probably be shared.
What follows are the responses received from those running for councillor in Cambridge, with the candidates being listed in alphabetical order:
Paul Brown
Q.1 Please give a temporary background of yourself including what you do for a living and the way long you will have lived in the realm? (When you are an incumbent, please state how long you will have held the position.)
I’m 57 years old and recently retired. I moved to Cambridge with my parents in 1978 and have lived here ever since. I actually have lived in Ward 1 for the past eight years. I began my profession off as a correctional officer, a job I held for years. Then I got into the expert trades, first as a millwright, then as a custom steel fabricator. I worked my way up the ladder until my retirement from construction management in 2019.
Q.2 Why do you suspect you might be the proper person for the job?
I do know my way around city hall, having sat on different committees during the last eight years. I’m actively engaged in politics in any respect levels, so I understand the division of powers and having to cooperate with the intention to get things done. Being retired, I actually have the time to dedicate to council full time. I need to reinforce the transparency of city hall and make council more accountable after they make decisions that go against the correct process. I simply won’t stand for it.
Q.3 What do you’re thinking that is an important issue facing your ward and the town as a complete?
Homelessness and public safety is the highest priority for me.
Q.4 Looking down the road, what are your long-term goals for the town?
I need a city where people should not afraid to walk down the road. I need to see economic development flourish while at the identical time paying respect to our heritage. Some people imagine we’ve got to present up one to have the opposite, I disagree, I feel we’re higher off after we remember our past and commit to its preservation while desirous about future developments. I need to see a city that stuffed with family events and all three cores developed properly so we are able to enjoy our downtowns again.
Q.5 What’s your platform?
The largest a part of my platform is about transparency and accountability. Let’s face it, nothing else will be guaranteed by one councillor. I only will promise what’s inside my control and that’s transparency and accountability… I’ll pull the curtains back on city council.
Q.6 What do you prefer to do in your spare time?
Family and friends are essential to me, they’re primary. Beyond that, I really like music festivals, golfing, drag racing and the rest that enables me to spend time with the people I really like.
Q.7 What’s your favourite thing about living in your city/ward?
I actually have been in Preston for eight years now, I grew up in Hespeler. I’m astonished by the sense of community here. Individuals are so quick to assist others, it’s heartwarming. I’m so near downtown Preston that I can walk most places that I want to go. Our parks are so beautiful and so well enjoyed by everyone.
Donna Reid
Q.1 Please give a temporary background of yourself including what you do for a living and the way long you will have lived in the realm? (When you are an incumbent, please state how long you will have held the position.)
I used to be first elected to council in 2010. I actually have lived in Ward 1 for 22 years and for much longer in the town. Incidentally I actually have lived within the Lang’s area and the Preston Heights area and now live in Hespeler. The one area in my Ward I haven’t lived in is Blair.
I’m a retired teacher who spent her last 12 years on leave to serve because the Executive Director of the local teachers’ federation.
Q.2 Why do you suspect you might be the proper person for the job?
There are lots of challenges facing cities today. Homelessness, addiction, economic recovery, mental health issues and a pandemic that also plagues us. As well, this Region and our city are among the many fastest growing in Ontario and Canada. This implies we want supportive housing, reasonably priced housing and housing for the missing middle. We will’t construct housing fast enough to satisfy our needs.
These challenges require councillors with experience. I bring the experience, knowledge and skills to this role.
Q.3 What do you’re thinking that is an important issue facing your ward and the town as a complete?
My ward has a variety of potential development over the subsequent variety of years. We’re constructing residential 15-minute communities in addition to opening up the East side lands for employment and industry. Growing as quickly as we’re brings changes and adjustments to our residents ahead of anticipated. Some residents should not ready for these changes.
Town as a complete is undergoing crisis of homelessness, drug addiction and mental health issues. We cannot solve these issues alone. We’re working collaboratively with all levels of governments to supply the needed services.
Q.4 Looking down the road, what are your long-term goals for the town?
As we grow, careful planning is required. We would like to preserve our heritage buildings, our surroundings and find ways to scale back climate change. Our rivers must remain central and supply sports and peaceful enjoyment for all residents.
My long-term goal envisions a vibrant, energetic and delightful city that’s age friendly and supports and respects all residents.
Q.5 What’s your platform?
In my ward, I’ll collaborate with the Region on the event along Maple Grove Road and the roundabout at Hespeler/Maple Grove/Fisher Mills roads. I stay up for other developments within the ward that may add to our economic recovery.
More development will happen because the East Side lands open up. I hope to collaborate with the Region on these developments. It’s important to notice that public engagement is significant as we progress forward.
The corner of Fountain Street and King Street in Preston is an entry to the Preston Town Centre. It needs a development that inspires and honours the history of the hotels that graced that corner. I hope to soon support such planning applications.
As a councillor, I’m your representative. So once I make decisions I look to the residents, our city staff, my colleagues and any helpful research to help my decision making. Strong results come when all are involved.
Q.6 What do you prefer to do in your spare time?
I really like to read, spend time with family and friends and eating out in nice restaurants.
I’m an enormous figure fan and travel to events across Canada and the U.S.
Q.7 What’s your favourite thing about living in your city/ward?
I’m very pleased with my city. I really like our unique heritage, our rivers and our three cores. Riverside Park is my favourite spot.
Helen Shwery
Q.1 Please give a temporary background of yourself including what you do for a living and the way long you will have lived in the realm? (When you are an incumbent, please state how long you will have held the position.)
I’m a daughter of immigrant parents, a mother, grandmother, business owner, former audit and fraud specialist and fed-up taxpayer. I think talk is affordable and we’ve got had enough of do-nothing politicians.
During my teenage years I grew up on a farm in Cambridge and have been back for 4 years and currently live in Ward 1. I actually have volunteered for various groups and proceed to accomplish that. Throughout my life I actually have had to beat many challenges and obstacles which today I’m grateful for. I really like empowering people because I actually imagine everyone can succeed in the event that they wish to.
Q.2 Why do you suspect you might be the proper person for the job?
The present mayor and lots of the councilors are out of touch with the residents they’re speculated to be representing. Taxes, homelessness and crime keep increasing, yet our services are decreasing. I’ll find efficiencies to scale back unnecessary spending, while maintaining funds allocated to essential services.
The taxpayers in Cambridge have to be guiding the mayor and council. I’ll take heed to the residents and encourage town-hall type meetings where the people of Cambridge could attend. Decisions shouldn’t be political but based on what the people of Cambridge want.
I’m dedicating my campaign to restoring the voice of the people of Cambridge.
Q.3 What do you’re thinking that is an important issue facing your ward and the town as a complete?
The essential issue facing my ward and the people of Cambridge is money and frustration with the present mayor and council. Rates of interest are increasing, yet the mayor and council voted to extend the people of Cambridge’s property taxes by 4.5 per cent. Our property taxes and water rates are certainly one of the very best in Ontario. I’ll undergo the budget to seek out efficiencies and savings. We’d like to make Cambridge reasonably priced again.
Q.4 Looking down the road, what are your long-term goals for the town?
Cambridge must turn out to be reasonably priced and protected again. Engagement with the people of Cambridge have to be a part of every major decision made. It will give them pride and ownership of the town they live in. I’ll take heed to and respect the concerns and expectations of Cambridge residents and together find solutions.
Q.5 What’s your platform?
- Freeze each residential property and business taxes for the subsequent three years.
- Bring back community consultation. All large money projects should have residents’ input prior to proceeding.
- Will undergo the town’s budget line by line to seek out efficiencies and savings for the taxpayer. No more gravy train. Improvements to city infrastructure have to be prioritized. As your city councilor, I’ll safeguard taxpayer money prefer it is my very own.
- Time to get tough on crime. I’ll fight to present our police all resources essential to make our streets and neighborhoods protected.
- Increase housing stock by drastically cutting red tape so developers and builders can get shovels in the bottom faster. Constructing more houses helps lower the value of homes. This could and will probably be done alongside residents’ input on recent developments without excluding and/or compromising current town planning procedures or circumventing democratic processes which ensures residents’ rights are protected and heard.
Q.6 What do you prefer to do in your spare time?
Visit with my family, garden and sing.
Q.7 What’s your favourite thing about living in your city/ward?
I really like that it’s a mix of old and recent and has each farm and city life. I especially love its rivers and natural habitat. I feel so blessed that I get to get up many mornings to deer roaming around within the green space behind where I live.
Global News has also reached out to Eric Takor but has not received a response as of publication. This copy will probably be updated as further answers arrive.
