While not trying to sound cocky or anything, I told him I wasn’t surprised because the hard work he saw in me is the exact same as I have had throughout my entire life.  This election campaign has been but one of many challenges that I have faced in my life.  In each case I have embraced the challenges with the same tenacity I have embraced the past several months with. I am in this election to do one thing and one thing only…that is to win.  Given that, how could I approach the campaign with anything less than my very best?  From the very beginning my team and I knew that to beat an incumbent (let alone 2) it would be an uphill challenge.  For the last several years, my opponents have had the luxuries that come with holding a position of public power.  Their names have been printed and broadcast into local homes for years and we knew this was a big challenge for me and the only way to over come that challenge would be to outwork, out hustle, out fundraise them both, while maintaining my integrity at all costs by taking the high road throughout.

Working as hard as I could was a commitment that I made to Roxanne, Eric, Scott, Chris, Steve, Mike and Joe who form my campaign management team, and in turn they all made that same commitment to me.  I have received similar commitments from the 15 others who form the inner circle surrounding us as well as the 40 others who work around the periphery.  There is such an amazing sense of purpose and drive amongst our team members, that as we now sit less than two weeks until Election Day it is hard to imagine how our energy and passion won’t take us to our ultimate goal!

Back on March 17^th which was the day I officially entered this race, I recall wondering out loud what my opponents would do, if anything to discredit me. When looking at me, people see a fairly successful business man, who over the past many years has dedicated thousands of hours to the not for profit sector, raised more money than perhaps anyone else in the region, understands the issues that face our town and has demonstrated proven leadership, vision and does everything with passion.  On the surface it would seem there isn’t much to discredit, but at the same time I know that nicer people have had worse things said about them, so I still had concerns.

As it turns out, moving ahead a few months to just recently, it seems my concerns had proven true.  Apparently some people out there who for reasons known only to them felt that instead of attacking my platform and policies they would attack my character instead.  Given that I’m an actor, director, producer, these individuals used that to figure out how to make it appear as if I’ve made some very poor acting choices in the past.  While admittedly not everything I appeared in were “Oscar worthy” there is nothing out there I wouldn’t be willing to admit to.  Imagine my shock and dismay then when allegations began surfacing, made by a fictitious individual that I had appeared in soft porn movies.  There is no video that exists to validate this point but hey, with some creative editing using films I have been in as well as films that I haven’t…maybe they thought they could fool some folks.  Imagine my disgust when certain local media outlets chose to run with this story despite the claims being anonymous, unsubstantiated and unverified.  This is not what I would consider journalism with integrity and it really caused me to wonder if all this is worth it.

There is an old sales tactic that works around the premise that if you have nothing worthy of selling on it’s own merits, then sell it by not telling your prospective clients why they should buy from you, but why they shouldn’t buy from your competitors instead.  It’s called “Wag the Dog” and it’s been used for decades, but it’s also a sad statement of affairs.

I have a vision that comes with plans, policies and platforms that are easy to understand.  They will work and my competitors know it.  On the other hand they wish to run on a past record that is filled with rising taxes, shrinking jobs and a reduced sense of community.  So it only makes sense then that those who realize the discrepancy try to even the playing field by attacking my character and integrity.

Between now and October 25^th, I will knock on 5000 more doors (400 today alone!), participate in 2 more meet and greets, conduct 1 voice drop talking about advance polls, hold 2 small fundraisers since I’ve funded this campaign almost entirely myself, hold an “OLD STYLE POLITICAL RALLY” and a trip to advance polls, make thousands of phone calls, put out 400 more signs, stand on a different corner every day while waiving at cars and telling them that this year. there is a clear choice and more….phew!  I have worked harder than anyone in this race and I will keep up the pace that they simply can’t right until the end!

WHY am I doing this? Because it’s important that during the next four years, we have the type of leadership, the type of vision and the type of passion to make Whitby a better place to live work and play. I feel in my heart I am the only candidate in this election that can do that and come Election Day I sincerely hope you will agree with me.

ON OCTOBER 25^th PLEASE VOTE ROCKY VARCOE FOR MAYOR OF WHITBY.

There are a number of reasons why having a solid employment base in Whitby is beneficial to the Town, and they go beyond what most people think.  Let me list a few of them:

• Quality of Life – When most Whitby residents have to leave Whitby to find work, they are often faced with long and time consuming commutes.  When someone needs, say two hours a day to commute versus 30 minutes, that’s 90 minutes every work day that could be better spent.  Imagine having an extra 7-1/2 hours a week, an extra 30 hours a month or an extra 1500 hours per year that is not spent commuting!  Think of how that could be spent with your family or tending to personal matters instead of cursing at fellow commuters as they cut you off, or take that last seat on the GO Train.  We can dare to dream, can’t we?!

• Taxes – Businesses that operate in Whitby have to pay property taxes to the town just as homeowners do.  When there are more businesses operating in Whitby there is a greater balance when it comes to sharing the tax burden and it lessens the impact on homeowners.  Currently Whitby collects 87% of its tax revenue from homeowners and only 13% from industrial and commercial taxes.  This is amongst the most lopsided ratios in all of the GTA and we see the painful results of this every time we receive our residential tax bill.

• The Environment – For every additional job that is created in Whitby, we create the possibility that one less car will clog up our highways while commuting or that one more seat now becomes available on the GO Train.  This might also mean that the new job in Whitby is filled by someone who may not even need a car to get there.  They might be close enough to walk or ride a bicycle or take public transit.  Simply put the less driving people need to do, the less driving people are likely to do.  Given that car emissions are amongst the leading contributors to climate change, having more jobs in Whitby can clearly have a positive effect on the environment.

• Corporate Social Responsibility – Businesses realize nowadays how important it is to become involved in the communities that they are located.  Quite often a company will line itself up with a local charity, cause or organization that fits in with their beliefs and the recipient’s of their support are usually very grateful.  As a business owner myself, I can tell you how often local businesses are asked to throw our support behind worthy causes.  We donate or sponsor as often as we can, but the truth is companies can only do so much and the supply never keeps up with demand.  With more employers setting up in Whitby, there are possibly new opportunities for charities and other groups to find new supporters and corporate partners.  When this happens, it’s always a win/win situation.

So it’s clear to see just how important it is to have a strong, viable and growing employment base in Whitby.  The big problem here is that our employment base isn’t strong, it’s losing its viability and it’s shrinking more than it’s growing!

The big question of course is why?  I recognize that part of the reason has to do with the difficult economic circumstances most of the world has been dealing with for the past couple of years and it’s hard to do anything about that.  However, a bigger part of the problem has to do with the fact that Whitby has set up its tax structure and policies in such a way that it essentially tells prospective employers that we are Closed for Business!

Let’s start off first with the issue of taxes.  I mentioned earlier that having more businesses in Whitby paying taxes helps to lessen the tax burden on homeowners.  While this is true, our municipal industrial tax rates still need to be attractive enough in order to attract businesses to set up here.  Corporations know that they need to pay taxes but when looking for a place to establish themselves, just how much tax they will have to pay is something they take into consideration.  Whitby is at a huge disadvantage here because our industrial tax rate is the highest in Durham Region and the 4^th highest in all of Ontario. I know some people will argue that they should pay higher taxes, but they need to consider if losing all the other benefits I mentioned earlier that come with local jobs is worth the extra tax revenue that comes directly from high business tax rates?  The answer of course is NO.

Whitby will always struggle to attract or even retain businesses if we continue to hit them with a tax rate that is among the least attractive in Ontario.  We need to reduce our industrial tax rate to make our town a more attractive option.  If we do that we will have a better chance of bringing more jobs to town and all that follows with it.  If you need proof take a look at what has been happening over in Vaughan.  While much of the news coverage there centres on their highly dysfunctional council, they still managed to agree to lower their business and industrial tax rates to attract businesses.  Anyone who has been through Vaughan lately will tell you that their strategy is working and businesses are flocking to take advantage of the lower taxes they’ll have to pay.

Another big problem is Vision.  Or let me put it differently…another big problem is our LACK OF vision when it comes to Economic Development.  Whitby currently lacks an Economic Development office with a strong and viable Strategic Plan.  As a result it’s not able to implement the ideas and strategies necessary to get the jobs we need.  What’s very upsetting to me about this is that not long ago the former head of Economic Development here in Whitby understood this problem and set about on creating a plan.  Much effort was put into the plan and it was presented to our current Mayor.  The problem was that it has sat on her desk and has not been shared with council nor has she made any substantial attempts to implement its recommendations.  You may have noticed how I said the “former” head of Economic Development and this is because the level of frustration felt by seeing a viable plan not acted upon caused our former head to seek opportunities elsewhere.  How’s that for optics when it comes to being open for business?!

As someone who has been in business for 25 years, I know how businesses think.  I know what they are looking for when it comes to finding a place to set up shop and if elected Mayor, I will begin implementing strategies which I know will bring jobs back to Whitby.  So much of what makes our town great depends on this, and I’ve found it incredibly sad that our current leadership at the Town doesn’t see it this way.  Our current Mayor would rather devote her attention to frivolous and unnecessary White Elephant projects like a Performing Arts Centre, claiming it will be good for civic pride, when what really is necessary are more jobs to ensure a better quality of life.

The government of Ontario is determined to become the Green Energy capital of North America and its providing opportunities far and wide to create a new and sustainable employment sectors in municipalities across the province.  Our Mayor needs to stop focusing her attention to ridiculous legacy projects and start focusing on getting on board the new economy train before it blows right on by.  We need leadership that understands how important a solid job with a 15 minute commute is to building up our Town and improving the quality of life of its residents.  If she isn’t prepared to do that, on October 25^th you have the opportunity to elect a new Mayor that is!

I realize that not everyone reading this resides in Whitby, but I would suggest to you that the question I just asked is applicable to your municipality as well.  Remove “Whitby” and insert your own city or town’s name and ask yourself whether your own council is ready to take your municipality to the next step?  If not, be sure to exercise your right to vote and then choose a new council that will!

A case in point regards when election signs can officially go up.  In Whitby as well as most other Durham municipalities signs are allowed as of 12:01AM on Monday, September 13^th.  However in Clarington, Scugog and even other nearby municipalities the date is 12:01AM on Tuesday, September 7^th.  I find the early date to be odd since the deadline for candidate registration all across the Region is Friday, September 10^th.  Personally I hate to be a late entrant into a race while knowing that other candidates have had as much as a week’s advantage over me in getting signs up.  I’d suggest that the way Whitby and others do it is best with respect to dates.

Since I’m running for Mayor of Whitby, I’m more familiar with the by-laws here and there are some that I also find very confusing and frustrating.

The 2006 Whitby by-law 5696-05 states that election signs cannot go up until 6 weeks before the election. They can’t be displayed on either lawns or boulevards. That’s pretty clear so far, but in my opinion it gets foggier from there.

You see, the Whitby by-law only covers signs that are stationary and it makes no reference to campaign signs that are mobile.  What this means is that while someone can’t put a sign on a lawn or a piece of property, any candidate can adorn their car with graphics, or a sign affixed to their window or mounted on a truck bed, etc.  One would think a sign is a sign but not according to the by-laws here in Whitby.

Office signage is another issue.  To the best of my knowledge I am the first Mayoral candidate in Whitby who has ever leased out commercial office space for a prolonged period to use for a campaign.  Whitby is no longer a sleepy suburb and because of that, I felt that it was necessary as a non-incumbent to centralize our efforts and so we took out space.  Now one would think that someone with leased out commercial property would be able to erect signage to let people know where and what  they are.  However our by-laws say that while I can have a commercial sign it’s very picky about how what we can and can’t say simply because it’s an election office.  This has been very frustrating and the papers from the Town on my desk can attest to that!

Imagine a town like Whitby, with almost 120,000 residents and a multi million dollar budget still doesn’t allow campaign signage to be attached to commercial space until after September 13^th.  While it’s okay to open up an office, it’s just NOT okay to tell people why you’ve done so and what it’s there for.  Ajax is our next door neighbour to the west that is actually a bit smaller in population than Whitby, yet they have provisions in their by-laws that allow for campaign offices and signage, so why don’t we?!

I said above I have the papers on my desk from the Town to prove my frustrations.  They relate to the fact that I am in apparent violation of Whitby by-laws concerning my free standing commercial office building that I’ve rented on N/E corner of Dundas and Anderson (the original 4 corners of Whitby) and formerly occupied by the HSBC.  When we moved in, I put up two signs with posts on the properties west side suggesting it was a “Campaign Office”.  I also covered over four of the many windows with that fancy new “wrap” type of vinyl signage.  Not long afterwards I was visited by the Town’s by-law officers who by the way are incredibly competent and polite.  They expressed they had received a few complaints about my signage and that I was breaking the rules so they asked me to take them down within a certain deadline.

I expressed over the course of numerous emails and phone conversations with the Town’s offices that since local by-laws did not specifically prohibit a campaign office perhaps it could fall into the same category as “graphics” on cars.  They disagreed and during our period of going back and forth, my time had expired to remove the signage and I was given a yellow piece of paper signed by a JP asking me to explain my actions to the court.   Given my frustrations here, I will be only too happy to do so!

By-laws in general are open to interpretation and are constantly challenged. So let’s look at the intent of the by-law in my opinion.

The Town of Whitby does not want candidates to put there signs up on Town, Regional or even private property until a certain day BECAUSE they don’t want anyone to have an edge prior to the “deadline” for filing there nominations. This is something I agree with and have no argument against. In addition it provides an awful lot of visual clutter far in advance of when it typically is considered necessary.

I’ve often asked myself whether I showed disregard for the bylaw that most candidates are following.  Each time my answer has always been NO!   I felt I had complied by not putting up signs on Town or Regional boulevards as well as lawns.  I put them up on the property that I leased to express to those coming in and driving by that I am serious about Whitby and my candidacy for Mayor.  I don’t see anything wrong with that and given the vague nature of the by-law I felt I had done nothing wrong.

Given its growth and evolution as a town, Whitby simply doesn’t have the luxury any more of being able to manage without an experienced business leader at its helm.  This Corporation, with a $100 Million budget needs more than just 6 weeks to find its leader.

Ever since opening, my campaign office has been busy.  Citizens often come in to ask questions and get information so that they can make an educated and informed decision on whether to vote for me or not.  This is what we wanted right?!  An educated, engaged electorate, which in turn brings up our voter turnout rate.  So why then do our by-laws make it difficult for that to happen?!

We all know that in municipal politics incumbents have significant edges during elections.   One specific edge is that right up until Election Day, they occupy an office to work out of and to have residents visit to ask questions and to chat.  It would seem only fair that the by-laws of our Town allow for non-incumbents to set up the same system in a manner that doesn’t put them at an already greater disadvantage than they have to deal with.

While I’ve been specifically referencing my campaign and my municipality, I would like to suggest that all area Municipalities make the changes to their election by-lays that allow one registered campaign office per candidate and that must comply with all other bylaws.  Just let folks know where they are with allowances for sign.

In Ontario, municipal elections are held every 4 years on the 4^th Monday in October.  Municipalities also have bylaws that deal with when the Election Writ is dropped, marking the official beginning of an election campaign.  In Whitby, the date is September 13^th and while many campaigns have been up and running for some time, mine included, you will soon see things kick into high gear within the next week.

The six weeks from the dropping of the Writ to Election Day basically amount to one fast sprint.  Election signs will soon appear and many of our traditional media outlets will be focusing news coverage and advertising opportunities to anyone who is seeking your vote.  You will also see many pamphlets and printed material arrive at your door and in your mailbox.  Many candidates will follow the same path that has been followed for generations when it comes to getting their message out during the sprint, and the traditional forms of media, that being TV, radio and print are ready to cash in on this tendency.  While my campaign has already been using some of these to get the message out, we’ve been doing so with a small amount of frustration.  I say this because no matter how well designed or crafted the message is, we know that about 75% of those hearing, reading or seeing our messages still won’t feel compelled to vote.

To be successful in business, I’ve learned how important efficiency is.  I guess the inefficiency of trying to speak to everyone while knowing full well that only a few tend to listen is something that I find very frustrating.  There is a part of me that wishes we could simply put every person who intends to vote in one big location and then the candidates speak directly to those they need to.  They can then use all the flash they want since it’s going directly to whom they want to speak to.  This is basically what a typical political party leadership convention is like, and if you have ever been to one or watched one, you know how dramatic and exciting it can be.  Based on the 2006 voter turnout in Whitby, we could fit every voter into the Air Canada Centre, and while I know this will never happen, it does also point out how pitiful our election turnout typically is. 

In Durham Region there are a great number of people who have decided to stand up for their local beliefs and have put their names on the ballot.  With respect to mayoralty and councilor positions alone, check out this breakdown, which is correct as of the day I wrote this:

Whitby has 23 registered candidates for 8 positions

Oshawa has 47 registered candidates for 11 positions

Ajax has 21 registered candidates for 7 positions

Pickering has 16 registered candidates for 7 positions

Clarington has 29 registered candidates for 7 positions

Brock has 13 registered candidates for 7 positions

Scugog has 14 registered candidates for 7 positions

Uxbridge has 19 registered candidates for 7 positions.

That totals 182 candidates for 61 positions.  The good news in these numbers is its absolutely clear that in Durham Region, democracy is at work.

My head of Communications recently taught me that the actual definition of the word “Media” is simply that it’s the plural of “Medium”.  Basically the term media is really an umbrella term that defines all the different ways to deliver a message.  While most of us grew up believing media was restricted to things like TV, Radio and Print the truth is that the real media is much bigger.  The reason why I’m telling you this is because during this six week sprint, each of you have the ability to become your own form of media, which in turn can be a big help to the candidate you are supporting.

Four years ago when the last municipal election was held, the social media was just getting off the ground.  Very few candidates were using websites or blogs or things like Facebook and You Tube.  However in 2010 you are seeing just about everyone using the internet or social media in some way.  It can be very powerful if enough people who believe in a candidate become willing to act as “Media” and help spread the word.  Barack Obama’s U.S. Presidential Campaign opened the eyes of so many people and proved that active and engaged supporters can do things that traditional media never could.

The big picture point that I’m trying to make here is that everyday people just like you can play a huge role in helping your candidate win.  Your voice and your willingness to use it, whether its online, or while chatting with your friends, neighbours or even complete strangers can go a long way to ensuring the candidate you believe in, is victorious. 

I realize that sometimes it’s hard to become passionate about a candidate, especially in local politics. First it’s hard to learn about local candidates when they have limited amounts of time, money and opportunity to get their message out. It’s also hard because there are no party politics at the municipal level like it is at the provincial or federal levels.  Some people simply choose to support the candidate representing the political party of their choice and they don’t have to learn much beyond that.  Municipal politics is different and it makes it harder for voters and supporters alike.  However, for those so inclined here is what I suggest you do when deciding if you want to help a candidate.

1)      Choose who you wish to support carefully. Discuss in detail what they stand for. Look at their past.  Do they represent what you believe in and are they the type of candidate you want representing you?  If the answers are yes, then it will be much easier to promote them and help them win.

2)      Learn about the candidate’s platform. Be comfortable with their positions so that you can talk about it if the chance arises.  However it’s also important that if you don’t know where they stand on an issue, find out!

3)      Join their Facebook group and suggest it to others or share links of theirs on your own profile page, follow them on Twitter, connect with them on LinkedIn, share their You Tube videos, or simply help them with all of their social media tools to help get the word out.

4)      Attend rallies and gatherings they put on and invite others to come with you.

5)      Donate financially. Even $25 or $50 can go a long way. Help your candidate to raise money.  The sad reality is that money is ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL to any successful campaign.

6)      Win your Neighborhood. Volunteer to knock on doors and share with your neighbours why you feel your candidate should win.

7)      Hand out flyers, put up signs, or agree to make phone calls. You can stand on the corner with your candidate when he or she is out meeting people walking by.

8)      Wear a button or place a sign on your car and feel free to share words of wisdom with others to keep the team positive.

9)      Most importantly be available all day on October 25^th to drive, phone, encourage others and of course VOTE. Your vote is just as critical as any others you are trying to help your candidate earn.

It also goes without saying that in order to help, you need to be passionate about it.  While many people seem to view politics like some sort of plague, in reality it can be extremely inspiring, motivating and a whole lot of fun.  Rallying around a cause or a candidate you believe it can create memories that last a life time, and in doing so you can also say to others that you are taking ownership of the things you feel are wrong and that you are doing what you can to change it.  There are few things in life that can be as rewarding or as satisfying as that!

Her push to build an extravagant facility in the downtown core seems at odds with her strong opposition when council was debating whether to build a new library.  She fought hard against the library at the time for reasons known only to her.  Many of us, including myself view our downtown library as a beautiful addition to our downtown and will be an anchor for years to come.  It’s curious to me why she opposed something like that back then yet works so hard for the performing arts centre now.

Before going any further, I think it’s important for people to know that I fully believe in and support arts and culture in Whitby.  As the owner of a Dinner Theatre it would seem pretty obvious that I believe in the value of performing arts.  My objections have nothing to do with the concept and everything to do with the circumstances surrounding the desire to push through a performance arts centre in Whitby at this time.

I’ve often said that I consider former Mayor Bob Attersley to be a Mentor of mine.  He often spoke about how a community is about its people.  It’s about its libraries, its community and recreations centres, and about its arts and culture.  Those beliefs he shared are ones that I agree with completely.  However Mr. Attersley also was a big advocate of fiscal responsibility.  He believed that we needed to live within our own means, and when looking at a $50 Million (minimum) financial commitment during these difficult financial times, it seems very irresponsible to proceed with a project as grandiose as this.

For those who are not familiar with the whole performing arts centre debate, I’d be happy to offer a bit of background.  About 20 months ago, Mayor Perkins proposed that the Town hire a consultant to investigate the viability of building a performing arts centre in Whitby.  One was hired at a cost to the town of $90,000 and while I personally questioned the high price tag, I was interested to see what the report would find.  I was also interested in being asked for my thoughts on the matter, and given my position as the owner of the only Dinner Theatre in Whitby I presumed I would be contacted.

It came as a great surprise when the report was presented 18 months later, that to the best of my knowledge, and the knowledge of others, the consultant chose not to speak to many significant stakeholders who would have an interest in such a facility.  While he did speak to the Whitby Brass Band, he did not speak to the Whitby Courthouse Theatre, nor did he speak to me – the owner of the only professional theatre in town.  It was also discovered that a cost analysis for land acquisition and parking was not done, thus omitting a significant cost that would be associated with the centre’s construction.

The report offered incorrect information regarding the Regent Theatre in downtown Oshawa and it also spent very little time in discussing the City of Pickering’s plan to build a similar facility.  Given Pickering’s closer proximity to Toronto than Whitby, one would easily presume it would be in a preferable position when trying to book significant acts.  The report did note that this proposed $50 Million facility would or could bring in acts similar to what Brampton’s Rose Theatre attracts.  I would have preferred to have input in this area since the consultant clearly was unaware of the fact that Class Act Dinner Theatre already brings in most of the talent that The Rose Theatre attracts.   Notable performers like The Amazing Kreskin, Mickey Rooney, Michelle Wright, Ron James and George Canyon already have a Whitby home at Class Act, so what else could $50 Million attract that I can’t?!

Remarkably the report did note that the proposed performing arts centre would lose from $900,000 to $1.1 Million per year.  This amount was estimated without considering the negative impact that the Regent Theatre and the proposed Pickering Arts Centre would contribute.  My guess is that figure would in reality be much, much higher.

When adding building costs with land acquisition and parking, the real cost is likely to be around $80 Million and it will be spent for what the report suggests will be a money losing endeavor.  What is also unclear is how does the Town propose to pay for it?  Should we borrow the money and make Whitby residents the highest debt per capita residents in Durham?  Should we sell Whitby Hydro and take something that makes us $6 Million per year and turn it into a $2 to 3 Million loss?  Does any of this really make sense?!

To be blunt, this is a bad idea and should have been shelved the minute it was presented as Councilors Roy, Drumm and Mitchell proposed. Sadly, they were out voted, and it was moved by Mayor Perkins and her supporters to proceed onto the next level.  That next level was to spend $50,000 more on a Site Study.  Again I will ask, does any of this many sense to you?!

What boggles my mind is that other options are not being considered in light of the obvious financial blood-bath we are poised to take.  Whitby does not have a band shell and perhaps this could be a first step.  We also have Heydenshore Pavilion on our lakefront and it would seem more reasonable to invest less money to build out that facility to make it more versatile, attractive and profitable, than to leave our Town with a glamorous under-utilized facility and a crippling mountain of debt.

Mayor Perkins has for the past two years held a Mayor’s Gala Fundraiser with the intent of raising funds for the proposed performing arts centre.  The third annual gala is planned for September.  For whatever reason, we are not privy to the financial statement from these events, but one can guess that they have raised in excess of $250,000 which is sitting in an account somewhere.

If I am elected as your next Mayor, I will propose that $90,000 from this account be refunded directly to the taxpayers and that we cancel the Site Study and pay whatever reasonable amount is still owed to the consultant.  The balance would then be invested on the direction of the new council into improving facilities that we already have, such as Heydenshore as I earlier suggested.

While a shining performing arts centre is a nice idea in theory, the reality is we can’t afford to do this at the moment, and for the Mayor to move forward out of a desire for a personal legacy is a clear example of poor and misguided leadership.

When we make decisions that are likely to be life changers, it’s inevitable that a tsunami of thoughts run through your head.  It’s pretty consistent no matter what the decision are, however when I finally made the decision to run for public office I don’t think I could have foreseen the types of questions I’d eventually have to ask myself.  I say this because I’ve come to learn that there really is no experience that can be compared to what I have gone through so far while running for office, and there is likely more of the same to come.  Given that I’m writing this in mid-August, I can look back now to when I first registered my candidacy early this year.  To be honest, so much of it is just one big blur.

In coming to the conclusion that I was going to run for Mayor of Whitby, I had to ask myself a slew of rational and, to be honest, very personal questions.  Here’s just a small sampling:

First off, why am I doing this?  Do I have enough of a true passion for my community to serve it in this manner?  How concerned am I about the major issues that are facing Whitby?  Am I running against the incumbent simply because of a personal relationship with her?  Are my motives self serving and is it really about the recognition?  Am I doing this for a job and for the money?  Is this about serving the greater good?  How does this affect my family?

The truth is that in my case the decision is based on an amalgamation of all the above and even some others.  I don’t think I’m wrong in saying it was at the same time one of the easiest yet most difficult decisions I’ve ever had to make.

After finally coming to the decision that I was going to throw my hat into the ring and run for Mayor, the next question or questions I had to ask myself was just how did I actually plan to do this?  As soon as word began to get out that I was officially in the race, there was no shortage of people stepping forward and offering me advice and making suggestions.  I was inundated with thoughts on what must be done and what must not.  I had differing opinions on what is critical and what is a waste of time.  All of what I received was valuable and greatly appreciated, but in the end I had to figure out just what was the right approach for me.

After listening to everyone and spending 151 days so far on the campaign trail, I can officially conclude that there really is no absolute right way to do this.  Having said that, I did over time realize that of all the things that were suggested to me, they could typically be categorized into things that must be done, things that should be done and things that you hope to get done.

My Must Get Done list included: Creating an Election Platform, Recruit a first class campaign team, Knocking on as many doors as I can, Putting together at least 2 pieces of campaign literature, Making lots and lots and lots of phone calls, and of course, raising the money needed to run a winning campaign.

My Should Get Done list was different and included: Building a strong website, Utilizing the Social Media as part of my campaign strategy, Building a Database to monitor and keep track of support, Recruiting a Volunteer Coordinator, Devising a strategy to get out the vote.

Then of course, there was the Hope to Get Done List:  Find a campaign office, Set up a phone system, Prepare as many as 4 campaign literature pieces, Secure endorsements from as many people and places as I can.

Now before anyone contacts me to comment on my list, I know there are many other things that should be listed above.  I recognize that and have thought of a good number of them, but the point I’m making is that there really isn’t a campaign handbook out there that is designed to help me guarantee victory.  I’ve quickly realized that there isn’t a document or a book or a flowchart I can turn to that tells me to just do this, this and that and then the game is won.

I’ll admit openly though that this spring and summer, have been perhaps the most stressful of my entire life.  I consider myself to be a “Get things done” kind of person.  I’ve often said that I like to plan the work and then work the plan.  Yet with this experience I’ve had a few nights where as I put my head down at the end of the day I wondered to myself if I’ve truly done my best that day.  I suppose it’s inevitable though and I wouldn’t be the first, nor will I be the last candidate anywhere to feel the same.  Did I meet my family’s financial, social and emotional needs?  Did I shake enough hands?  Did I talk to enough people about why I want to be Mayor?  Have I effectively taken care of my regular staff and customers?  All this usually sums up though with the same question:  Did I actually do my best?

The road leading up to the October 25^th municipal election will undoubtedly be a “rocky” one (no pun intended) and that emotions will run high.  It’s quite likely along the way that any number of people will say or do things they regret.  Mistakes may be made and some may even question the ethics of people involved.  Contrary to popular belief, I’m quite a sensitive person and I haven’t been the subject of a lot of criticism in my life.  While the road is destined to be rocky, it ultimately remains to be seen whether I’m dealing with boulders on the road or just small pebbles.

Outside of political aspirations, I’m used to owning and running entertainment venues that make people happy.  I belong to service clubs and sit on not for profit boards where the goal is to raise money, act for the greater good and to otherwise be respectful and thankful.  I’m recognized widely as someone who truly cares, who gives of his time and money to help young entrepreneurs become successful and to not fall into the pitfalls that I have.  However, I’ve quickly discovering a world that doesn’t always abide by the same general principles and it’s truthfully been a real eye-opener.

After entering the race, many friends told me that I would ultimately face harsh personal criticism.  I still remember how I naively wondered how.  What can they harshly say about a guy who has donated 20-25 hours per week to volunteerism for many years?  How could they attack someone who has donated over one million dollars from his own business plus helped raise millions in other fundraising initiatives?  Well, it didn’t take long to understand that one of the first casualties of politics is the truth.

It turned out that I didn’t have to wait very long to watch other camps prove the above theory right as the skewed and misleading attacks against me soon began to appear.  I guess I should take it as a compliment really since there would be no point to attacking someone if they weren’t viewed as a credible threat.  It doesn’t take long to toughen your skin, for if I didn’t, I wouldn’t last until Election Day.  However that still won’t prevent me from asking myself “Why”.  Why do campaigns have to be run this way?  It is enough to simply discount it as normal politics or does it run deeper?  Wouldn’t it be better if candidates just stuck to the issues?  What good does it serve to attack me personally?

My campaign team and I have created a critical path timeline for our campaign.  A part of my campaign strategy is clearly to show voters several examples of how my opponents have failed in their job as Mayor or former Mayor and how I have a plan to succeed in ways that they didn’t.  However, I made it clear to every single member of my team that my attacks on my opponents will be issues based and not personal.

I’m very confident in saying that I am the best person for the job.  I feel that my team and I have created the best plan and it’s one that is transparent as well as focused on the best ways to implement it.  I bring a new perspective to the Mayor’s office that hasn’t been present in a long time and it comes as a result of choosing a different path to get here than that of my opponents.

Perhaps the greatest irony with regards to some of the attacks on me by my opponents is when I hear them telling others that they shouldn’t vote for me because I’m not an experienced and seasoned politician like they are.  It’s ironic because that’s EXACTLY one of the reasons why I’m asking people to support me.  Claiming that a non-tainted perspective is a better one is not a personal attack, but a factual one, and I guess I’m glad that all of us can at least agree on that!

Durham Region, like many other municipalities in Ontario and beyond is facing a crisis regarding what to do with its garbage.  With the reality looming ever closer that our current way of dealing with our garbage, that being shipping it to landfills in Michigan, will soon no longer be available to us, the Regional government has been investigating different options over the past few years.  After much investigation, it was decided that the Region should accept responsibility for its own waste, as opposed to sending it somewhere else, and then find an appropriate way to deal with it.  Many technologies were supposedly examined and the decision eventually was made that incineration would be the most prudent approach.

As neighbouring York Region was facing the same challenges, a partnership was formed and the two Regional Governments would work towards building an incinerator somewhere within their joint borders, and as an added bonus, energy would be created from the burning of waste which would then be used to power homes and businesses in the local area.

When word got out into the public about this decision, there was naturally a significant amount of opposition.  A long line up of individuals, groups, organizations and other bodies lined up to voice their opposition to something they believed to have significant health dangers as well as other environmental concerns.  As with all due process, the Region advised that all voices would be heard and opportunities were given to learn about what was to take place.  At the same time though, the clock was ticking and the closing of the border to Michigan was looming ever larger.  While all voices needed to be heard, a decision had to be made and made relatively soon.

There is obviously much more to this story, and I’m giving basically what amounts to a Reader’s Digest version here, but it gets us up to today where as I write this, the Region of Durham has given final approval to an incinerator plant to be situated in Clarington and to be operated by an American company known as Covanta.  The final hurdle is approval from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and many people expect that to happen before too long.

So how does this story fit into what I mentioned off the top about leadership?  To answer, let’s break it down.

The decision to take responsibility for our own waste was a good one made by the Region of Durham.  I’m someone who has always believed in ownership of one’s own situation and if the Region created the garbage, then the Region should be responsible for dealing with it.  That is a good example of leadership because nobody was trying to pass on our problems anymore to someone else.

Next up, I think the decision to explore various ways to deal with our garbage was also good.  Whereas once upon a time landfill was the universally accepted solution, we know today that landfill has many significant negative aspects associated with it.  It makes sense to explore other options out there today.  Again, this was a good example of leadership.

However, what follows is where I think things went off the rails a bit.  Given that the deadline to have our own solution was drawing closer, I believe the Regional government made a wrong decision to focus in on incineration and not give full consideration to other ideas as well as new and constantly evolving technologies.  Many residents were very frustrated by what they perceived to be a lack of interest in other ideas, such as waste diversion, zero waste and other energy from waste technologies displayed by the Region.  I can remember several very passionate and heated meetings where residents voiced their frustration at a government that seemed determined to follow one path without giving any real thought to others out there.  To me, this is where a mistake has been made and where there is a chance for a newly elected Regional government to admit that and do what it takes to make it right.

For anyone who takes the time to discover the alternatives to incineration that exist, they will be blown away by how fast and rapid new technologies are emerging, that are safer, greener and less expensive than incineration.  I’ve learned that typical incineration, such as what is being proposed for Durham is basically nothing more than 100 year old boiler room technology that is dressed up with newer technology and safe guards.  I don’t think it is a good decision to take ownership of a problem and then solve it by using ideas that have been around for decades, especially when newer ideas are popping up all the time.  There are newer Canadian technologies that are garnering world attention that are far more efficient, less destructive to the environment and cost effective that what Durham has accepted as the solution.  On top of that, we still put too much into our waste stream when there is much more we can be doing to divert our waste through recycling and other practices.

So the question about leadership, within the Region of Durham and its dealing with the garbage crisis is this:  Will the new Regional Government accept that the original decision made to deal with its garbage through incineration is wrong, and if so, will they do what is necessary to make it right?

To right what I believe are the wrongs will likely cost some money and take some time.  Both of these factors will require a huge amount of courage to implement, but if it’s truly the right thing to do, than making the decision to stop the process with Covanta will be an ultimate example of true leadership.

I know if something like this were to happen, it would likely be unprecedented.  However, isn’t this the kind of leadership that people have said can’t be found anymore in politics?  Isn’t this the kind of leadership that can actually restore faith in our society that our elected officials actually CAN be effective leaders, even if it means admitting they made a mistake?  I think so, and I think this is what people in Durham have been longing for, especially where this issue is concerned.

What’s important to realize is that this isn’t just an issue about today.  The decisions made and the leadership involved will affect not just this generation but future generations to come.  That’s exactly why I hope to see that come late October we will see a regional government that can both make the right decisions, but also be brave enough to admit when they’ve made the wrong one and then have the courage to do something about it.

Rooted deep within the fabric of this ever changing and evolving town has been a lasting belief that the community is stronger when people work together to make it so.  Famous Playwright George Bernard Shaw once said: “I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it what ever I can” and I have been witness to countless examples over the years of people who live Shaw’s words wholeheartedly and without reservation.

Despite the fact that our community has been built on the backs of local community leaders, the Town itself has no official mechanism to recognize the contributions of these leaders.  This is something which I believe should be addressed and with that in mind, I am making this election promise:

Within 90 days of taking office as Mayor of Whitby, I will establish an award which will be presented to our citizens that recognizes outstanding local leadership and community engagement.

It can certainly be argued that local leadership takes on many different forms.  This is why I’m not prepared at this time to lay out the specifics of the awards.  Instead I am promising to establish a committee which will set out the criteria and then select the recipients.

What I am certain of though, is that I want this award to recognize contributions of noteworthy citizens in the year it was presented.  The Whitby Chamber of Commerce has been presenting its annual Peter Perry Award, the most prestigious award that Whitby currently has for many years now, but this award represents ongoing contributions to the community of at least 5 years or more.  As our town continues to grow, we need to recognize that individuals who have perhaps only just moved here have the same potential to positively impact our community as those who have lived here for many years.  It is my hope that this new award will do just that.

I would like to see this award presented to as many as 5 exceptional citizens each year.  One recipient would be a Senior Citizen, and would then replace our annual Senior of the Year Award.  The Selection Committee would consist of myself as Mayor, as well as potentially other council members, members of senior Town staff and even some existing and recognized community leaders.  Careful attention will be given when creating the Selection Committee to ensure a balanced geographic and diverse group is chosen.  Members will also be rotated with Selection Committee members only sitting for 2 year terms (not including the Mayor).

Once the committee members and selection criteria are finalized, we will work on setting up the first awards ceremony as soon as possible.  The event would be held at a fully accessible Town owned or managed facility and would be open to all.

While many hard working and dedicated community members here in Whitby will continue to do the amazing work that they do whether they ever win an award or not, I still believe that as a Town we should do more to recognize these efforts.  With your help, and by electing me Mayor of Whitby on October 25^th, together we can make it happen.

Vision and passion are the foundation for positive change and achieving common goals.  But no one can achieve the kind of success we need by themselves.  The ability to share a vision, and use it to ignite a shared passion and to sustain even a small group of dedicated individuals through the tough times takes leadership.  It is a characteristic that has become increasingly uncommon as we rely ever more on governments or others to fix every problem.  I believe that my community work and successes, and even my failures, have given me the ability to lead our town forward. It will take all of us working in concert to create the Whitby we all want for ourselves and future generations.

Passion (noun): intense enthusiasm, a strong liking or enthusiasm for a subject or activity

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.  Imagination and plans that lack the kind of long term commitment to see them to fruition will never succeed.  And the surest way I know to keep plugging when the going gets tough is to have a passion for the process, the people and the desired outcome.  I’ve been exhibiting that passion for the benefit of my community for 25 years and I guarantee you I have the kind of passion it takes to stay the course.