Why am I qualified to be your Ward 2

Councillor?

I understand governance, I have a different lived experience than most, and my dedication to council issues is evident in my continued presence at meetings.

I asked Clerks if there is an easy way to find how many times I delegated to Council since the Parkland Dedication Review in January 2019 - there is not. My archive review found approximately 65 times in six and a half years. I attended most meetings of Council since January 2020, in person, online and pre-pandemic protocols, watching on Rogers TV. I have a solid understanding of Governance within Chambers and am well versed in the issues and decisions coming to Council over this term.

I also attend Advisory Committee of Council meetings - mostly Transit, Accessibility and Committee of Adjustment. In an early 2024 Committee of Adjustment meeting, Cushla Matthews invited everyone to a workshop for housing providers to inform the Housing Affordability Strategy. I attended as a consultant for a nonprofit affordable housing initiative. Action Items 1.1.8 Support Homeowners Looking to Add New Units and 2.2.2 Explore Other Types of Housing that are Right for Guelph are a direct result of my input.

Community consultation is a key factor in decision making. I thank the late Kate Nixon for the first opportunity to give my part of a free workshop on How to Delegate to Council. I have continued, thereby allowing more fellow individuals with lived experience to come forward and speak to you with confidence.

Educating people about municipal responsibilities is a passion. A Welcoming Streets employee recently highlighted that I'm effective at explaining why some decisions must be made in a specific manner, even when I don't agree with what is decided. The frontline worker told me I had helped them understand processes and decisions, which they were then able to help others understand, especially in marginalized communities.

Being the de facto Compliance Officer in the Milton office of Siemens Water Technologies gave me a unique education in the importance of Compliance Protocols. Working at Halton Region Public Health, and as a frontline healthcare worker, protecting patient confidentiality was paramount. Before running a federal campaign office in 2021, I was integral in the execution of the historic five contestant bid to be the federal Green candidate in 2019.

I have always had a highly developed sense of social responsibility. Were my father still alive, I know he would be proud as he always said I should follow in the footsteps of his brother, the Honourable G. Wm. Dandie - in law, or politics. To me, becoming a Councillor is the confluence of compassion and competence in service to my chosen city.