Last night’s council meeting was a marathon session that went past 11pm.  Bernadette Mason did an excellent presentation on traffic calming devices that I‘ve been talking about for years. You can see it here.

I actually wanted to talk about something else. 

I attend every Council, Planning Committee and Community Services Committee meeting, provided that I am not traveling.  For half of the meetings this year, I actually had to get baby sitters so I could attend.

In addition, I sit in the Transit Advisory Committee and Halton’s Inter-Municipal Committee on Sustainability. I attend both those meetings as well.  In addition, I’ve attended most public input sessions. 

Candidates should attend for following reasons:
1 – To learn. You don’t want to be a rookie councillor with no idea on how to handle the job
2 – To demonstrate that you care – If you cannot even bother to attend meetings when you are trying to impress voters, what expectations can they have from you when you are already elected?
3 – If you win, you’ll vote on issues that are discussed. If you haven’t been attending these meetings and did not participate in the debate, how will you vote?

A number of candidates have attended 0 meetings, 0 public info sessions and 0 open houses. I know my opponent hasn’t been to any meeting. I am not mentioning it as a ‘negative campaign’, I am saying it because I live in Ward 8 and would like to be represented by someone who actually cares about the community (even if it’s not me).  Someone who lives nowhere near ward 8 and is completely uninvolved isn’t the right choice.

Next four years are tricky for both Milton and ward 8.  The issue of education village will come up, construction in and around ward 8, further Tremaine expansion, Milton Heights neighbourhood that potentially has an impact on ward 8, hospital funding and expansion, library issue and so on. 

Vote, and vote carefully.