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On Friday I read a Voice of the City piece by Rhys Alden (“Don’t encourage the edgy, white liberals running for council”). I’m not sure where the strong reaction comes from as Rhys has never met me or attempted to make contact. In the end, the voters will decide, and that’s how our democracy should work. All candidates in our District have run positive campaigns and support each other’s candidacies.
As for my candidacy, my platform contains over 40 positions and ideas across 11 different topics from housing to the environment. I believe it is the most comprehensive among any candidate in our District, and I dare say the most progressive. I have also been most transparent as the only candidate in our District to proactively post my donors online. On the topic of encouraging diverse voices I have proposed real, actionable measures to help create a policy framework that would make the system more likely to produce greater diversity in our decision-making and representation—solutions that would not require that some people refrain from running for election.
Some ideas I have put forward include term limits for Councillors (I have self-imposed a two-term limit on myself if I am elected), which would provide a greater number of opportunities for a greater of number of people to be involved; genuine, active consultation in our municipal governance (more like Between the Bridges, less like “come to the public meeting or don’t have your say”); and annual measurement of and reporting on the diversity of our municipal workforce, including within senior ranks, and creating accountability for meaningful progress on a regular basis.
I recently announced that if elected I will continue the practice of participatory budgeting (community voting) for discretionary funds in District 8, but create two categories—a category for projects relating to Indigenous Peoples (30 percent of the discretionary budget) and a category for projects relating to African Nova Scotians (an additional 30 percent of the discretionary budget). I’m the only candidate who has written about a proposed solution to help address housing affordability.
Institutional racism and bias are some of our society’s greatest challenges. I don’t believe that the way to tackle these issues is to ask some people not to participate. With a district as large and varied as ours, no one person is representative of the people who live here. Along with being racially diverse, we are Indigenous and immigrants, seniors and students, athletic and living with disabilities, rich and poor. I believe the solution is to make sure we ask the difficult questions of all of our candidates, and to vote for the people that we think are most likely to move forward on the issues that are important to us. Having democratic choice makes that possible.
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This article appears in Oct 6-12, 2016.
As a councillor your job is not to cure racism or find world peace. It is to represent your constituents, most of whom just want their roads fixed, their sidewalks plowed, their communities crime-free, and their water to be clean and safe. It astounds me how many candidates in this election seem to have no idea they are running for a MUNICIPAL office. It is about municipal services being delivered to the people who pay for them via property taxes; everything else is a distraction.
Overall, I support what you represent. I particularly like the split of discretionary funds although I’m not certain that’s a vote getter. Having know you some years now, I applaud your efforts thus far, your commitment to the community and to the region. It is my belief that Council, District 8 and HRM would be well served by you.
When I read Ms. Aldon’s comments about you and other “non diverse” candidates, I was appalled and said as much in a response to her op ed piece.
Having said that, let’s not get caught up in the clutter of what Council isn’t. People who vote for a municipal candidate thinking it’s a vote for global change are deluding themselves. On the other hand, it’s not a vote for mere garbage collection, police services and paving either.
A vote for a Council candidate here in HRM is a vote for how we want to be represented to the rest of Canada as well as an employment interview for those who want to be our employees and be given the responsibility of stewardship over our money and our Gov’t. I think you would be a good steward and would take the responsibility seriously. That’s a very good start.
FYI a person with a disability can also be an athlete. Your little opposites word play there just alienated an entire group of people. You might want to look into ableist language.
Team Brendan here. I’m certain you will do your best if elected. Wishing you all the best.
Oh what a tangled web we weave
When racial funding is perceived…
Best reaction to click-bait I’ve seen yet! Brendan, the article was in The Coast; to put things into perspective. And you can be sure that anyone who describes themselves as a “white settler” will attack you for any reason. Concentrate on those who count.