A Cure for Cynicism

I am a bit surprised at the "Incumbent Sweep" result of this election.

I am a bit disappointed at the low voter turnout - especially in Red River Ward (Roughly 44% of registered electors based on early numbers).

I am not cynical about the political process in Thunder Bay. In fact, I am more hopeful than ever that our city will evolve into an even more wonderful, beautiful, and successful place. Not because of our leaders, or even in spite of them. Because of the passionate, active, and interested people I met in my weeks of knocking on doors around my neighbourhood.

The majority of people who I have had the opportunity to speak with during my election campaign have inspired me to keep working hard to improve this city. The long, hard work of running an election is behind me, but I will be back to run again. I have learned a lot about the campaigning process, and what you can do on a low budget. I know how to organize myself and my team to make a better showing in my next attempt.

I love this city, and while I don't have the opportunity to shape the future of our community in the manner I had hoped, I will be very active in getting my ideas out there.

I am filled with gratitude for the people who have supported me, helped out, and donated to my campaign. I hope that you also see this as a positive step forward. I will be seeing you all again soon, I'm sure.

-Jay Stapleton.

I have put photos up from my "Intersection Blitz" here.

Election Day

Please remember to get out and vote Monday. It will be a close race from what I hear, so every vote counts! Bring a friend, bring a dozen, and let's bury the low voter turnout stats from last time.

Thank you to everyone for your support!

If you need a ride to the polling station, please give me a call - 629-2412. They are open from 10am-8pm tomorrow.

People in Red River ward can vote at the 55+ Center on River St., St. Michael's Church on Red River and Rockwood, or the Italian Cultural Center on Algoma.

My Dream Team

Because I've been asked many times, here are some candidates who I hope to work with on the next city council.
At large: Gerald Graham, Norman Sponchia, Cindy Crowe
Mayor: Keith Hobbs
Current River: Andrew Foulds
McKellar: Paul Pugh

Remember to vote on Monday - between 10am and 8pm.

City Administration

There has been much discussion during this race on the relationship between administration and council. Some candidates must recognize that there can't be a functional municipality without a cooperative relationship between the council and the administration. I wanted to take this time at the close of the race to thank the city employees for keeping the machine running.

An adversarial relationship here is a sign of a dysfunctional government. I will encourage all members of our new council to form and maintain a good working relationship with those people who will be actually implementing all of our great ideas - they're the ones whose hard work is necessary for the success of the council's programs.

New ideas for prioritizing resources

I put up a brief article on NetNewsLedger on the benefits of intox shelters.

With four days to the election, please remind your friends and neighbours to get out and vote! There are so many good ideas out there that I want to have a chance to get moving.

Intersection Blitz!

Thanks so much to everyone who came out to the intersection blitz today. There was a great show of support, and a few hundred more people who have heard my name. Let's do it again on Monday!

Come out to the open house on Friday - 6:00pm in the RB Theatre on LU campus. I will have signs posted up.

On Campus

For those of you on facebook, you can join my campaign group to join the dialog.

I spent a few hours on the LU campus today talking to students. There are a lot of people who don't realize that they can vote, and don't realize that the Thunder Bay city council has a great potential influence on student's lives.

On the flip side, I was really happy to find out how many students are interested and want to participate in the community. It lifts my spirits to talk to so many enthusiastic and energetic young people who are starting to realize what an amazing place to live Thunder Bay is.

10 Days to the Election!

An Examination of the Proposed Student Housing By-Law

The Thunder Bay manager of licensing and enforcement, Ron Bourret, is looking into a city by-law which will regulate homeowners who rent to students. According to a front page article in the Chronicle Journal on Sunday Oct. 10, he seems to favour the approach taken by Oshawa, which requires special licenses to rent to students, and involves fines if homeowners rent to students without a license.

This appears to me to be a solution searching for a problem. The Ontario Tenant Protection Act, the existing set of city by-laws which regulate noise seem to cover both the needs of the neighbourhoods and the rights of the students without adding another layer of bureaucratic red tape to the process.

Thunder Bay traditionally has a very low vacancy rate, to the point where it can already be difficult for visiting students to find suitable housing close to their campus. This by-law will exacerbate this problem by making it more difficult and expensive for homeowners to rent to students. This is an unnecessary intrusion into the business of those who own rental properties.

On the other side, the Oshawa by-law allows for inspections at any time without the requirement for a warrant or notice. Students who are already leading stressful lives could have enforcement officers coming into their homes without any regard for their privacy.

From either side, this seems to be a bad idea. If the neighbours are noisy, there is existing regulation. If your student housing is not properly maintained, there is existing regulation. We should be welcoming students here, showing them what there is to love about this city and encouraging them to stay. We should not be treating them like second-class citizens from the moment they arrive. To do so will further alienate an important population which could otherwise represent the future leaders of the community.

I have posted a new article on our impending transit strike.

Perspectives and frustrations.

One thing which I have said since the beginning of this campaign, is that the strength of council comes from the bredth of experience of the councillors. The current council has by my count 5 teachers and 4 businesspeople. These are valuable perspectives, but they are over-represented.

It should come as no surprise that the issues raised by these councillors during the election are also very similar. Jobs, taxes, and crime seem to be the only things being discussed. I know that jobs and crime are very important issues, but they are always going to be there for council to work on, and it is the responsibility of every council to ensure that tax dollars are spent efficiently. So, other than the obvious, what are you planning on doing?

I want to see vision and leadership from my council. The discussion so far surrounding the low voter turnout last election, and political engagement seems to be centred on blaming the population. Public apathy is not the problem, it is a symptom of weak leadership. A well-run council will include direct and frequent effort to communicate with the people in the city in a meaningful way.

There has been a lot of negativity in this campaign. Part of that I see as frustration with the status quo, and part because it is easier for candidates to point out the flaws in their opponents than to step up with their own ideas. I would like to hear one honest and original idea from each candidate during this campaign. Some candidates aren't to be heard from at all, even with hollow platitudes. This mocks the democratic process.

To the candidates: Speak up!

To the voters: Listen up!

and to those who are dissatisfied with the entire process, you have four years until the next election: Step up!

Netnewsledger Candidate Ledger

Discussing political literacy and participation

Advanced voting starts today. 10am, and runs until 8pm.

Today it is at the Thunder Bay 55 Plus Center on River St.

Here is the schedule on the City website.

Thanksgiving weekend draws to a close.

I had a great thanksgiving weekend, now back to work! Come see me at the LU campus for World Food Day on Wednesday.

Wednesday is also the day which the city will have the advanced voting polls at the LU campus. You can register at the polling van - just be sure to bring identification and proof of residence (utility bill, rent receipt, etc.).

Two weeks until E Day - then the real work begins!

I would like to give thanks for all the support I have received in this process. And also thanks to all of the candidates who put themselves forward for this election. It's a tough job, and I appreciate those who have the community spirit to invest their time into the race.

350 Day of Action

I had a great time listening and talking at the 350 day of action. I was happy that there was a decent turnout, and there was a receptive audience.

I spoke on how land use planning can help reduce carbon footprints. This is why I will make an excellent city councillor. I read books on land use planning for fun.

Thanks to Elysia and her Sustain Lusu crew for organizing this event.

Photo of me speaking

Photo of the people and pumpkins at Hillcrest Park

350.org website

Surveys and Opinions

I have been asked to fill out surveys by several organizations. As these questions mirror many that I have been asked while canvassing the neighbourhood. I will post these surveys up here over the next few days.

This one was filled out for the Retired Teachers of Ontario. I found myself chafing a bit at the 100 word limit per answer (as these are complex issues), but I think I managed to get my points across. If you would like more depth on one of these issues, please contact me.

-Jay.

Name: Jay Stapleton


How do your life experiences qualify you to be a leader on city council?
Efficacy of a city council requires a balance and breadth in the experience of its members. I offer perspectives from my life experience which are not otherwise available in this election.
I am (amoung other things) a 33 year old computer technician, organic vegetable farmer, community organizer, actor, political scientist, and scholar. Each of these aspects of my experience offers a useful perspective. The combination of these offers me a broad, unique, and informed view of public management.
I believe that there needs to be a balance on council. My skills fill an often overlooked gap in representation.


1. How will the proposed Norwester wind farm reduce the cost of electricity for Thunder Bay utility users?
The proposed wind farm will not directly or immediately reduce the cost of electricity for Thunder Bay utility users. As the cost of fossil fuel based energy increases, the technology for adapting a combined wind/hydro base load system will be developed, as these are naturally complimentary sources. Having established wind capacity will offer Northwestern Ontario a head start in this new opportunity.
The cost of progress should not be borne without the informed participation of those who will be affected by it. City council needs to have a more cooperative approach to major public works in the future.


2. Bus Transportation: Will you support the retaining of two bus terminals in Thunder Bay?
Will you work to reduce bus passes and fares for seniors?
For a distributed system such as transportation, there is no benefit to centralization. The geographic reality of our city is that we have more than one “core” area. Having a transit hub in both the North and South cores decreases trip times for riders, and will continue to build an increasing ridership.
Our seniors should be offered a complimentary pass. This would serve to increase their standard of living, and remove a barrier to community participation. The costs would be negligible, the benefits would be immediately apparent. Increased ridership will also justify increased investment and development, which benefits everyone.


3. What plans do you have to improve safety in the streets, not only for
seniors, but for all citizens, and for the workers in downtown businesses?
Safety has many facets. I plan on implementing push-to-cross crosswalk systems on the major pedestrian traffic areas within the ward, such as River St. at Pine, and High St. near La Verendrye HS. This will allow all pedestrians safe and easy crossings of busy routes, particularly those with mobility issues. Outside of the ward, I will work with other councillors to strategically plan the deployment of these systems.
Re-focusing our police efforts to foot patrols will offer a disincentive to crimes of opportunity in public spaces. Likewise, adequate lighting, and encouraging neighbourhood watch programs will help increase public safety.


4. How will you promote the quality of living and adequate staffing in the
city-run nursing homes: Pioneer Ridge, Dawson Court, and Grandview Lodge?
Having funding available to well-trained staff in any care facility is the minimum for acceptable standards of living. Subsidized cultural passes, as well as programs to bring arts and cultural events to nursing homes will not only offer new experiences, but also opportunities for local artists and artisans to re-engage with a class of people who are often marginalized.
It is vital to the health of the city that our seniors are respected and acknowledged as members of our society. If circumstances prevent them from participating as fully as they might like, then we must adapt to serve them.


5. What will you do to ensure sufficient and appropriate housing for
seniors?
With the increasing proportion of seniors in our city, we must provide for appropriate housing. Lobbying for increased Provincial investment in home care can help some people remain in their own homes. Assisted living programs, like cleaning, cooking, and maintenance have long been available to families of military veterans. Similar programs tied to OHIP and the CPP should be designed. Being the closest to the citizens, municipalities have a unique opportunity to provide leadership on this type of project.
Maintaining a dynamic balance in the available housing resources will require a vigilant and engaged administrative system. I would prioritize this.


6. What are your plans to improve physical accessibility to all public
buildings?
Cooperating with established organizations, such as CNIB, etc. will allow the city to efficiently identify facilities which offer barriers to people with mobility or vision issues. Removing any of these barriers in public buildings is absolutely necessary. Organizational and structural support should be offered to private business owners who wish to offer barrier free access to their existing facilities.
City administration once again has a role here to advocate and coordinate on behalf of their citizens for more provincial funding for removing barriers throughout our community.

Crime and Safety

There are many people living in this city in a state of fear. Violence, theft, and vandalism are our constant neighbours. City council must step in and take leadership on this issue.

While having our police focusing on violent and property crimes will be a beginning, the long-term solutions must include preventative measures. The Underground Gym, which has made the news lately, is one excellent example of how small investments now can generate long-term benefits. When young people are taught to be engaged in the community, they develop a proprietary relationship with their space. This combats the alienation which is often cited as an initial cause of anti-social behaviour.

Having more community involvement opportunities for young people will have a direct positive benefit to the community groups who get the help. The secondary benefits are to the youth who build a connection to their community through involvement and investment. There is also a tertiary benefit to society as a whole; there is one more active citizen helping to improve the community.