The library hosted their all-candidates debate on Sunday. This is an event that has been running since the mid-80s. It is arranged and hosted by the Library staff and moderated by Dr. Wesley Cragg, Professor Emeritus, York University. Dr. Cragg has been moderating for a number of years, and does a very good job.

A special thanks to the Library staff for arranging such a well prepared event.

The first indication that this was going to be a special event, was the line up before the doors opened! Yes! On a perfectly good Sunday afternoon, residents of Aurora were lined up at Town hall, waiting for the doors to open. The Council Chambers were full, as were the rings of additional chairs on the outside hallway. It was standing room only!

I was very gratified to see so many people attending, many of whom were wearing Geoff Dawe for Mayor buttons. The attendance was a strong indicator that Aurorans are very interested in this election and were eager to take advantage of their first opportunity to hear all the candidates.

And, of course, the candidates were also there! Not just the 5 for Mayor, but 17 for Council and 2 for Public School Trustee.

It was a very full afternoon and I was appreciative, both for the opportunity to address the residents of Aurora and for the opportunity to listen and formulate my opinions on who I would like to cast my vote for Council. I too am a voter!

For those who were not able to make it (and, unfortunately, due to a scheduling conflict, Rogers TV was not able to tape it for re-broadcast), each candidate for Mayor spoke for 5 minutes, then the candidates for Council and Trustee each spoke for 3 minutes. That was followed by a question and answer session for the Mayoral Candidates.

Five minutes is not a lot of time to introduce yourself, and speak to what you would like to accomplish. A lot of work goes into preparing a speech in order to make sure that you are getting across the points you want to communicate. And, if the applause breaks were any indication, that work was well worthwhile, as it seemed that I was touching on issues that were important to many residents.

In case you missed the presentation, let me highlight some of the points I made about my intentions to bring back Accountability. If elected Mayor, I commit to: 

• Re-establishing a year round Budget & Finance committee to enhance the long-term financial planning initiatives;
• Identifying opportunities for greater operating efficiencies to minimize taxes;
• Ensuring that we are realistically funding the Reserve Funds that are used to support planned expenditures, and find innovative ways to minimize the tax implications on residents.

If you managed to attend, I trust that you found it a worthwhile event. If not (or if you were deterred by the standing room only), then please remember that there are two more opportunities. October 13th at the Howard Johnson Hotel and October 17th at the Legion.

The Rogers TV debate was this week. It was the first of the 4 all-candidate sessions and it was a lively affair.

It was also a first for me.

It was the first time that I have experienced a session where the sole goal is to attack and embarrass the other person in the discussion.

Frankly, I found it difficult to step away from my personal approach which is collaboration versus confrontation. But I understand that this is what is necessary to demonstrate a point of difference and win an election.

My campaign team have been very clear in telling me that running for Mayor is different than being Mayor. That said we all remain committed to conducting ourselves and running a race that does reflect our core values.

Most of the questions reflected the same issues we have been hearing from the 1,000s of residents we have met through door to door canvassing.

Residents are concerned about transit, growth and the state of our downtown. They are concerned with the value they are receiving compared to the tax dollars they are paying. 

Residents are concerned that they are not listened to – that their input is not valued.

Residents are concerned about the behaviour of Council, the lack of leadership, the substantial growth in Town Staff

Without a doubt though, the most amazing part for me was when Phyllis Morris said with a straight face, that based on their voting record, "Aurora Council had set the gold standard in democracy"!

Yes, that is on tape.

I wonder how many of the residents who signed petitions, sent emails, or appeared at Council to lobby for a by-election when there was an early-term Council opening would agree with that remark.


My Perspective: As I mentioned, this was a first for me, and that's good. We should always look for ways to expand our comfort zones. However, my preference is working with people in a collaborative & productive environment.

If elected Mayor, I look forward to bringing back those characteristics to Council.

The Mayoral candidates were invited to speak at Devins Drive public school the other day.

Organized by their teacher, Ms. Karen Stoltz, the goal was to introduce local government to the students. They study the 3 levels of government in Grade 5, and Ms. Stoltz wanted to take advantage of the interest in the upcoming Municipal elections.

I saw a few of the students at Ribfest a couple of weeks before the event and they were certainly looking forward to meeting all the candidates.

They were well prepared and asked very good questions. Their questions were focussed on the environment, facilities (like the skate park), graffiti and litter. It was an enjoyable afternoon.

My Perspective: It is encouraging to see this level of engagement in these students, and I think we owe a lot of thanks to teachers like Ms. Stoltz for organizing events like this. I look forward to the next opportunity.

Identified below are the answers to a number of questions -- by the blog www.AuroraCitizen.ca -- that were asked on behalf of their readers.


1.   Why are you running for Mayor?

I am running for Mayor because the citizens of Aurora have said they want to bring back integrity, reasoned debate and decorum to the Council chamber. They want to see respect for the Office of Mayor that has been lost these past 4 years. There has been a critical lack of leadership on the part of our outgoing Mayor and Council. Personal conflicts take precedence over town business. Our tax dollars are being wasted on initiatives that do not reflect the needs of residents and on unnecessary legal expenses. There is confrontation rather than collaboration. As Mayor, I will focus council’s energies on getting things done, in a timely, fiscally responsible & respectful manner that reflects the needs of all Aurorans. It's time to get Council's hand out of your pockets.

2. How do you see the role of senior staff (department heads) in operating the town vs. that of council? Do we get sound management in place of political posturing?

The Role of Senior Staff is to run the corporate business that is Aurora. After all, these are highly educated, well paid people that are better trained than any Mayor or Councillor to do their specific job. A true leader values the expertise at the table and draws upon that expertise. Council's role is to set policy that reflects the best interests of the citizens she or he serves. Unfortunately, under the leadership of the outgoing Mayor, we are not getting the full benefit of the sound management that our Staff is capable of provide. Time an again we have seen their hands have been tied by the micromanagement and interference of Mayor and Council in the day to day business of the municipality. Put simply, Council should focus on policy and then hold staff accountable to execute those policies.

3.Given the current economic climate, what is your stance with regards to town staff hiring and the accompanying impacts on the town’s budget? Do you support the 20% increase in staffing we have witnessed in the first three years of the current council term as well as the most recent accompanying tax increases?

As a blanket statement, I do not support the recent 20% increase in staffing levels. I think the more appropriate question is why did the increase occur? What value has this increase provided to the residents of Aurora for the dollars invested in their salaries? More staff to assist with youth programs or parks & recreation might be a good thing. More senior staff with indefinable titles is not. Thus far I have not seen any communication for the town that convinces me that residents are receiving a 20% increase in service levels to coincide with a 20% increase in staff.

4.Given the apparent increase of freedom of information requests being demanded by the town in order to answer even the most simple and reasonable questions and the increase in closed-door (“in-camera”) meetings, do you feel that these policies reflect an open and transparent government and what would your stance be on how the town should conduct its affairs from a transparency and accountability perspective?

No, current behaviour does not reflect open & transparent practices. Why should residents be forced to resort to FOI requests to get answers to simple questions about legal spending or staff turnover? Plus, I find the amount of time spent in closed sessions for this Council troubling -- what is going on behind closed doors that requires this amount of discussion?

5.In a contentious debate among council members involving a matter of policy (or principle), how would you approach the matter to find a consensus that satisfies the majority and is in the best interests of the town? Are the two possible?

It is the responsibility of all members of Council to provide rigorous respectful debate. The community deserves nothing less. This term we have rarely seen this type of debate -- nor have they abided by their own Procedural Bylaw. It is the responsibility of the Mayor to set the standard by their behaviour. One must first be accountable for one’s own behaviour. A true leader, leads by example. If elected Mayor, one of my first goals will be to ensure all members of Council are aware of the Procedural Bylaw and I will hold us all accountable to those rules and will apply them in a fair and consistent manner for all Councillors.

6.What is your position on the Code of Conduct and the existing use and cost? What will you position be with regards to spending upwards of $100,000 per year towards an integrity commissioner and the accompanying legal fees in order for Council to police itself. Do you feel that elected officials should be able to speak their mind without the fear of persecution from the Mayor?

The Aurora Code of Conduct is a poorly considered, poorly implemented and poorly executed document and process that has failed to address the very problems it was intended to address – Council conduct. At present it seems to be used as a weapon against one councillor instead of an educative tool for all of Council. All members of Council must take the Oath of Office which sets the standards of how they are to act. More importantly, an elected official has an obligation to the citizens who elected them to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects well on the community. Disagreement within the rules of debate should be welcomed. It is the hallmark of a functioning democracy. They should be able to voice their opinion, respectfully, without fear of retribution by the Mayor, or anyone else, for that matter. That the outgoing Aurora Council has elected to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to implement this document, hire and then fire one integrity commissioner and then hire a replacement integrity commissioner who at present is not authorized to act on any complaints speaks volumes about their failure to understand the purpose of the Code of Conduct and more important, the appropriateness of its use. In my opinion, the citizens of Aurora have not been well served by the Code of Conduct and have unnecessary expense as a result.

7.How will you “Listen” to the community?

First of all, listening is a proactive activity -- it is not waiting to hear what people have to say. It is intentionally providing ways by which the community can be heard. It is not expecting citizens to make an appointment or come to open forum -- it is looking for ways to encourage people to share their opinions, on their terms, in their time. The first step is to actually be open to listening to all ideas. As Mayor, I would regularly reach out to the community and speak with community groups about their needs -- without being asked. Whether attending a community Board meeting, or simply dropping by the local arena, it is essential that all members of Council are easily accessible to our stakeholders.

8.What are your views on the role of Town Council in support of Aurora Food Pantry and Habitat for Humanity here in Aurora?

Both of these excellent initiatives highlight a much bigger issue in Aurora. Although we are identified as an affluent community by some, we are still a diverse community of people and circumstance -- all of whom deserve our consideration when making decisions. Small tax increases to some may be the difference between a meal or a mortgage payment. We need to make sure this is front a centre in our decision-making process. Recognizing that both the Aurora Food Pantry and Habitat for Humanity are independent organizations, Council must recognize that we represent all aspect of our community and do what we can to support their needs. 

9.What are your views on the role of Town Council in support of Affordable Housing?

Good quality affordable housing is an important component in any town or city that wants to ensure a vibrant and sustainable community. Youth, young families and seniors are the most obvious benefactors, but people of all ages need affordable housing. The town needs to work within the relevant legislation such as the Official Plan, to ensure that we are responding to these needs.

An old friend of my had offered to help on my campaign, so, I asked him if he would canvass.

He initially agreed, but then sent me an email as he had some second thoughts about whether or not he was really comfortable doing that.

We talked about it, and I told him that I understood entirely. People are generally up for helping out and give generously of their time. But, canvassing seems to strike terror into some hearts!

Anyway, he had made a commitment and was going to stick to that. So, we teamed him up with a "veteran" and off he went.

His follow up email stated: "Sometimes being pushed out of your comfort zone is needed. I had fun." And, in a subsequent conversation he told me that he was happy that he got involved in his community.

So, remember – Canvassing Doesn’t Hurt.

We team you up with another volunteer, we show you the ropes, and you get an opportunity to get involved in your community. Plus, you get one of those limited edition “Let’s put the Aura back in Aurora” T-shirts!

To volunteer, please click here:  www.geoffdawe.com/volunteer