Editor's note: MidlandToday has asked council candidates in Midland, Penetanguishene and Tiny Township to provide a synopsis of why they are running for public office. Municipal elections take place Oct. 24.
The following response is from Carole McGinn, who is running for council in Midland. For more election coverage, visit our 2022 municipal election page by clicking here, where you can find candidate profiles and other election news.
What is your name, what will be your age on election day, and who are your key immediate family members you rely on for support?
Carole McGinn. My key supports are my kids, Tiffany McCue, and James Banman.
In 10 words or less, why is your municipality the best in the province?
Our residents, educators, culture, parks, groups, businesses, inclusivity, water(s), neighbours.
What prompted you to run as a municipal leader?
I'm a grandparent, a woman in the trades, who lives within a tight budget, a renter and a member of a marginalized community, which gives me real life experience that brings a distinct lens and fuels my desire to help others, business leaders and community at the governance level closest to us, and that wishes to continue works before us, while getting to know and supporting a new council, that has big issues to discuss and a great future to design that we can be proud to pass on.
Midland Bay Landing is mired in controversy, involving contaminated land, residents wanting to protect parkland, developer visions for the future, and the municipality’s choice for that developer. What is your stance on Midland Bay Landing?
When I ran last time, I explained that as a councillor my duty is to bring forward what people tell me. Even if they wanted a nuclear site, my role was to echo that voice, thankfully nobody wanted this. However what I have been hearing is and I support is bigger open park spaces, a naturalized area, a provincial or educational park, UNESCO heritage designation, a water play area for kids, some homes that are affordable, a few quaint shops and to know that concerns have been heard and reflected in any plan.
You will be asked to join committees and other municipal representations. Which are you eager to become involved in?
I wish to continue being on Severn Sound Environmental Association, and would hope to gain the support of my peers on having a council representative on the Midland Accessibility Advisory Committee again, as well as revisit a Youth Advisory Committee, which was one of our Strategic Priorities for 2018-2022. Under Pillar 3. “Safe, Sustainable, Healthy Community", subsection c) Empower a Youth Council for Midland.
Voter apathy is always a concern, ranging between 25.7% to 42% of cast ballots across North Simcoe in the last municipal election. Knowing you could be elected without even half of possible voters turning out, what will you do to combat voter apathy so your municipality is best represented?
Firstly, I need to accept that a small percentage of folks for religious or personal reasons do not vote and understand this is their right while still bringing their voice to the table, when engaging with our community if a barrier is identified then share information on using internet/telephone voting and how persons can come to Town Hall to be assisted. If the apathy is due to lack of interest or the thought that it doesn’t really matter (which I have heard), take the time to understand why and work on regaining people's trust in the municipal system, ask them to get involved and get to know the people who run.
There are many prominent concerns ongoing in the region, from affordable housing to the opioid epidemic to short-term rentals as well as others. What is one concern that you think the majority of residents are not aware of?
I think many of us, my family included, have been greatly impacted by the pandemic, families I talk with have new lifestyles, jobs and some have newly diagnosed conditions. There was a shocking number of assaults and breakdowns of relationship, out of this came loads of folks who are on wait lists for mental health assistance(s)/resources/supports, which is an area that is greatly underfunded or openly spoken about, especially for men.
The province is planning for a population of 555,000 and 198,000 jobs by 2051. If now is the time to prepare for that influx, what will you proactively do as your part in the process?
Support business attraction and retention, legacy building, sharing of knowledge or mentorship programs, education in the trades as we have a shortage, protection of our watershed and natural assets, try to support family dwelling units around schools, be open and support creative ideas when it comes to homes, including tiny houses and affordable housing.
Recidivism isn’t just on the police and courts. As a municipal leader and crafter of bylaws, what initiatives will you undertake to address crime in your care?
I support creating a safe spaces by law that supports inter-agency communications with a focus on the importance of public safety, protect residents and businesses while empowering our justice, policing, outreach, probation system and penal system to assess, then based on criminogenic needs of appropriate offenders support healing, relearn skills needed to reintegrate into society - utilizing evidence based practices to reduce re-offending.
Infrastructure projects require taxpayer dollars. What infrastructure project does the municipality desperately need, and does it justify a tax increase from the ratepayers to have it done as soon as possible?
We need an update to our water and wastewater plant but a long-term plan is in place, keeping this in mind and safely on track means, I’d support and advocate for more crosswalks and do not support a tax increase.
Times change. What is the most aged or obsolete bylaw in your municipality’s code?
“Municipal Act, 2001, S.O., c.25, Section 127, Section 446 (1a) (b) “Cutting” means the destruction of long grass and weeds by use of mechanical machine or manual means, including but not limited to lawn mowers, string trimmers, tractors, sickles or scythes. and (d) “Grass” means all forms, types and species of grasses.”
This isn’t greatly aged, but I believe needs to be updated to fit with Midland being a Bee City and in conjunction with the “No Mow May” movement that supports bees. I’d request an amendment remove (d) and change it to “grasses that are noxious and/or invasive and/or encroaching onto public property and/or creating a visual hazard, blind spot and/or by placement cause or effect water/snow run off/dead fall to negatively impact our infrastructure systems and that bylaw officers waits until June 10th to give notices to residents.
Once you complete your four-year term, what is the legacy you want residents to best remember for your time in office?
I don’t want to be seen as the main “driver” or have my own legacy, It’s the ratepayers that create legacies through councillors who listen to you, as council is by design and through the processes one voice that was able to find the best common response/idea then vote that represents the most from a broad cross-section.
