Your decision on November 10th could have a major
impact on your life and the future of our city. We now
know all the incumbent candidates, and most have
challengers. Now is the time to take an active
interest, talk to the public-spirited people who give
their time canvassing, and get to know your candidates
for Mayor and City Council.

An election may be looked at in two ways: selecting
good people, and supporting candidates who declare
support for specific policies. In municipal elections,
your current personal concerns will only represent a
small fraction of the matters that will come up for
discussion in the council chamber in the next term.
More important therefore is to vote for informed and
ethical people who can think for themselves on wide
ranging matters. On the doorstep, some voice concerns
about issues that may affect them personally, and a
larger number bring up matters that could have a
general impact, such as city mergers or the new
library. Many have a view of how well the incumbent
candidate has been performing in the past, though I
have to say that a good number seem to have no
opinions, or if they have, they aren’t talking about
them. Few are prepared to become personally involved
in finding solutions to problems they perceive,
although they aren’t slow to complain, but believe
that as taxpayers they are paying someone else to deal
with all the problems. It’s in this sort of vacuum
that the candidates operate to solicit support.

Which takes me back to the preferred approach:
identify talented and ethical candidates  for City
Council.
How can you best do that? Last municipal election,
Rogers Television held televised debates for each ward
at city hall and a larger one for the Mayor’s race at
Ramada Inn giving  taxpayers a chance to ask questions
of their candidates and learn where they stand on the
issues.

Both the Guelph Mercury and Tribune offer special
sections that candidates answered questions about how
they would make our city a better place. There are
several other groups that also ask candidates for
their opinion on topics that affect us and publish
them online. Also check the official election site set
up by the City which currently lists all the
candidates, where the debates will be held and
associated election information..

Overall the best way to is to identify talented and
ethical candidates is talk to them directly or meet
them in person at one of the Candidates Debates, or by
calling or emailing them. Read their campaign material
and check the newspaper for information about your
specific ward candidate and where they stand on the
issues.

There are many issues affecting our city, from
Wet/Dry, a new Library and City Hall, aging
infrastructure, transit, youth and so many more. We
may see any one of a variety of municipal projects and
services reduced, cut or delayed in 2004. Those tough
decisions will be the responsibility of the people you
are about to elect. Choose them carefully. Next
February, when the budget comes down, will be too late
to discover that they weren’t the right choice. If in
May you don’t like your tax bill, it may be too late
to be able to do much more than grumble.

Municipal Politics is seen as unimportant by people
but in reality it is the most important level of
government. Your city council serves your
neighbourhood, provides those essential services like
community centres, garbage pickup, road repair, water
and much more. The candidates you select on November
10th will play an important role in these and many
other major decisions. 

So I encourage you to learn about the issues affecting
our city, watch, read, even attend one or all the
candidate meetings and ask and learn about the
candidates themselves for city council and Mayor and
where they stand on issues affecting you and me and
what they will do to make Guelph a better place for
everyone.