By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON.
January 10th, 2014
Amy Collard – running again as School Board trustee in ward 5.
Amy Collard, the Public school Board trustee for ward 5 is in for another four year run. She filed her nomination papers yesterday as did Gary Carr who thinks he can keep himself sharp for another four years. Given that Carr was acclaimed last time out and there doesn’t appear to be a bright star on the Regional horizon – although we did hear a politically connected type wonder if aloud if the Region was a possible target for Burlington’s ward 6 council member. The glow is thought to be wearing off the tiara in Burlington but in a new market – one never knows.
Ian Simpson has thrown his hat into the ward 5 contest, a Burlington ward that tends to produce three, four and sometimes five candidates each election. Mayor Rick Goldring comes out of that ward 5 cauldron.
None of the city council members have filed their papers yet but all, except for Jack Dennison, have said they intend to run. We will keep you posted.
Amy Collard was acclaimed in ward 5 in 2010 and proved to be an eager little beaver as she learned the ropes and grew to the point where she served as the chair of the board of trustees last year. However, her performance as chair of the Board of Education was not seen by her peers as strong enough fr her to get a second year as chair.
Carr has worked at two things in his life: hockey and politics. His hockey career was limited to the minor leagues and farm teams for some impressive hockey organizations (Boston Bruins and Les Nordiques).
Current Regional Chair Gary Carr as a goal tender.
As a professional hockey player he played at Michigan State on a hockey scholarship and then returned to play for the Toronto Marlboros. He was the All Star goalie on the Memorial Cup Champion Marlboros in 1975.
Drafted by the Boston Bruins, Carr played 4 years in their farm system in the International and American Hockey Leagues. He then signed as a free agent with the Quebec Nordiques (now the Colorado Avalanche), where he played 2 more years in the American Hockey League.
Carr has a certificate in Business Administration from Ryerson University as well as an advanced graduate diploma in management from Athabasca in 1999. He also has received his MBA from Athabasca University in 2002.
There comes a time in the world of sports when the body just can’t do it anymore. Gary Carr turned to politics where he has served at the federal, provincial and Regional levels of government.
Carr served in the provincial legislature – Queen’s Park – where he was first elected in 1990 as the Member for Oakville South. He was re-elected in 1995 and again in 1999 to represent the new riding of Oakville. He served as Deputy House Leader, Parliamentary Assistant to the Solicitor General as well as serving on the Finance and Economic, Justice, and Public Accounts Committees.
Gary Carr served as Speaker of the Provincial Legislature during the Mike Harris government. He frequently ruled against the government.
In October 1999 Mr. Carr was elected speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and held that position until November 2003. Carr decided to quit politics and take up an opportunity to coach hockey in the United Kingdom. The hockey gig didn’t pan out but Carr had made some decisions that were seen as an attack against the Progressive Conservative government – so the game at Queen’s Park came to an end.
Having burned his Conservative bridges Carr got himself elected to the House of Commons as a Liberal for Halton in 2004 and was defeated for that seat in 2006 when the Liberal party was decimated federally.
He then ran as Chair for the Region of Halton, was in 2006, was elected and then acclaimed in 2010. The filing of nomination papers earlier this week has Carr going for a third term.
The ward 6 councillor couldn’t even get reelected in her own ward let alone as regional chairman!
She wants to be MP, not chairman.
Her time in politics is short and dubious at best!
A block of wood would have been a better Ward 6 Councillor – absent for most of the term and at a loss during the airport issue. If she was to run again – Ward 6 would be best to think about the alternative – then returning a do nothing Councillor.
Editor’s note:
Let us be clear, Blair Lancaster has not been “absent” at Council. She has always attended and has always participated. We don’t recall her ever not being at a meeting. It is unfair to refer to Lancaster as a “do nothing” member. You may not like what she has done but she has done things.
The editor’s note is a fair comment – the Ward 6 councillor has had an excellent attendance record and not physically absent. I may see the actions the councillor has taken as accomplishing next to nothing for Ward 6 – other respectfully will have another opinion and the can be decided during the fall elections