By Pepper Parr
January 22, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Mike is in – no surprise there.
And leadership is going to be his core issue.
That approach lets him hit left and right – he will tell us he can do a better job than the current Mayor and that you really don’t want the direction the as yet unannounced candidate Marianne Meed Ward will take the city.
Wallace announcing he wants to be the next Mayor of Burlington.
Standing in a bone chilling spot outside city hall – not in the Civic Square, Mike Wallace let it be known what he thought of the new provincial election rules that forbid spending any money to get elected before nomination day May 1st.
So – there was Mike with a decent number of supporters shifting from foot to foot to keep their feet warm.
Keith Strong had to make the opening remarks without the benefit of a microphone – that would have meant spending some money which the rules don’t allow. Strong told the audience of Mikes 5 terms on city council and three terms as the Burlington Member of Parliament during which time he brought $250 million of benefits from the federal government to the city.
Wallace has a seasoned performer as his campaign manager who told the Gazette that they will be polling the public – using the Angus Reid organization to do that job.
It was a respectable crowd on a cold rainy day.
With the microphone in hand Wallace told the audience that the issue was leadership. Under his watch there would not have been a New Street bike lane that went from nowhere to nowhere. Wallace told the audience that the car is a fact of life in Burlington.
He did say that there are transit issues and that as Mayor he will deal with those issues through a collaborative process with his council members.
Wallace is going to be putting forward ideas that are actionable in a process he will be “upfront” about.
Wallace points to his accomplishments as a city Councillor and as an MP; some of them are a little dated but significant nevertheless: Funding for the Performing Arts Centre; benefits for the Downtown core – he points to the Locust Street parking garage as an accomplishment of his.
Wallace told his audience of supporters that Burlington does a unique demographic – there are a lot of seniors and they have specific needs that he intends to ensure are delivered.
He adds that the city is an expensive lace for younger people to be able to buy a home. “The younger people are moving out” he said, “There are no opportunities for them here”.
First Wallace interview at the start of the campaign to get elected Mayor.
Congestion in the city is out of control. “It is hard to get around” he said adding that that problem had to be solved but we “can’t just ignore the car”. We need a realistic approach and we have to get away from “ideological” answer.
Wallace doesn’t like the way the city was engaging with its citizens. “We need a new more progressive perspective and added that “the problems can be resolved by working together”. Wallace is looking for consensus and wants Burlington to be “more than the place we live”.
This election isn’t about who the nicest person is” said Wallace.
And with that he suggested they all adjourn to the Queen’s Head.
Mike Wallace announces his candidacy in the middle of the most contentious issue Burlington has seen in years and says nothing about it.
He spent so long in Ottawa echoing everything Stephen Harper said.
Perhaps he has forgotten how important issues are in local politics.
Remember Cam Jackson? the great recycled Tory who became our Mayor.
Burlington needs tomorrows ideas not yesterday’s men.
Amen !!!!!!!!!!!!
And will you looky here folks it’s Meed-Ward up the middle to take the race at the tape! Who woulda thunk it?
Interesting as William indicated that Mr. Wallace made no mention where he stands regarding the Official Plan or the questionable choice of the downtown as a Mobility Hub or the over-intensification being proposed in Burlington.
I can only think that he feels the same way as the current council, especially since he mentioned that “we don’t really want the direction Marianne Meed-Ward would bring to the City”
If Mr. Wallace feels that leadership is the issue then I would suggest he start not only listening but hearing what the residents are saying.
Two things:
Wallace says its about leadership (or at least the absence of it), which I agree with. A few questions then:
– where was he on the school closures?
– where is he on the official plan proposals?
– does he plan to roll up his sleeves on these issues or shoot comments from the sidelines?
He says we need to get away from “ideological” answers. If he believes that, then why was he so intimately involved in the PC candidate’s campaign?
We’re tired of the tired bromides from our politicians. We need elected representatives who do more than talk about what they will do, and actually do it.
William, you captured my thoughts since it was first rumoured that Wallace would be running for mayor. Wallace has been MIA given the important problems that have surfaced in Burlington in the past few years; I don’t find this surprising because I viewed him as a non-entity as an MP. His forte seems to be that he is an affable “schmoozer”. Electing Wallace over Goldring is like choosing Tweedledum(b) to replace Tweedledee. Neither candidate offers the gravitas or strong leadership that Burlington requires at this crucial time. Wallace should just go back to collecting his substantial federal pension. Despite some reservations about Meed-Ward as a result of the school-closing fiasco, I believe she can show strong leadership and will obviously engage residents in a very real way.
Real estate sales must be down if Wallace is running for Mayor .
Yup, Just what Burlington needs. Another recycled politician, 5 Council terms plus 3 more as an MP? Sorry Mike, your past your best before date.
If the young are leaving Burlington because of high housing costs, they must be vaporizing like vampires in the Sun in, Oakville, Mississauga and Toronto.