So who is this woman who wants to be the next Mayor?

By Pepper Parr

May 1^st, 2026

BURLINGTON, ON

One of the first things people need to know about Lisa Kearns is that Kearns Road was not named after the family.

Lisa comes from a very humble, working-class family that has strong Catholic roots.  All her elementary and high school education took place in Catholic schools.

She had part-time jobs through high school and university.

All this information came out of a long interview on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

Once it was clear that Kearns was going to run for Mayor I had asked Kearns to do a sit-down interview and tell me all about who she was, what the core values were, and where she had worked after graduating from university.

I asked for pictures of her childhood days – she brought hundreds of them.

“Just how much do you want” asked Kearns.  “Everything” I said. She arrived for the interview with one of those expanding file folders stuffed with more than 100 photographs.  “This is who I am” she said.

The I am consists of my Mother and Father, a brother and a sister.

Lisa Kearns before starting school.

Grade two was great fun for Kearns

This wasn’t a family that went to Florida – they were stay-at-home people who went camping and enjoyed fishing

Lisa had part-time after-school and weekend jobs at variety stores and a deli that were close to the family’s Hamilton home.

She was like any other normal child in what was a pretty solid household.

She did Halloween like any other child, had an entry in a Science Fair, and an award for being a good public speaker at the elementary level.

While at Western University she majored in political science, was part of the politcal science club.

Out of university an early job was selling billboard advertising space during an economy that was in trouble.  Keeping clients during aneconomic downturn is what selling is all about.  Kearns earned her bonus every year.

She moved on to Life Labs, where she was responsible for procurement. Left that company to become the ward 2 Councillor in 2018.  There were great expectations back then.  Kerns was one of five newbies on a seven-member council.  Expecting some turnover from the previous ward Councillor, Kearns saw nothing but a pile of papers on the desk.

By the middle of her second term it was becoming clear to Kerns that council had become close to dysfunctional.  It just wasn’t working – and had gotten confrontational.

Running around during a Halloween party.

A Science Fair exhibit with a sense of humour

A Public Speaking award earned at the elementary school level.

After sorting through the pictures and commenting on them I asked Lisa – “Why are you doing this – why are you running for the Office of Mayor.”

Her response was interesting.

“While it is very early in the 2026 election process, as I look back to where I am now, I don’t think I fully realized what I was stepping into.

“I know I can do a better job.”

“What we have now can’t be it.

“In my bones, I just know we can do a better job.

“Council has become very confrontational – and confrontation isn’t who I am.”

It is far too early in the municipal election process to have a really clear picture of what kind of mayor Kearns would be should she win. If what has been published elsewhere it looks like Councillor Nisan will also run for Mayor.  Nothing on what current Mayor Mead Ward and what she plans to do.

A couple of weeks before the Saturday interview, I had asked Kearns, “What kind of Mayor do you want to be ?”

She didn’t understand the question right away, so I rephrased it. “Do you want to be a Rob MacIsaac or a Walter Mulkewich?”  She said she didn’t know.  But during the Saturday interview, she said she had thought about it and was very clear: She wanted to be a MacIsaac Mayor.

Rob MacIsaac was the Mayor who brought the idea for the Pier to the Council table. He was a builder – Lisa Kearns wants to follow those footsteps.

Rob MacIsaac put the idea for the Pier on the table, he was behind the move to tear down the old police station on Locust and have the Performing Arts Centre built. He was the force behind the creation of Team Burlington that put the Chamber of Commerce and the Burlington Economic Development Corporation in the new building that had several floors of parking above.

Rob MacIsaac was a builder who changed some of how the downtown core worked.

I am chasing down a tip I got from a usually solid source; and have reached out to someone who could confirm the information I have.   If true, it will change the political landscape during the election we are now into.

This is going to be a very very interesting municipal election for Burlington. The second person I am reaching out to would have access to some information I picked up yesterday.