As I am out knocking on doors for the election campaign, one of the common questions I am asked is, “Who are you voting for?”
My answer is that I am voting strategically by voting for a core of 4 candidates in order that four like minded people form a majority on Duncan Council.
The three candidates I am primarily supporting are: Garry Bruce, Mike McKinlay and Mark Anderson.
Then I am picking one additional candidate who I believe will support the position of the core three candidates. That fourth candidate is Carol Newington., who I believe is the candidate most likely to side with Garry Bruce, Mike McKinlay and Mark Anderson on key issues.
Having four like minded Council members elected to Council will give us a majority on a Council comprised of the Mayor and six Councillors.
While I like Councillor Bob Brooke personally, I believe he has sided with, and voted with, Mayor Michelle Staples far too often during the last four years to rely on him to vote with us on key issues.
Councillor Tom Duncan has been on Duncan Council for about twenty years but he no longer lives in Duncan and I cannot support any candidates for Duncan Council who do not actually live in Duncan, own property in Duncan or own a business in Duncan. It makes no sense to me to have Council members voting on issues which affect Duncan residents, taxpayers and businesses with actually being a Duncan resident, taxpayer or business owner themselves.
Stacy Middlemiss does not live in Duncan (she lives in North Cowichan and is not a Duncan taxpayer) and she is also part of Mayor Staples’ inner circle, so I cannot support her.
Jenni Capps is also part of Mayor Staples inner circle, so I cannot support her either.
So I will be voting for four candidates who I believe will be “Putting Duncan Residents, Taxpayers & Businesses First”. Those four candidates are: Garry Bruce, Mike McKinlay, Mark Anderson and Carol Newington.
Would you like to leave a comment or question about anything on this post?
I thought Carol had drunk the Staples koolaid. What makes you think she will support you? She has not supported Garry as far as I know. Please explain.
I agree that Carol Newington has sided with the Michelle Staples faction many times during the last four years.
But so have Bob Brooke and Tom Duncan.
Of those three, I think Carol Newington is the one most likely to side with Garry Bruce, Mike McKinlay and I.
My understanding is that Bob Brookes votes the way his wife wants him to, and she is pro Staples. 😀