Part conversation, part diary: welcome to the eye of the storm
May 1, 2026
Campaign Morning
It’s the morning of Nomination Day, which is both a beginning and an end. The beginning of a very public-facing campaign. And the end of a (relatively speaking) private life, despite 23 years in public office and decades of volunteer community roles.
Later today, I will file my nomination papers to run for Mayor of Guelph. The next six months will be very dynamic. I invite you to come along for the ride…
As the campaign unfolds, most people will only see the “usual” campaign activity - the website, the doorstep, the literature, the debates and media coverage. However, I want to offer a more intimate glimpse into the campaign through this forum. As the campaign tornado swirls around us, you will be in the eye of the storm.
I’ve always been a fairly open book. If you ask me a question, I will usually overanalyze and overshare (ask my kids!) or dig deeper into where you’re coming from. I have always enjoyed one-on-one conversations in the community in my councillor role: hearing about the impact of council decisions, or aspirational ideas from residents about building a great city. The good comes with the bad, but I have no tolerance for the ugly.
Politics in the last decade has changed, and not for the better. Very qualified and passionate elected officials have been walking away from public life as a direct result of the toxicity they have experienced on the job and in the public discourse. There are plenty of theories and articles about the reasons behind the shift — social media, Covid, racism, misogyny, rising mental health crisis, or all of the above — but the bottom line is that new highly qualified candidates for elected office are staying away. The void is being filled by ideological and partisan voices, many with a bone to pick and a “burn it all down” rhetoric. As the saying goes “haters gonna hate”.
Here, I’ll share what I’m seeing and hearing on the ground. I’ll address issues, questions, rumours and misinformation quickly. I’ll answer the hard questions and be authentic.
Rules of Engagement
- Respect is paramount. Offensive comments will be removed and you’ll be banned from commenting.
- Use your real name. If you have something to share, you need to own it.
- Ask questions. I want you to hold me accountable and I want to earn your trust.
- My family is off limits. I am running for Mayor, not them.
Countdown is on. I’ll be back in 24 hours.