Week in review #2
A lot can happen over the course of an election campaign, and sometimes it can all feel like a blur. Each Sunday I plan to pause and reflect on the past week by sharing with you the poignant moments that stay with me and reinforce why I’m running for mayor — and hope to earn your vote.
This week, I had the pleasure of visiting a couple of Grade 6 classes at Earl Buxton School in south Edmonton. I first visited this school six years ago when I ran for election and I have visited every year since, either for Read-In Week or to talk about local government.
During this week’s visit, the students asked some incredibly astute questions, which is one of the reasons I love visiting Grade 6 classes. They asked tough questions about surplus school sites and the proposed affordable housing site in Terwillegar, both of which are hot button issues in that area of the city.
This visit made me think back to my first election to city council and the students at Earl Buxton School who held a mock election at the same time.
After speaking to a class during a campaign stop at the school, I asked the teacher to call me and give me the results on Election Day. The teacher called a few hours before the polls closed on the night of the real election and I was very happy with the results. Across the two classes, I got something like 42 out of 49 votes. I won the real election that day too, but I felt something special about winning the students’ mock election.
This week, it occurred to me that, six years later, some of those students are now old enough to vote in this election.
It was a pleasure to visit the students at Earl Buxton this week (and the teacher told me they will let me know the results before the real election on October 21). As mayor I will continue these visits because it charges my batteries like nothing else to see young people engaged in our city and asking smart questions about the issues of the day.
Just think, Don…in about 7 or 8 years, they will be able to vote! :D But it’s great to get them interested in politics now!!
Your impact on our students six years ago left ripples of inspiration for years to come! The students won’t ever forget your visit or subsequent personal replies to their letters. I continue to follow your progress and support your important work in our city. Thank you for continuting to take the time to nuture the sense of democracy in our future voters.
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to inspire young people and breathe life into social studies.
The roads are in tragic condition. There is no Quality Control from the City how the job was done and quality of asphalt. Contractors dictated the price and City is paying from taxpayers money without supervision. (See the new construction on 98 Ave from Capilano Mall – manholes What is your specific program for seniors who are dealing with low income and taxes are increased every year and services are cutting very drastically?
in lower position then asphalt).
It should be not acceptable. Why they can do the job right the first time?
We do not have confidence that the dollars of taxpayers are well spent.
As the resident of Edmonton can we count on reduction rather than increases taxes? In the past 2 decades the seniors paid only Municipal Property Taxes.
To renew the pet licence is only 5 dollars off for seniors why not 50%?