In the weeks leading up to this year’s municipal election, Huntsville Doppler will be posting a commentary from each of the local candidates. The order of appearance is completely random.
Meet Charles Wilson, a candidate for election to Huntsville Council in the Ward of Stisted, Stephenson, Port Sydney
I want to introduce myself to Doppler’s readers. My name is Charles Wilson. I was born in Huntsville and have lived in five world-class communities in the past ten years, but there is nowhere else I would rather call home than Huntsville. I am offering myself, my experience, and my views to the people of the Town of Huntsville, and I hope that my community will send me to serve it in a role of elected office on Huntsville Town Council.
I am many things. I am someone who has lived my life with a disability, but that didn’t define me. I am someone who has lived with little monetary resources, but that didn’t define me. I am someone who has lost many people close to me, but that didn’t define me. I am someone who has been a leader, but that didn’t define me. I am someone who has supported others as leaders, but that didn’t define me. I hope that what does define me is that I am someone who has put my entire energy into what I have done. I have been very fortunate to live in this community, since this community has supported me throughout my life. It would be the privilege and honour of my lifetime to serve this community in this role.
In terms of experience, I am a professional administrator and small business owner. I have a master’s degree in public administration and economic development from Western University, and have taught political science and local government at Laurentian University. I have been the chief administrator of a number of world class organizations, where I transformed the service delivery. At the heart of my academic and political career was to put the member first. At Laurentian University, I transformed the service delivery of my department into a membership focused structure which served our members before anything else. Every decision the town should and must make must be focused on how to deliver the highest quality services to its citizens.
I have articulated five priorities for my term on council.
- Long term planning – preparing for the upcoming demographic change in Muskoka and ensuring quality municipal services for all of the Huntsville area.
- Creating venues for community consultation on important issues facing the Huntsville Community to ensure that the voices of the most vulnerable and venerable in our community is respected and heard.
- Ensuring appropriate policies to ensure an equitable share in the wealth and beauty of Muskoka through conservation of our natural resources, creating opportunities for strong year round businesses to thrive, and addressing social inequality in our region.
- Advocating to the province for a strong health care network throughout Muskoka, especially in the underserviced areas of Muskoka.
- Living out the call for reconciliation as contained in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s call to action, through education, and cultural events.
These five priorities will inform every decision I will make on Council. While Muskoka is associated globally as a land of luxuries and wealth, we cannot forget that many of our citizens are vulnerable and we have an obligation for all who call this land home to make it a better place.
While individual councillors can have priorities, a set of election promises are meaningless for municipal politics. Strong, principled and progressive leadership is needed in the face of uncertainty both provincially, nationally, and globally. The community needs to set a vision for tomorrow and not just today.
I close this article with a deep thankfulness for my community and a sincere hope that I will be chosen to serve this community in this role.
My website is www.electcharles.ca and I would be honoured if you would visit my website, like my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/electcharleswilson and vote for me in this election.
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Karen Insley says
Mr. Charles Wilson, in your campaign platform you note the importance of consultation and creating venues in which peoples voices are heard. What are your thoughts on how the Chamber is only accepting email questions prior to the Candidates meeting in Port Sydney by a prescribed date and are then to be grouped by a committee of two or three people for presentation? Oral citizens questions are not being entertained at the meeting. How do you think this relates to your first bullet of “listening to the voices of the Vulnerable and Venerable”?