WEBSITE: http://davenportdemocracy.blogspot.com/

EMAIL: kenwood@bell.net

PHONE: 416-535-2601

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1. What key issues define your campaign platform?
Respect for Residents: We need to  consult with people more before actions are taken and welcome their  input
Taxes, Budgets, Planning: We need to  become better, smarter and more open at planning as a city.
Democractic Reform: We need greater  fairness in how we elect those to represent us. Term Limits. Ranked  ballots.
Improved Quality of Life: We need to  make our city more pleasant to live in for everyone. Better parks like  Dufferin Grove. More accessible, low cost and reliable transit. Real bike  lanes. Pedestrian safety. Clean electric not diesel trains. Better animal  control and pet bylaws.
Poverty, Hunger, Homelessness: We still  need to take greater steps to reduce these social ills. Food banks  overwhelmed. Not enough affordable housing.

2. Why are you the best candidate for this position?
I bring significant life experience and understand firsthand the struggles of my neighbours to ‘make ends meet’ as my father used to say. Most of us are very financially challenged in some way; I am on a disability allowance that means I make do with about $12,000 a year. One third of people in ward18 live on less than $30,000 per year. I am forced to rely on food banks. I was once middle class but fell into poverty because of illness. I have been an activist and interested in politics all my life: for what it can do to help people, not politicians.

3. What specifically do you plan to do for your ward, if elected?

• Invest $20,000 of my councillors’ salary in enabling communication with the many languages of my constituents
• Hold regular Town Hall meetings to proactively solicit input, ideas, concerns
• Make it the most politically engaged ward in the city by encouraging neighbourhood lobby groups and BIA’s
• Improve animal control and pet bylaws
• Encourage Complete Streets where everyone has a place: pedestrians, cyclists, cars, transit, seniors, disabled.
• Protect and expand our public spaces: green parks, community centres, reclaim closed schools for city use.

4. Please provide details on your personal bio
Lived in ward 18 for about 12 years. Worked in both union/non union, large/small companies, 30 years’ experience in Information Technology, 5 years in human resources, many years as middle manager.  Managed large budgets, did strategic/tactical planning. Volunteer board member on Daily Bread Food Bank and Mainstay (supportive) Housing. Activist who chained himself to a tree to save it during Lansdowne narrowing.  B.A. political science/psychology.

5. Who do you plan to support for mayor?
Still undecided, need to know more about all 41 choices.