WEBSITE: www.jamespasternak.com

EMAIL: james@jamespasternak.com

PHONE NUMBER: 416-398-8257

1. What key issues define your campaign platform?
I have knocked on thousands of doors during this campaign and there is enormous frustration with City Hall. There seems to be a disconnect between how the city is managed and the neighbourhoods it serves. City Hall is not listening. Residents feel that government spending is out of control. I have met seniors who could lose their home because of increasing property taxes, utilities and user fees. Taxpayers deserve better when it comes to garbage collection, snow removal and keeping our parks clean. And then there is the transportation gridlock. Every one deserves better when it comes to public transportation. Most important, I will continue to be a strong voice for local neighbourhoods and protect residents around Bathurst Manor and Wilmington Plaza and in the Dufferin-Steeles area.

2.Why are you the best candidate for this position?
Of the 12 candidates in Ward 10 I am the only one to hold elected office. During my time on the Toronto District School Board I was a strong advocate for Ward 10 and the schools and community are stronger for it. As the Trustee representing York Centre Trustee since 2006, I helped pass surplus or balanced budgets and cut Trustee expense accounts by 10%. I also helped keep local pools operating, prevented local school closures, preserved day care spots, and supported unique and effective extra curricular programs for students. I have spent almost 10 years advocating for and protecting seniors through various organizations such as CARP, Canada’s Association for the Fifty Plus.

3. What specifically do you plan to do for your ward?
Ward 10 has fallen behind other areas in recent years. There is a need for a massive infusion of capital to repair aging infrastructure, including roads, sewers, pools, arenas, among others. For some reason Ward 10 has not received its fair share of benches and parkettes and its time for that to change. It is also in need of a new community library. The Centennial Library on Finch Avenue has served the local area very well. But it has restricted hours and limited resources. I also plan to keep the vehicle ramps open between Wilson Heights Blvd. and the Allan Road. The Downsview Secondary Plan is misguided in this respect. And there is a strong need to bring a new community centre to the ward.

4. Please provide details on your personal bio.
I have been living with my wife and 4 children in Ward 10 for 22 years. In fact, my family was living in the ward when I was born in the late 1950s. My great grandfather arrived in Toronto in the late 1890s. I am a graduate of Leaside High School and earned degrees at York University, the University of Western Ontario and the London School of Economics and Political Science. I have been involved in a wide range of charity initiatives including food banks, rescue for Haiti, Heart and Stroke Foundation and Muscular Dystrophy.

5. Who do you plan to support for mayor?
I am looking for a Mayor who recognizes that Toronto needs new ideas and approaches. I would like to work with a Mayor who respects the tax payers but protects the vulnerable. I am committed to working with who ever wins, as I did at the Toronto District School Board. I will continue to watch, learn and assess and then make a decision closer to Election Day.