Glenn De Baeremaeker – Ward 38
EMAIL: election@voteglenn.ca
PHONE: 416-431-9570
——————————————————————
What key issues define your campaign platform?
The key issues are:
- providing great customer service and making citizens feel welcome when they call their councillor for help with problems such as potholes, messy plazas, broken streetlights and absentee landlords;
- fixing our aging infrastructure and speeding up road repairs, two issues that I have personally promoted in my last two terms of office;
- keeping taxes as low as possible while preserving the services that we all value, such as police, fire, ambulance and transit, which make up a large chunk of the city’s operating budget;
- keeping our community safe by supporting and strengthening the police force and promoting crime prevention programs;
- keeping our community green, clean and healthy through tree planting, recycling programs, environment days and legislation to protect the quality of our air and water.
Why are you the best candidate for this position?
I live in the ward – so the safety and tranquility of Scarborough Centre is as important to my family as it is to my constituents. I voted against two pay increases for city councillors. When a pay increase was approved anyway, I voluntarily froze my pay to show leadership during the recession. Unlike one of my opponents, I do not support party politics at city hall and work well with councillors of all political stripes. I represent my constituents, not a political party. I have a proven track record of getting results, including: one new library in the works, three new splash pads, five new parks and one dog park, seven job fairs, eighty-three local roads repaved, over 120 community events, over 300 new police officers, thousands of residents helped, seven thousand trees planted, and $4.6 million found by me in a forgotten bank account to benefit our area.
What specifically do you plan to do, if elected?
I will continue being a citizens’ ally at city hall, providing excellent customer service and helping residents solve local problems. I’ll keep taxes as low as possible while protecting services such as police, fire and ambulance. I also plan to repave as many local roads as possible (including Ellesmere and Lawrence), fight for improved transit service to the Town Centre and beyond, create two more dog parks, push forward with plans for a new library, create more splash pads and make needed improvements to existing recreational facilities, and foster community spirit with movies in the park, compost days and picnics.
Personal bio:
Born and raised in Scarborough, I played hockey in local arenas and worked at the Scarborough Town Centre. After finishing my MA at the University of Toronto, I learned the ropes of local government by working for Scarborough’s budget chief. As a volunteer, I helped create Canada’s largest urban park in the Rouge Valley and later worked to protect the precious Oak Ridges Moraine. As a result, I received a Queen’s Jubilee Award and a Commemorative Medal from the Canadian government. I first ran for city council in 2003 and was deeply honoured when the voters gave me the job.
Who do you plan to support for mayor?
Joe Pantalone.
