Commitments
There are thousands of issues in each ward and the entire City that a Mayor and Councillors work on to ultimately improve the quality of life for all citizens. I’ve summarized my key commitments going forward and my major accomplishments over the past four years.
My Commitments Going Forward*
I am a very engaged Councillor who is active on many many issues as reflected in my key accomplishments. If re-elected for the 2018-2022 term, I will be working on these Neighbourhood and City Wide commitments – and of course others, but these are areas of focus where I believe I can add great value and make positive change.
Neighbourhood Commitments: See Your Neighbourhood.
City Wide Commitments:
Develop Council Strategic Plan of Priorities
Ensure Governance Review & Meaningful Public Consultation Occurs
- There are all kinds of leadership styles and approaches used to move a team forward. The current governance model we operate under allows a Mayor to secure nine votes to move his/her agenda forward. This model – the ‘Strong Mayor’ model means it is possible to completely eliminate any conversation or discussion with Councillors – other than on the floor of Council. I’ve not had a meeting request from the Mayor on any topic for the last two years. I’m sure for some other Councillors it is even longer.
- While I recognize leadership styles are different, and personalities are unique, to have a governance model where a Mayor does not have to speak to other Councillors to discuss the future direction of our City is just absurd. Yes, this can be a reflection of weak leadership – but, regardless, the City has not conducted a review of the governance model in 20 years and it is time. Funding has been committed for a governance review and I will work to ensure broad public consultation and input into how our City is governed – which ultimately determines how Council makes decisions on investments and how the City is moving forward.
Aligning Economic Development Agendas and Decisions
Optimize Operational Improvements
- I’ll be brutally honest – the dysfunction, and silo based operations of the internal workings of the City is costing taxpayers millions. The administrative operations of the City, in my opinion – need a complete overhaul. We need strong administrative leadership to improve systems, and to work with Council on improving corporate culture. We need to develop a ‘how can we help you’ approach to service delivery. We need problem solvers, we need innovative thinking to solve problems. I’ve never worked in a more dysfunctional organization.
- This direction and leadership needs to come from a Mayor to a CAO – or be moved forward as a priority by Council members. As the Councillor whose had the largest ward in population for four years, I need 311 to work for my residents. I’ve been chiseling away at trying to improve 311 but with little success because it is not prioritized by leadership. 311 is the front line for service delivery for our City – how can improving this not be a priority? Working in great detail on the illegal rooming house file clearly identified the silo based approach in reporting/ tracking and information sharing internally. We’ve made great progress breaking down the process to respond / report and collect data on illegal rooming houses – but massive work needs to occur city-wide in virtually all departments. I am committing to work with Councillors to make optimizing operational improvements a priority. A city simply can’t function efficiently unless its internal systems work.
Regional Recreation Campus Development
Crime Prevention, Poverty and Homelessness
Optimization of Transit and Rapid Transit Corridor
- Rapid Transit Corridor: We should see the best possible transit service as a result of the City’s $500M infrastructure investment. I will be working to ensure this happens. If we don’t see the best possible transit service as a result of the $500M investment (not including the cost of operating) I question why we would invest a penny more on other routes.
- Land Use Planning: I will work to ensure land use along the Transitway zoned to enable maximum residential development and proper land use plans are put in place to maximize on the significant investment in the Transitway.
- Transit: I will work to have a wide and broad public consultations on the recommendations that are coming forward in the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan so all Winnipeggers can offer input.
Combatting Illegal Rooming Houses
Please review my key accomplishments in your neighbourhoods and throughout the City that I’ve worked on over the past four years.
Neighbourhood Accomplishments: See details in Your Neighbourhood
These neighbourhood accomplishments are because residents and I worked together to make change. In 2014, I was given the honour to represent the residents of the ward, and strongly believe that by working together on neighbourhood priorities, we’ve been able to build a stronger, healthier community and improve the quality of life for all. In each neighbourhood, I’ve provided a list of what I believe we should be focusing on for the next four years. I am hearing additional feedback at the ‘campaign door’ and have built a comment section for you to provide additional insight into your neighbourhood priorities. Please provide input.
City Wide Accomplishments
I’ve highlighted what I feel are some of the major City wide accomplishments I’ve worked on. There are many many more but these are my personal highlights. I am acutely aware that the governance model we work under hinders the ability for Council to work together and accomplish even more. I have great hope we can improve on the governance model in this coming term. A city should be run with equal representation of all members of Council – not just that of a Mayor and nine Councillors.
Secured Governance Model Review
Improved Decision Making Ability
Improved Administrative Processes
Strengthened By Laws and Fire Safety for Legal and Illegal Rooming Houses
Increased Student & Housing Options around University of Manitoba
Championed Adoption of Pedestrian and Cycling Strategies & Changed Winter Snow Removal Policy on Sidewalks & Pathways
Secured Land and Initial Funding for Regional Recreation Campus
Supported City Wide Transformative Initiatives
- Record Road Renewal
- Record Active Transportation Investments
- Improved Accountability of Elected Officials
- Winnipeg Art Gallery Inuit Gallery Expansion
- Assiniboine Park Diversity Garden Construction
- Winnipeg Arts Community Support
- Improved Sustainability of City’s Collective Agreements
- Winnipeg’s Movement forward on our Journey toward Reconciliation