Several weeks ago I recorded In Flanders Fields as part of this commemoration. 2014 is the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War. 2015 will be the 100th anniversary of the writing of In Flanders Fields by Guelph native Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. It is McCrae’s famous poem that made the poppy […]

The province has announced a renewed strategy to reduce poverty. This is good news and Guelph is well poised to participate given the work of the Guelph Wellington Taskforce for Poverty Elimination, County of Wellington, Neighbourhood Support Coalition, HOPE House, Guelph Wellbeing, Seed Community Food Hub, Bridges out of Poverty and many more innovative collaborations. […]

Way back on April 2nd I was interviewed on the Prime Time Youth Radio Show on CFRU, hosted by the Guelph Youth Council. You can listen to the interview here (click on the April 2 show). My thanks to Cierra, Anna and Markus for the fantastic job they did conducting the interview and hosting the show. […]

All 2013 data with the exception of voter turnout.

Last night at the Awards of Excellence gala, we showed this video of Andrew Bloomfield accepting his Mayor’s Award. The video was produced by Christine Zorn of PAN Video, a local filmmaker who has also produced a documentary and short dramatic film about the Bridges Over Barriers group that Andrew founded. You can learn more about the […]

Last night, the Guelph Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Guelph Awards of Excellence gala. It was a beautiful evening for celebrating business and community leaders. As part of the event I presented Mayor’s Awards to four local “difference makers.” You can read about this year’s Mayor’s Award winners here. Thank you Andrew, Charles, Alina, […]

I was honoured to accept a City Builder Award from the Canadian Urban Institute yesterday. I accepted the award on behalf of the many people who have collectively contributed to city building in Guelph. Here is the exhibit at the event that profiled our local accomplishments.

We are saddened to learn of the passing of Margaret MacKinnon, who served on Guelph City Council from 1973 to 1985. Margaret was the second woman to be elected to Council (after Elvie Lowell in 1956). She was influential in the establishment of the Guelph Arts Council in 1975. As Chair of the citizens’ committee […]

This Spring, Council made a decision that says, when you drive in Guelph, you slow down near an elementary school – any elementary school. We lowered the speed limit in elementary school zones to 30 km/h on local roads at all times, and 40 km/h on arterial roads on school days from 8-9 a.m. and […]

This appeared in the Guelph Mercury on May 14 2014. It bears reprinting. Make affordable housing a provincial election issue “The biggest obstacle I faced (in getting my kids back) was to find a place that was big enough for all of us to live in that I could afford. How do you tell your […]