GUIDE ON SELECTING CANDIDATES

By Joe Ingino Okay, let’s tear this Cracker Jack box wide open. It is an election year, and when someone knocks on your door, you always seem to get the same thing: a person with a huge smile attempting to gain your vote. At the door, they promise you the world. They ring every doorbell they can find. Unfortunately, once many of them are elected, they forget who you are. With that said, the box is now open. There are two types of election candidates: incumbents and new candidates. INCUMBENTS When an incumbent knocks on your door, the first question you should ask is: “What have you accomplished during your term in office?” If the candidate looks away or pretends to give you the answer you want to hear, that may not be the candidate for you. Ask: “How have my municipal services improved in comparison with my property-tax increases?” If the candidate simply tells you that services have improved without providing evidence or examples, that may not be your candidate. When evaluating incumbents, look for sincerity, honesty and humility. Do not fall for promises alone. Consider voting for candidates who ask what is important to you and provide a realistic timeline for addressing your concerns. Ask for their personal phone number—not only their office number or campaign line. If they refuse to provide a direct way to contact them, question how accessible they will be after the election. Look for genuineness. In my opinion, some incumbents become so institutionalized that they begin relying on charisma, smoke and shiny mirrors. Unfortunately, many constituents fall for it. NEW CANDIDATES When speaking with new candidates, ask simple questions: “What life experience do you have that qualifies you to represent the people?” If candidates talk only about their professional credentials, ask how those credentials have prepared them to understand municipal budgets, social issues and the needs of residents. Ask new candidates whether they have a solid understanding of taxation. Ask what their plans are to ensure that any future increases are kept to a minimum. Remember, the people you elect will make decisions on your behalf. OSHAWA’S LEADERSHIP Look at what has happened in Oshawa. In my opinion, voters elected Dan Carter based largely on charisma and promises. When faced with serious questions, I believe he often smiles but fails to provide meaningful answers. His budgets, in my opinion, are unacceptable. I believe taxpayers’ money has been wasted in many areas. In my view, Dan Carter did not have the real-world administrative experience required to run a city. Before entering municipal politics, he was best known as an on-air broadcaster. Now look at the state of Oshawa. Residents are concerned about crime, open drug use on city streets and homelessness. Mayor Carter’s response has often been that other cities have it worse or that the provincial and federal governments have failed to provide sufficient funding to lower-tier municipalities. The City can commit approximately $70 million toward refurbishing the GM Centre, yet it cannot invest comparable resources in a cooperative program involving the hospital and university. Such a program could potentially create warehouse-style transitional residences with appropriate mental-health services. Former GM properties remain available. Why are those possibilities not being seriously explored? In my opinion, Carter has demonstrated little vision and limited real-world experience beyond his own publicly discussed experiences with addiction and homelessness. Now consider Tito-Dante Marimpietri and Derek Giberson. On the Tito-Dante side, he has held public office for more than 20 years. What has he accomplished? How has residents’ quality of life improved during his time in office? Now that he is running for mayor, he appears to have solutions and answers to difficult questions that, in my opinion, should have been addressed during his many years on council. Then there is Derek Giberson. In my opinion, Giberson must answer difficult questions about the condition of downtown Oshawa. He supported supervised-consumption and harm-reduction initiatives and chaired a group involved in distributing supplies to people who use drugs. Where did officials believe unhoused clients would go after receiving those supplies? The city subsequently experienced serious concerns involving discarded needles in parks, creeks and other public spaces. This created what many residents viewed as a citywide health hazard. A group connected with the John Howard Society reportedly conducted a pilot cleanup project and collected hundreds of needles from parks and ravines within a short period. That total did not include needles that may still have remained in waterways. TAXPAYERS, BEWARE In my opinion, incumbents have not done enough to improve residents’ quality of life. Look around you. Can you afford more tax increases? Do you feel safe in your home and community? Have your schools, churches, neighbourhoods and City Hall improved? When evaluating incumbents, examine their records carefully. When evaluating new candidates, screen their qualifications, experience and promises just as carefully. Do not vote based on a smile, a slogan or a campaign sign. Vote based on experience, accessibility, honesty, accountability and results.