Your Money, Your City, Your Voice. Rowen Fraser for Ward 6

When I think of Burlington I think of my childhood. Growing up I moved around a lot with my Parents, so home became more of a state of mind than a place for me. I would always look forward to visiting my Aunts, Uncles, and Grandparents here because it was familiar ground in a world that was always changing. My late mother always dreamed of owning a nice family home in Burlington. Now that I'm older and wiser I cannot forget the way I felt when I came here to see my family. Now I wake up here every day and I feel truly blessed to live in such a wonderful community of dedicated and caring people.

 

I think all of us have been distracted lately. There is a lot going on in the world, and so much of that information falls through the cracks. Local issues have been relegated to the back burner for a lot of people. It can be so easy for us to forget the simple things.

 

I want to bring the city back to the roots that initially made this one of the most sought after property markets and communities in the entire country. The foundations on which I wish to base my candidacy are as follows:

 

• Modern Fiscal Accountability

• Property Tax Relief

• Streamlined Infrastructure Planning

• Improving Council Efficacy

• Organically Sustainable Development

• Supplementary Transit Solutions

• More Organized Traffic Management

• Better Citizen Representation of Community Issues for both the The City, and the Region

• New Community Law Enforcement Initiatives

 

It will be a collaborative effort from all the residents of ward 6 that will determine the final policies and solutions that I implement towards these goals. To that effect I will begin my mission to talk to as many ward 6 residents as I can. If you live in ward 6 there is a very real chance that we may meet face to face sometime soon. I hope to remain approachable throughout my campaign to everyone that may wish to discuss their concerns and ideas.

 

I've talked to a lot of people lately that feel like they don't have a voice. People that have felt powerless against the overwhelming force of city or regional council that is focused on its own goals. I want to return a voice to the people who make it all happen. Our residents here in Burlington are the ones who fund all of the ideas and programs that make up the city's agenda. There's a famous saying about taxation and representation that comes to mind.

 

Often times I talk to people who aren't upset about the direction the city is taking, but nonetheless feel removed from the process. As a candidate for ward 6 my pledge will be to deliver the news of the city to its people and tirelessly advocate for their future.

 

I have a history of advocating on behalf of others in both my personal and professional life. I have run teams of employees as a communications center specialist in my early 20s. I have coordinated shipping receiving, events, and complicated builds for complicated set pieces in my multi year career in the manufacturing space. Now as the technical director of a small Canadian company, I help facilitate our clientele's effective use of our hardware by drawing from my in-depth knowledge of computer operating system administration. I also liaise with our clients on a regular basis to ensure that their experience with us has exceeded all of their expectations. Throughout my career I have built myself a unique perspective and set of skills. The blend of both white and blue collar work allows me to understand perspectives from both areas. This allows me to bridge the gap and be a valuable piece in connecting the two sectors.

 

For myself, there is nothing I love more than a good bit of music. I am a singer, I have been for 30 years. You can usually find me on the karaoke circuit here in Burlington. It is a community that I have found here that is one of the thousands of wonderful social communities inside the Burlington bubble. If I'm not there I'm usually cooking a nice meal at home. Cooking has become a type of therapy for me. There is something about getting a dish perfect that sets the world right.

 

We all dream of making the world a better place. I have decided the best place to start is at home, where I live, in the city I love, with the people who make my world turn.

 

I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together.

 

-Rowen Fraser