As compared to evenst in Toronto, it was a fairly quiet final day to add one’s name to the ballot for next month’s municipal election. But as of 2 pm today, the ballot is set, and for better or worse, this is the slate of candidates for all positions – mayor, city councillor, and school board trustee. Here’s the final ballot for the election in all positions: Continue reading “The Guelph Ballot for the 2014 Municipal Election”
Friday at 1:59 pm was literally the last minute someone in the City of Guelph could submit their papers for election, and while it’s been a very busy couple of days at the clerk’s office, the final countdown seemed to come and go with only a couple of people racing to beat the clock. And they were some actual big names too, at least if you’re following local politics. A couple of former provincial candidates, a former city councillor and an alternative transit advocate have all joined the ranks of the ready, willing and able for Guelph 2014. Continue reading “Familiar Names Join Local Races in Final Hours”
All those years of reporting and blogging about local issues and the business of City Hall apparently gave former Guelph Mercury journalist Scott Tracey a kind of Stockholm syndrome. Or maybe he’s just now of the opinion that if he can’t beat them, join them. Or, the more likely, he’s being driven by a sense of civic pride and commitment. Regardless of the reason why, Tracey is throwing his hat into the ring for this fall’s municipal election running in the very busy Ward 4 race. Continue reading “City Hall Reporter Wants to Become the Reported”
If you’re running for re-election to city council this is probably both good news and bad news. Good news because with the announcement of a settlement marks the end of what can liberally be called a debacle for the City of Guelph; but on the other hand it puts the issue right back on the front page as it were. Continue reading “PRESS RELEASE – City and Urbacon Settle Out of Court for Over $6.5 Million”
If you talked to Elections Canada about getting a robocall referring you to Old Quebec Street as your polling place on May 2, 2011, then you might have gotten an e-mail like the one below. Continue reading “Elections Canada Now Collecting Victim Impact Statements”
Being ushered to the train station on the corner of Carden and Wyndham Streets by a brass quartet, one might be confused as to whether or not Mayor Karen Farbridge was kicking off her campaign with a joyful tone or with a New Orleans-style funeral procession. When she began to speak, however, there was no doubt that Farbridge is in it to win it. Ferociously defensive of her leadership-style and he vision as mayor, Farbridge made it perfectly clear that she’s out to secure her fourth term in office despite the polls or the perceptions of the pundit class. Continue reading “With VIDEO – Farbridge Launches Campaign with Broadsides Against Front-runner”
It was just four years ago that the Medical Cannabis Club of Guelph was shuttered following a police raid that saw many of its staff arrested and its clientele forced to look elsewhere for their medication. Today though, for the opening of the new Guelph office of the MedCannAccess Solution Centres, the tone was quite different. Continue reading “Guelph’s New MedCannAccess Solution Centre Welcomed with Open Arms”
It must be an election because we now have polling data. In a Forum Poll released Tuesday looking at the Guelph Mayoral race, it seems as if current mayor, Karen Farbridge, had best be prepared to look for new work on October 28. Of course, this poll comes fairly early in the (real) campaign, and we all know the unreliability of polling in the last couple of years, but is it an indication that Farbridge may come up short for a fourth term in office, and that Cam Guthrie’s gambit to trade his Ward 4 seat for the mayor’s chain will work out? Continue reading “Guthrie Leads Farbridge in Forum Poll”
The final two questions marks on the current city council have been erased today with Ward 1’s Bob Bell and Ward 2’s Andy Van Hellemond both filing their papers to run for re-election in the October 27 Municipal Election. Bell and Van Hellemond were the last two undeclared members of council, which regardless of whether or not all the incumbents are re-elected next month will see a serious turnover of new faces at the first council meeting in November. Continue reading “Bell and Van Hellemond Confirm Re-Election Bids”
After a relatively quiet summer, GrassRoots Guelph is back on the stump, or maybe that’s offering a stump, for local citizens to reach out to their politicians. In a few weeks time, the GRG will be hosting a “Meet the Candidates BBQ” at the Guelph Golf and Curling Club, and although they don’t say who specifically will be, all registered candidates for all offices are invited to attend. Hopefully, there will be name tags. Continue reading “GrassRoots Guelph Invites You For Burgers and Politics”
Guelph Politico 