Page 45 - SpectrumOctober2018

Members Speak Out

QUESTION: What do you feel are the highest priority items for the newly elected Cambridge City
Council to address and why?

To take care of the rapidly increasing threat is out of their control and it is not worth for everything from Shipping Receiving,
to the security of our community members spending money on that part of the town Punch press operators, Tool and Die,
and their personal property. There is a because the properties are owned by Machinists and so on. All jobs that used to
serious issue that is overwhelming the Galt slum lords that they are not willing to be drive a countries economy that are going
downtown core and it is affecting everyone cooperative. unfilled, but worse, unapplied for. When
in this city. Our police department and local Firooz Jafari, Elixer Bistro there are applicants, they many times are
officials need to take care of the tent cities, either inexperienced, which can be fine as
organized criminal activity and general lack Better/safer cycle routes in town and training is available, or unmotivated and
of concern for the well-being of the citizens neighboring cities. Would help with irresponsible in their attendance once on
who built this town to be the place we were environment and the carbon footprint and the job.
all once proud to call home. will encourage younger generation to get fit. How “municipal government” becomes
Andrew Leith, Microage Kitchener Beverley May, GRIFFCOMM
involved is the big question.
I think one of the highest priority items for Umm, Priority. A word which means First, there is a need for those running for
the newly elected Cambridge City Council is something different to everyone. office, and the public to be able to elect,
to address the funding crisis that Bridges is candidates who have a background that
going through at the moment. The shelter As the Chamber, which represents its covers the wide spectrum that makes up a
relies on a great deal of public funding business community is concerned, priorities community.
to survive and to properly address the should cover issues that affect business in Everything from financial, education,
concerns and problems raised to them both a positive and negative light. industrial, commercial and residential
by the city, Cambridge Residents, the Jobs. Ontario, not unlike any other province issues need to be represented at the table
businesses of downtown Galt, as well as to or perhaps even country for that matter in order to be able to guide and formulate
meet the needs of their vulnerable clients. faces a massive shortage in applicants for policies to drive a community’s economy.
Due to the stigma associated with shelters, positions in industrial labour and trades as While this is not a function of government
addiction and mental health in general, and well as in the construction industry. once in office, it is a function of those voting
due to the bias and miss-information in our for members who are running for office.
community regarding Bridges, the shelter For well over 2 decades now, the impetus
is simply not getting the funding that it from governments has only been highly Second. Governments at all levels must
requires in order to continue to address the visible towards the “high tech” sector, thus understand the makeup of their community
challenge of operating Bridges in a manner it seems educators as well as students and from the employment and industry level.
that addresses the needs of their clients, parents focus has been drawn away from There is no benefit in solely promoting
who are some of the most vulnerable most anything else. High Tech industries in a community whose
members of our community, while still Of course not everyone can be or wants to foundation and base is heavily set in the
minimizing the impact of the shelter on the be a techie, which then drives the other industrial field.
surrounding area. question, then what do you want to do to That does not mean that promotion of
Caitlin W. McIntyre, Goad and Goad LLP establish a career? one sector over another at times is not
While institutions such as Conestoga College warranted. Quite the opposite.
I believe Mr Craig will be re-elected they have been very diligent in their efforts to
have done a lots of good jobs in the past like cover a wide swath of programs, it certainly However the shiny toonie cannot outweigh
roundabouts, bridges and the enlargement cannot by itself serve all the needs in the the now tarnished penny and pretend that it
of Shantz Hill Drive in Preston. But the only work force. doesn’t still exist hidden away in cupboards.
thing they are lacking is miss managing of A clear cross section of residents abilities
downtown and I think.it<http://think.it> Signs are everywhere calling for applicants and desires must be examined, who are
moving into a community and why, both

Celebrating 40

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Fall 2018