Meet the candidates: Trevor Robinson

Bay Ward candidate wants to make community service his full-time job

Ottawa West News

Trevor Robinson has added his name to the list of Bay Ward candidates seeking the councillor’s office in the Oct. 27 municipal election.

Robinson, 32, is a lifelong resident of Bay Ward, with a background in sales, customer service, and business management. He cites a history of community service and the desire to make it a larger part of his life as his reasons for running.

Q: Why are you running for council in Bay Ward?

A: I’ve always been involved in the community, but the last couple of years working in hospitality meant I didn’t have time to be involved. I thought I could make being involved in my community my full-time job.

Q: Detail your past political and civic activism, whether it’s volunteering, campaigning, donations, lobbying or employment at any level of government or political party?

A: The closest thing to this is that I used to be a student trustee for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, and I was the Eastern Ontario representative of the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association.

Q: How are you going to fundraise for your campaign?

A: Right now, all expenses come out of my own pockets, except for donations from my own family. I’m not accepting any corporate or union donations, which is why I haven’t put up any signs.

Q: Do you have any potential pecuniary interests or a financial or family conflict of interest?

A: None that I am aware of. The only remote conflict would be that my father is a retired Ottawa police officer – 14 years retired – which is far beyond a conflict of interest.

Q: What do you think the biggest issue was in Bay Ward this term and how was it handled? What will be the big issue next term?

A: The big issue during the last election wasn’t something at fault with the ward – it was the issue that our former councillor left to run for mayor and then went back to run as councillor again. It shifted a lot of the feelings in the ward.

Beyond that, the big issue is flooding in the Britannia area. A former councillor, Ron Kolbus, was seeking solutions to this issue 15 years ago.

In the coming term, here in the ward specifically, crime is an issue, as well as maintenance of community facilities and transit. I want to get back to basics. Residents are tired of paying taxes and not seeing any value returned to them.

There’s areas of the ward where they don’t even cut the grass on city property – residents have to do it. I know someone who is 82 and cuts the grass. Someone that age shouldn’t have to do the city’s job for them – they should be enjoying their retirement.


This article was re-published from: http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/news-story/4918231-meet-the-candidates-trevor-robinson-bay-ward-candidate-wants-to-make-commmunity-service-his-full-t/