The number of hours in a day are not infinite. Recharging physical and psychological batteries is necessary during a six month long campaign. This campaign diary started as a way for me to share the inside experience of a municipal campaign, including the impacts to health, family and spirit.

Since my first Hillside in 1992, the third weekend in July has served as a time to relax and reconnect with family and friends, enjoy great music and food, and make new memories. This summer, my intention was to set aside that weekend for no politics! Time to recharge the batteries, and hit the ground running again on Monday.

It didn’t quite unfold that way…

While I didn’t purposefully initiate any campaign conversations, many friends wanted to engage, volunteer, ask questions, and share feedback on key priorities. I welcomed those conversations because people really care about our city. Recharging my campaign batteries isn’t about escaping, but rather about being re-inspired, re-committed, re-focused.

As I reflect on the past weekend of “not” campaigning, here are ten things that I learned from Hillside that I will use to stay motivated in the months (and hopefully years) ahead:

1. Community is strength.

2. Cultural diversity creates beautiful music.

3. Volunteers make impossible things possible.

4. Water is life.

5. Sustainable transit is the future.

6. Age is a state of mind.

7. Be prepared for rainy weather.

8. Sharing is caring.

9. Reconciliation requires humility.

10. Kindness is free.

Until next year, Happy Hillside!

But I have eyes, ears, and a heart. One of the strongest powers a mayor can have is empathy. This comes hand in hand with kindness and humility. It means accepting the reality that I don’t have all the answers. As I’ve been at the doors and out in the community the last two months, one thing has become clear — whoever becomes the leader of this city in October has to deliver something for everyone.

Apparently, I’ve already been labelled on the political spectrum. But those labels have come from others, most of whom have never met me, and are often based on perceptions related to a vote on a certain issue that is important to them. I am so much more complex than one issue or one vote. And so is this city. So are you.

I have never aspired to another level of government provincially or federally. Partisan politics are not for me, and frankly have no place in local government. Clean water and maintaining roads are not left, right or centre issues.

On the campaign trail, being able to connect one-on-one and answer complex questions has been so satisfying. Addressing a rumour or correcting misinformation that someone read on a toxic social media site has reminded me of the importance of listening to where people are at. Voters want more than just to be heard — they want leadership that reflects what has been heard.

And that is the biggest challenge. When you hear multiple differing perspectives on an issue, a mayor is expected to pick a side. It’s a win-lose game.

Guelph is not one thing. You are not one thing. I am not one thing.

We can be deeply worried about tax affordability, and also want investment in transit and trails. We can demand service efficiency and want a higher level of winter maintenance. We can reject the negative impact of over-densification, and still support new housing development. We can be concerned about encampments, and also care about those vulnerable in our community who need housing and food support.

I can’t promise on the campaign trail that you will get everything you ask for. But you will be heard. Everyone will get something that makes our city a better community with a brighter future.

Leanne

And I’m not alone. I’m hearing from colleagues across the region they feel neutered. Our neighbours next door in Waterloo Region no longer get to elect their Regional Chair. They will get a Ford-appointed puppet who has the power to override local decision making. The slippery slope of democracy is shifting bit by bit.

This is one of the reasons I’m running for mayor. As my campaign team grows and we feel the momentum building, anger is turning to action. Frustration is turning into focus. Complacency is turning into commitment.

Do you remember the first time you fought for, or volunteered for, something you believe in? How did it make you feel? I remember attending the first Speed River Clean Up in the early 1980s when I was in high school. We pulled a truckload of garbage out of the river that day. It felt great! It sparked something. Instead of being angry about all the garbage people were throwing in our rivers, I chose action. I was not powerless.

I feel like this election is one of those pivotal moments. It’s so easy to blame Ford. Mock Trump. Comment on social media. Target immigrants, or the poor, or the marginalized. It doesn’t solve anything. We are not powerless.

Action is where it’s at. Running for office is action. Volunteering on a campaign is action. Donating or taking a lawn sign is action. Getting informed is action. Correcting someone who is misinformed is action. Casting a ballot on October 26 is action.

Choose action.

leannecaron.ca

Anyone who puts their name on a ballot has my, and deserves your, full respect.

Elect Respect

I can say without hesitation that the vibe of local politics has changed in the last decade, and not in a good way. Guelph is better than most. Recent toxic behaviour in Pickering is indicative of rising political extremism. Read about the experiences of other elected leaders in Ontario. I can’t say why this is happening. I have my theories, but I think it’s a combination of many factors, including but not limited to:

• social media and online anonymity

• world and US political culture

• financial and employment stressors

• media amplification (conflict sells)

We already know there will be at least three new faces on the next council (empty seats in Wards 1, 3 and 5). Change is good. Last election, four new voices joined the horseshoe. They added a fresh lens and invigorated our debates. They asked questions and challenged past practices. They inspired me and recharged my batteries. A healthy organization should actively encourage turnover and new perspectives, while at the same time, experienced colleagues add stability and mentorship. It’s a delicate balance.

That being said, election campaigns by their very nature are competitive. Everyone is vying for a spot on the team. And if you make the team, you have to play side by side with the people you competed against. Every player has earned their position, but the team is one.

Sports analogy aside, an election campaign is also like a job interview. Have you ever walked into an interview and dissed the predecessor, or your future co-workers? It’s not a good look. You can tell a lot about a candidate by how they behave on the campaign trail.

Which brings me to the “Elect Respect” initiative. In response to rising levels of harassment in 2022, the Elect Respect movement was born. In short, it is a pledge signed by candidates and their volunteers to uphold high standards of integrity and behaviour during the election campaigns and while in office. Many Guelph candidates (including me) signed the pledge in 2022.

I invite all candidates in the upcoming election to sign the pledge.

It’s the morning of Nomination Day, which is both a beginning and an end. The beginning of a very public-facing campaign. And the end of a (relatively speaking) private life, despite 23 years in public office and decades of volunteer community roles.

Later today, I will file my nomination papers to run for Mayor of Guelph. The next six months will be very dynamic. I invite you to come along for the ride…

As the campaign unfolds, most people will only see the “usual” campaign activity - the website, the doorstep, the literature, the debates and media coverage. However, I want to offer a more intimate glimpse into the campaign through this forum. As the campaign tornado swirls around us, you will be in the eye of the storm.

I’ve always been a fairly open book. If you ask me a question, I will usually overanalyze and overshare (ask my kids!) or dig deeper into where you’re coming from. I have always enjoyed one-on-one conversations in the community in my councillor role: hearing about the impact of council decisions, or aspirational ideas from residents about building a great city. The good comes with the bad, but I have no tolerance for the ugly.

Politics in the last decade has changed, and not for the better. Very qualified and passionate elected officials have been walking away from public life as a direct result of the toxicity they have experienced on the job and in the public discourse. There are plenty of theories and articles about the reasons behind the shift — social media, Covid, racism, misogyny, rising mental health crisis, or all of the above — but the bottom line is that new highly qualified candidates for elected office are staying away. The void is being filled by ideological and partisan voices, many with a bone to pick and a “burn it all down” rhetoric. As the saying goes “haters gonna hate”.

Here, I’ll share what I’m seeing and hearing on the ground. I’ll address issues, questions, rumours and misinformation quickly. I’ll answer the hard questions and be authentic.

Rules of Engagement

• Respect is paramount. Offensive comments will be removed and you’ll be banned from commenting.

• Use your real name. If you have something to share, you need to own it.

• Ask questions. I want you to hold me accountable and I want to earn your trust.

• My family is off limits. I am running for Mayor, not them.

Countdown is on. I’ll be back in 24 hours.