ELECTION 2006
    

  

Councillors Must Remember That They Represent & Speak On Behalf Of The Constituents of their Individual Ward
Each City Councillor must remember that he/she is elected to represent a single ward. 

If I am elected to serve Ward 6 - Hanmer & Val Therese, I clearly understand that I am to be the voice of my constituents at City Council. The Ward System is structured so that twelve Councillors are selected to speak on behalf of the constituents of their respective Wards.

The only person on City Council who can say that he represents all of the people in the city is the Mayor, who is elected at large.

Therefore, the major philosophical principle that must be adopted by all councillors is that when we gather together to make decisions on how to run the City of Greater Sudbury, we must first of all take into consideration the desires and wishes of our constituents, and then under the guidance and direction of the Mayor, we develop policy which will best adhere to the desires of the people we represent.

Since the Mayor is elected by people in all twelve Wards, he/she is the one who must try to mix the unique needs of all twelve Wards into policy that respects those individual differences.

It is a mistake for Councillors to be elected by one Ward, and then sit at Council and justify their decisions from the point of view of representing the entire City. 

In my case as Councillor for Ward 6 - Hanmer & Val Therese, I will not be at liberty to support any policy decision that will go against the specific wishes of my constituents. I represent the "collective will" of Ward 6. I do not represent the "personal will" of Robert Kirwan.

In fact, if I am elected to serve as Councillor for Ward 6 - Hanmer & Val Therese, 'Robert Kirwan' virtually disappears. I will not be sitting at the Council Table as Robert Kirwan, but rather as the Councillor From Ward 6. I made this very clear to the general public in an article that I put in The Vision Paper on April 12, 2006, and I intend to keep that promise.
  

Robert Kirwan Enters The Race To Represent Hanmer & Val Therese On City Council

Article Appearing in The Vision Paper on April 12, 2006

   Robert Kirwan has announced that he will be seeking the position of Councillor for the new Ward 6 in the upcoming Municipal Election. Ward 6 consists of Hanmer and Val Therese.
  
  In making the announcement, Kirwan, who is shown looking over the boundaries of the new Ward 6 stated that, “It will be a great honour to have an opportunity to serve the constituents of Hanmer and Val Therese for the next four years as Councillor of Ward 6 for the City of Greater Sudbury .  Everyone who knows me is well aware of my commitment to Valley East, and in particular to Ward 6 - Hanmer and Val Therese, where I have lived and worked most of my life.” 

   Kirwan, who has lived in Val Therese for the past 32 years, is a well-known public figure in this community. His positive, motivational messages every week in The Vision Paper are reflective of his philosophy of life and his desire to rekindle the spirit of Valley East . “I have always been proud to declare my love for this town and at this stage of my life I am convinced that the best way I can help Valley East once again achieve its true potential as a growing and thriving community is by serving on City Council.”

   For the past two years he has been the public relations and marketing manager of the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre where he has become involved with most of the groups, organizations, churches and schools in the community, assisting them with fund-raising and public awareness campaigns.
  
   While employed as a teacher with the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, Kirwan spent 23 years at St. Anne School in Hanmer. For nine years during that time he was responsible for coordinating night school and summer school programs where he met thousands upon thousands of local residents. Many people still talk about the badminton and basketball games that took place in the gym.

   Kirwan is also the publisher of Valley East Today, a comprehensive community web site and Online Weekly News Magazine through which he promotes the Town of Valley East and its businesses. The web site is located at www.valleyeasttoday.ca.
  
   “I have always had a passion for promoting my community,” Kirwan explained. “One of my proudest moments as a resident of Valley East was the day we officially became a City. And one of my greatest disappointments was on January 1, 2001 when we lost that distinction and were amalgamated into the City of Greater Sudbury . For the past six years I have had a burning desire to rekindle the spirit that we once had.”
  
   Kirwan continued, “The opportunity to step forward in a leadership role to officially represent the people of Hanmer and Val Therese on City Council, is something I have been wanting to do for a long time. Ward 6 – Hanmer and Val Therese, is one of the strongest geographic sectors of the Greater Sudbury Area.  I would consider it an honour to be chosen to represent my friends and neighbours of Hanmer and Val Therese on City Council.”
  
   You can find more information about Robert Kirwan, including his personal and professional background, as well as his positions on a number of significant issues facing Hanmer and Val Therese by visiting his web site at www.kirwan.ca Kirwan’s campaign office is located at the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre.

 
 

 

ROBERT KIRWAN
CANDIDATE FOR CITY COUNCILLOR - WARD 5 - CITY OF GREATER SUDBURY
Phone: (705) 969-7215


rkirwan@infocomcanada.com