Policy and Motions

Governance, Accountability, and Institutional Integrity

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• Community Engagement Committee
  Established a resident-led committee to move community ideas into action and strengthen participation in local decision-making.

• Professional Learning and Leadership Development
  Brought forward and approved a motion recognizing professional training as a legitimate investment in effective municipal leadership, establishing a precedent for continuous learning, ethical governance, and conflict-resolution capacity.

• Resolution in Support of Bill 5 – Strengthening Accountability Standards for Municipal Leaders
  Brought forward a resolution calling on the Province of Ontario to strengthen accountability mechanisms for elected officials, highlighting gaps in existing governance frameworks and advocating for higher standards of conduct.

• CRCVC Governance, Financial Oversight, and Partnership Concerns
  Raised repeated concerns regarding the absence of a formal partnership agreement with the CRCVC, including financial risk exposure, in-kind staffing practices, and the need for clear governance boundaries to protect municipal resources and staff.

• Procedural Integrity and Council Governance Reform
  Advocated internally for modernization of procedural by-laws and stronger governance practices, including reinstating summer council meetings to ensure continuity, accountability, and responsiveness.

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Water Security, Environment, and Climate Responsibility

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• Drinking Water Crisis: Manganese and THMs
  Led the municipal response to the manganese and THMs drinking water crisis, maintaining open communication with residents, acting on community-provided information, and ensuring staff followed up immediately. This approach resulted in identifying a treatment solution and demonstrated the importance of transparency, responsiveness, and leadership during crisis.

• Action Champlain Environmental Petition
  Supported federal-level environmental advocacy to protect regional water systems and highlight the importance of watershed-level planning and oversight.

• Proposed Price-Matching Agreement with South Nation Conservation
  Initiated discussion on preventative environmental action through tree planting along the South Nation River as a practical, cost-shared measure to protect water quality while long-term solutions were pursued.

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Community Wellbeing, Safety, and Social Advocacy

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• Support for Declaring Intimate Partner Violence an Epidemic
  Brought forward and successfully passed a motion formally recognizing intimate partner violence as an epidemic and advocating for coordinated action at provincial and federal levels.

• Wear Red Canada Day – Women’s Heart Health Awareness
  Brought forward and adopted a motion recognizing February 13 as Wear Red Canada Day, supporting women’s heart health awareness and municipal participation in national health advocacy efforts.

• Support Resolution for Bill 21 – Fixing Long-Term Care Act Amendment
  Brought forward and passed a resolution supporting legislation to ensure spouses are not separated when entering long-term care, reinforcing dignity, compassion, and human-centred policy.

• 211 Community Services Task Force Proposal
  Brought forward a motion to improve access to social supports through collaboration with local service providers, highlighting gaps in community awareness and coordination.

• Homelessness Recognition and Housing Advocacy
  Raised concerns about the lack of recognition of homelessness in Casselman, prompting deeper engagement in regional housing and homelessness planning and advocacy for long-term solutions.

• Volunteer Recognition and Democratic Participation
  Advocacy initiated in 2023 led to the eventual adoption of a formal Community Recognition Policy.

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Economic Development, Partnerships, and Revenue Innovation

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• Support for the Municipality’s First Annual Expo
  Proposed a structured, partnership-driven municipal expo to support local businesses, non-profits, youth entrepreneurs, and artisans, emphasizing fiscal responsibility and regional collaboration.

• Communities in Bloom and Downtown Revitalization Partnership
  Brought forward and passed a motion to participate in Communities in Bloom, later identifying governance gaps that informed ongoing advocacy for clearer partnership frameworks.

• Municipal Sponsorship and Revenue Diversification Initiatives
  Advocated for alternative revenue-generation strategies to reduce reliance on property taxes while protecting public space integrity and municipal accountability.

• Toronto–Montréal Rail Corridor Advocacy and Relationship Building
  Initiated early outreach and relationship-building to ensure Casselman’s inclusion in long-term transportation and infrastructure planning discussions.