NEWS RELEASE
GUELPH AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL
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The Guelph and District Labour Council has endorsed eight candidates for city council and four candidates for school board trustee in the Guelph municipal elections this fall.
Michelle Bowman (Ward 1), Erin Caton (Ward 1), Morgan Dandie (Ward 2), Phil Allt (Ward 3), Kevin Bowman (Ward 3), Linda Busuttil (Ward 4), Leanne Caron Piper (Ward 5), and Chetna Robinson (Ward 6) are the endorsed candidates for city council. Luke Weiler (Wards 1 & 5), Ralf Mesenbrink (Wards 2, 3 and 4), Laurie Whyte (Wards 2, 3 and 4) and Katherine Hauser (Ward 6 and Puslinch) are the Upper Grand District School Board trustee candidates who have been endorsed. No candidates for mayor or trustee candidates for the Wellington Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir or Conseil scolaire Viamonde have been endorsed at this time.
GDLC president Jen Hesch says that the endorsements were based on how the candidates’ values and priorities aligned with GDLC’s values (based on responses to questionnaires and the candidates’ track records) in addition to the connections candidates have with the labour council and organized labour as well as other community and activist groups. GDLC also considered each candidate’s ability to win in its endorsement decisions.
Hesch noted that the labour council will continue to research and reach out to municipal candidates during the election and that additional endorsements may come later. “These were the candidates we felt comfortable endorsing at this time based on their track record either on council or in the community.
Like voters in this election, there are still some candidates we need to get to know better.” Voters can meet the endorsed candidates at the annual Labour Day picnic on Monday, September 5th from noon-3pm at Riverside Park in Guelph. There will be music, food and refreshments, information booths, rides for kids and more.
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