I know. I know. Here's this guy who said he'd make this grandiose announcement on intentions and directions that he will be taking and what does he do? Nothing! I have to apologize for this, because I am seriously considering running for office, but which one is the real question, right?
You see, I understand the challenges ahead, probably better than most. But that's mostly because I actually have been looking around me and I am seeing a lot of indications that the coming term will not be an easy one. The next mayor's term will be facing several nightmares, such as the infrastructure crumbling around us all. Not even the upper city is immune to it. Just ask the residents around Garth. There will be challenges in the rebuilding of downtown and a deperately needed adult conversation about the direction to be taken in its achievement. There will be further challenges in the building of an LRT system centering around a series of one-way streets. The next term will be fraught with challenges.
So what would stand in the way of a guy like me seeking to wear the chains? Well first off, it's money. Who is going to sponsor a virtual unknown to go for it? Who knows Rene Gauthier, a Toronto-born, Hamilton-raised son of a now-deceased Quebec-born, Welland and Hamilton-raised computer operator at Stelco and a Thunder Bay-born, Hamilton-raised catholic church secretary with prominent ties to 5-pin and 10-pin bowling? I don't know. That's when I thought that I should earn the priviledge by running for council.
But what changed there? Well it's going to be my address. I won't be living around Gage Park anymore. It will be sad to leave my neighbourhood where I made many friends and my life was once again enriched by these people that I have met over the last 6 years. I was on the fence between a run against Sam Merulla or Bernie Morelli, who still has yet to make his intentions known. I just got my answer: Neither! I will be living on the mountain and I have determined the ward I will be living in.
So as we get into the month of May, you will be hearing from me and I will be making an announcement that my friends on Cal DiFalco's blog, the Hamiltonian, are going to be thrilled about hearing.
