What have I gotten myself into?
I was warned I was stepping onto a slippery slope. Unfortunately, no one told me how far the fall was—or where to connect the safety harness.
When I got into political science, I wanted to be a political advisor. Do you know why? No one tries to assassinate the advisor, even though they make most of the policies.
And apparently, if you become a journalist, you get your own special cell in political prison.
Yet, here we go.
The North Simcoe Springwater News will be hosting an All-Candidates Meeting for the 2026 Springwater Municipal Election.
After receiving feedback from both residents and candidates, we have decided to move forward with hosting the meeting. And while I may have questioned my life choices somewhere along the way, I believe this is an important service we can provide to the community.
This meeting is not about telling residents who to vote for. It is not about promoting one candidate, one issue, or one political position. It is about giving residents an opportunity to hear directly from the people asking for their vote.
To ensure the event remains fair, transparent, and focused on informing voters, the meeting is not being organized in collaboration with individual residents or local businesses.
This approach is intended to help ensure the format and information presented to the community remain balanced, accurate, and impartial.
The meeting will be held Thursday, September 24, in the evening at Snow Valley Ski Resort.
The event will be moderated by an individual who is not a resident of Springwater, providing an independent perspective and helping to ensure that the discussion remains focused and impartial.
The purpose of this event is simple: to provide residents with a respectful, informative and welcoming forum to learn more about the individuals seeking public office.
We ask all candidates, attendees and participants to contribute to a professional atmosphere.
Personal attacks, slanderous or defamatory statements, harassment, intimidation, disruptive behaviour and disrespectful conduct will not be tolerated.
The moderator will have the authority to enforce these expectations so that the discussion remains focused on the issues that matter to the residents of Springwater.
Your Questions Matter
Questions for the candidates will be submitted by residents through local media sources.
Questions will be reviewed and edited only where necessary for clarity, duplication, relevance and transparency before being presented during the event. No question will be altered in a way that changes its original intent.
Questions will be provided to candidates prior to the event.
Readers are encouraged to submit their questions to info@springwaternews.ca.
This meeting is not an attempt by the North Simcoe Springwater News to become part of the political discourse taking place during this election.
Quite the opposite.
Our role is to provide residents with information and an opportunity to hear from those seeking to represent them. What residents do with that information—and who they ultimately choose at the ballot box—is their decision.
And perhaps that is the most important part of this entire undertaking.
I sincerely hope you will attend.
This is an opportunity to hear directly from each candidate, understand their priorities, ask questions that matter to you, and make an informed decision when you head to the polls.
For me, this is personal.
Springwater is where my family has lived for generations. It is home to the village of strong women who raised me, keep me sane, and continue to be a constant part of my life. It is where I am raising my children and where I try to involve them in the schools, sports, events, heritage, church and culture that make this community what it is.
This community has given me—and my family—so much.
It has supported us, welcomed us, challenged us and, more times than I can count, reminded me why local community matters.
So, yes, perhaps I have stepped onto a slippery slope.
Perhaps I should have listened when I was warned.
But if this is the fall, and the result is giving residents a better opportunity to understand the people seeking to lead the community we call home, then I suppose it is the least I can do in return.
I hope to see you there.
And if anyone knows where I can buy a safety harness, please send me the information.