New councillor hopes to bring 'unique perspective' to Chatham-Kent council
The woman being appointed to Chatham-Kent municipal council says she hopes to bring a "unique perspective."
"I'm Filipino-Canadian," Morena McDonald told CBC Radio's Windsor Morning host Amy Dodge. "It's a perspective that I think a lot of newcomers and other diverse communities in our community can resonate with."
A majority of council voted Monday to appoint a new member, rather than fill a vacant seat by holding a byelection.
The seat was left empty after Steve Pinsonneault's successful bid to become the Progressive Conservative MPP for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex.
Councillors voted 11-4 in favour of the appointment, rather than spend about $75,000 holding a byelection in the East Kent ward.
McDonald ran in the 2022 municipal election, finishing third in the ward, with 21 per cent of the vote. The top two candidates, Pinsonneault and John Wright, claimed seats on council.
McDonald accepted the position, and is set to be sworn in at the next council meeting on May 27.
She says she's the first person in her family to enter politics officially, but was inspired by her father's commitment to community engagement.
"When you see your parents advocate for certain things and get involved in the community, it becomes part of who you are," she said.
The Municipality of Chatham-Kent municipal offices are shown in a file photo. (Dale Molnar/CBC)
McDonald worked as a radio anchor and reporter covering council meetings for three years. She also serves on several advisory groups. While she says those experiences taught her a lot, she admits "there's a lot to learn."
The decision to appoint McDonald was not without controversy, with some councillors calling it "undemocratic."
Coun. Wright started a motion calling for a byelection, calling the appointment "a popularity contest," but it failed 5-10.
Ryan Doyle, a councillor for Ward 2, said a bylection would be more fair because it would allow other candidates to run.
Other councillors argued that appointing McDonald respects the results of the 2022 election and fairly rewards the third-place finisher.
Political Priorities
McDonald, 36, grew up in Ridgetown, before going away to study English and environmental biology at the University of Toronto. She later returned and studied environmental management at the University of Guelph Ridgetown campus.
McDonald says environmental issues are an important issue to her. She emphasized the need to "make decisions that take tomorrow and future generations into account."
McDonald says she's spoken to members of the community about their concerns, and she says she's heard from young people about their frustrations with the lack of opportunities.
Chatham-Kent has seen an influx of people from larger cities, such as Toronto, and people are looking for ways to connect with and expand their communities. McDonald says young people and young families have also complained about a lack of opportunities outside of work.
McDonald encourages people to play an active role in politics and acknowledges the potential for positive impact.
"When the community steps up, either for or against something, they actually have an impact on what happens in the community," McDonald said. "If you feel strongly about something, let your councillors know."
