Anti-Doble sign appears in Ward 5 election against incumbent councillor

A negative campaign sign targeting Ward 5 Coun. Mark Doble has appeared on a private property on William Street in Lindsay ahead of the Oct. 26 municipal election.

The banner, posted on the property’s wrought-iron fence, reads “Dump Do-Nothing Doble.”

In an email to Kawartha Lakes Weekly, city staff confirmed the display does not violate Ontario’s Municipal Elections Act and that the person who erected the sign is a registered third-party advertiser in accordance with the act.

The banner comes amid a long-running disagreement over traffic safety on William Street.

Earlier this summer, members of the Ward 5 Citizens for Safe Streets Initiative criticized Doble in an interview with the Advocate over his handling of requests for additional traffic-calming measures, including a four-way stop at the intersection of William and Elgin streets.

Doble said the homeowners had previously asked him to overturn a council decision, made before he was elected, not to install an all-way stop at William Street North and Elgin Street.

Doble said reversing that decision was beyond the authority of a single councillor.

“When I replied that as one councillor I couldn’t do that, they threatened to campaign against me in the fall election, which is what they are doing, and under the rules they have the right to do (that),” he said.

Doble said he respects the homeowners’ right to express their opinion.

“They have the right to disagree with me and they have a right to express their disagreement, and really, that’s what they’re doing and I have no choice but to respect that,” he said.

Next to the anti-Doble banner is an election sign supporting Ward 6 Coun. Ron Ashmore’s mayoral campaign, but Ashmore emphasized that his campaign is separate from the third-party advertiser.
Ashmore said he met with the homeowners about a month ago after they asked him to discuss traffic safety concerns in Ward 5, but stressed they had already posted his campaign signage well before the anti-Doble banner appeared.

“They were placed there several weeks before the third party was registered and their own third-party advertising signs appeared, so that organization is formally separate from (my) campaign,” Ashmore said.

On his Facebook page called “Ron Ashmore for Mayor of Kawartha Lakes,” there is a photo of Ashmore with Cameron and Wylita Clark on William Street North. A caption, in part, reads: “I will commit as your new Mayor to implement a Traffic Calming Plan for William St North…Thank you Wylita and Cameron for your support and trust in me and I will deliver my promises as I always have to the people.”

Ashmore said he has “a record of getting these types of safety issues fixed in Ward 6, and they asked if I would be willing to fix these problems in their ward as mayor.”

Ashmore described his fellow councillor, Doble, as “a great guy” and said the Ward 5 representative has worked to address speeding concerns.

“I sit beside Mark Doble (at council meetings) and he has done a lot of work trying to get speeding dealt with,” he said.

Ashmore added that his own campaign has been subjected to negativity, including “numerous instances of sign theft and threats.”

The Ward 6 councillor added that his campaign is focused on positive messaging.

“We’re taking the high ground; we’re doing a very positive campaign, that’s what we’re concentrating on,” Ashmore said.

Coun. Dan Joyce, who is running for re-election in Ward 4, said negative campaigning has long been a part of politics.

While he underscored that he’s not a supporter of attack advertising, he acknowledged people have the right to express their views.

“On one hand, it demonstrates that we live in a free society where we can express ourselves,” Joyce said. “On the other hand, ‘negative’ means just that – and a negative message can often put the messenger in a poor light.”

Joyce said his preference is to “debate the issues in a respectful manner,” adding that he does not believe negative campaigning has become commonplace in municipal politics.

“At this time, I do not perceive (that) negative advertising is a standard feature of municipal politics, and so far, remains selective and occasional,” he said.