Young Ward 7 candidate campaigns on healthcare, infrastructure and safety

Liam Bruyn is running for Ward 7 on a campaign built on three priorities healthcare; infrastructure; and public safety.

At 21, Bruyn has already worked at Queen’s Park in the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, where he communicated with stakeholders. He said the experience would benefit Ward 7 residents if he is elected this October.

“I intend to work with the mayor (and) with the provincial government to get a better deal for the city,” Bruyn said. His hope is that by working with the province directly, he can help to lower the cost of living for all residents.

Bruyn also questions why the municipality has had to burden the responsibility of healthcare. “Why is the municipality involved in healthcare in the first place? That’s something the provincial government needs to take some responsibility for.”

When it comes to infrastructure, Bruyn said it’s time for the city to put stricter timelines on contractors, noting that this issue isn’t specific to Kawartha Lakes. “We are letting contractors rip us off. They are taking way too long with projects, and they put it over budget. We need to get a better deal with that, whether that’s stipulating in the contract that you need to have it done in a certain amount of time, or we’re not going to give you more money if you don’t get it done on time.”

Bruyn said that while crime rates aren’t out of control in Lindsay, he would like to see police on bikes downtown and to see more being done to combat drug usage. “I believe we need to be investing more in rehab,” he said.

So far, Bruyn has found residents to be supportive of his campaign. He finds his age to be an advantage to his candidacy. “In a representative democracy you need people of all ages around the table,” he said. “I think people appreciate seeing young people step up, and there’s this sense that young people are checked out of politics right now, especially at the municipal level.”

Bruyn said new faces around the council table is what the city needs. “Status quo is Latin for ‘the mess we’re in.’”

Kawartha Lakes Weekly is reaching out to all candidates running in the October 26 municipal election to give readers a broader view of the people seeking a seat on council. Additional candidate profiles will be published as interviews are completed.