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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday September 16, 2006 - 3 Stoate wants to command good ship Oakville By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF In the wake of a high-rise condo sailing into the town's crown jewel of Oakville Harbour in his first term of office, Ward 3 Councillor and Oakville businessman Chris Stoate wants to take the helm. Announcing his bid for the mayor's seat yesterday outside his company, the 53-year-old William Street resident said, "Together we can build a better Oakville and we shouldn't settle for less." Stoate, who turned his small business into a big business, has been a community leader and Oakville councillor, believes he has what it takes to lead Oakville. The man who organized a Town lobby of the Province over Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) reform after a high-rise condo redevelopment of the former Sharkey's Dockside Café sailed past the OMB believes it can be done better. "I think that we're not achieving our potential, that there's greater opportunity than there would appear," said Stoate who admitted he took "most of the summer" to make his decision. "This ship called Oakville ... we often hear about it not reaching its destination and we hear lots of reasons why. There's always fog. I think we could do a lot better about setting a course," said Stoate. Stoate was first elected to Town of Oakville council in 2003. During his time on council, he founded and led the OMB lobby -- Oakville Town Council's Working Group on OMB reform. Before being elected to office, Stoate headed the TrafalgarChartwell Residents' Association (TCRA) in 2001 and 2002 and served as a director on the Halton Learning Foundation and a member on the BARRIE ERSKINE / OAKVILLE BEAVER OPENING STATEMENT: Oakville Ward 3 Town Councillor Chris Stoate, with his wife Patti and daughter Hayley in the background, announced his candidacy for mayor at the head office of his company LaserNetworks. Halton Region Emergency Housing Advisory Group. He's founder and president of LaserNetworks, an Oakville-based printing and imaging systems solutions provider that was founded in a basement in 1987 and which now employs more than 100 people -- 60 in Oakville and 40 others across Canada and the U.S. The company, which makes its home on Bristol Circle -- where Stoate announced his candidacy for the mayor's seat yesterday afternoon -- has been three times ranked on Profit magazine's list of Canada's Fastest Growing Companies. "I am the only candidate in this election with proven business success combined with experience in municipal politics," said Stoate. After twice being a finalist in the Oakville Chamber/Rotary Business Awards, his firm was awarded The Manufacturer of the Year Award in done," he said of effecting change. 2002. He doesn't "buy the excuses" that Stoate said he is now at a point things can't be achieved. with his business, that he could indeStoate said his vision for Oakville pendently devote himself to better- includes controlled, managed ing the town. growth that proves an opportunity, Introduced yesterday by friend, not a cost; retention a town atmosOakville resident and businessman phere town despite population Ron Guest, Stoate was lauded as a growth; respecting neighbourhood person of solid valindividuality; meetues, high personal "I am the only ing the needs of integrity, a pragmat- candidate in this future residents ic person with without sacrificing election with proven smarts, wherewithal the lifestyles of business success -- and a visionary. existing residents; Stoate said he combined with accommodating doesn't assess experience in growth in greenOakville's quality of field development municipal politics." life as being better and sensitive infill; now than a decade empty buses Chris Stoate ago. shouldn't run in a "When I consider futile attempt to issues such as the lack of sports, arts reduce dependence on vehicles -- and cultural facilities in Oakville, money should be spent to make how haphazardly the town is being transit convenient in denser areas so developed, and the indifference that public transport funded from towards local businesses that can the fare box is more convenient than create jobs so residents can work in a car; a safe, nurturing community the community, I know we can do in which children can grow to reach better," said Stoate. their potential -- and more. The mayoral candidate said Stoate, who has post-graduate Oakville can do better than having degrees from Cambridge University one of the lowest number per-partic- and the University of Toronto says ipant hockey rinks and soccer fields he'll bring the same determination, in the GTA. leadership and ability to execute on "I know we can do better in town his vision to the mayor's office that planning and development, and in made him an award-winning entreworking with, instead of against, preneur. developers so it benefits all of us," he Stoate said his business philososaid. phy is never to enter a market unless Stoate said he has sacrificed his he can add value that others do not. own family time in being a council"Only with a goal and a plan to lor and he and his family are pre- achieve it can we be proactive and pared to sacrifice more if he can anticipate. If we don't have one, and make a difference to Oakville. don't pursue it vigorously, others Stoate was with his wife Patti, a will impose their vision on us. We nurse practitioner and PhD student will have to react, defend instead of and their daughter, Hayley, 10, at protecting, back on our heels, huryesterday's announcement. ried, the pace of play being con"I have a perspective informed trolled by the opposing team," he from the inside, and I know it can be said. Election races taking shape with two weeks left to filing deadline By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF With two weeks left for candidates to register in the Nov. 13 municipal election, the registration list at Town Hall is growing. Yesterday the roster of mayoral candidates expanded with Ward 3 Councillor Chris Stoate adding his name. He joins veteran Ward 6 Town/Regional Councillor Janice Wright, long-serving incumbent mayor Ann Mulvale and 2003 may- oral challenger Rob Burton -- all of whom want to wear the mayor's chain of office. Stoate's announcement made way for others to register as candidates for his position as Ward 3 Town councillor. Long-time public school trustee, and former school board chair, Mary Chapin, announced she wants the job. She'll be facing opposition in Blenheim Crescent resident Scott McColeman and Wayne Moorehead, a long-time ward resi- dent who has been involved with minor hockey and minor baseball. Veteran Town/Regional Councillor Keith Bird so far remains unchallenged for his seat. Also this week, there was activity around the job of Town councillor for Ward 5. Incumbent Marc Grant announced in February he'd seek re-election, however, environmentalist and community activist Brian Hopkins, of Ross Lane, registered as a candidate mid-week. Mid-week also saw the pull out of Mah-mood Khan, a candidate in previous years, who had registered in July to seek the office. Veteran Ward 5 Town/Regional Councillor Jeff Knoll is being challenged by newcomer Angus Scott, of Margot Street, who earlier this year registered as a candidate for the Halton Regional Chair's job, but withdrew to register instead for the the council position. Long-time Halton Regional Chair Joyce Savoline is stepping down, and so far her office is being sought by former Oakville and Halton politician Gary Carr. This week, Oakville resident Brian Burton announced he would challenge Carr and Burlington resident Robert Plaschka, who is running for the office. Burton challenged Savoline in 2003. Elsewhere in town, veteran Ward 1 Town Councillor Ralph Robinson so far remains unchallenged for his seat. Ward 1 Town/Regional Councillor Mike Lansdown won't run again and a trio of residents want his job -- Margaret Mercer, a See Last page 9 · Wood & Vinyl Shutters, Supplied & Installed · High Quality at Affordable Prices · Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed · Serving Oakville with Shop at Home Service Authorized Vinylbilt Dealer www.shuttersetc.ca Shop at Home Service FREE