Brian D-H McCurdy

4032 Kennedy Drive East, Windsor, Ontario, N9G 1X8
Phone: 519-562-8126
Email: bdhmc26@gmail.com

2022 Windsor Election Rose City Politics Candidate Questionnaire answers:

1. What is your prior political experience?

I have experience as a volunteer for a number of campaigns. I am a news junky who follows politics closely and I work with community organizations with the goal of increasing awareness and visibly. My family has a long history of political involvement.

2. Why are you running?

I am running because I Love my city and believe we can do better.

3. What do you do currently for a living?

I am a instructor at both St Clair College and the University of Windsor.

4. What is the biggest issue affecting the ward you are running for?

Through taking to the people of ward 6, I have found consistently that the number one issue continues to be access to health care, followed by affordable housing, Roads conditions (lack of bike lanes) and cross-walks for seniors and families at Peace Park is right up there.
P.S. I have now been to over 3000 doors and I must remind ward 6 constituents to tray their bird feeders! I have notice that we have a rat infestation in the ward 6. From Pillette to The Villages please clean below your Bird feeders to prevent attracting rats.

5. What is the biggest issue affecting the city of Windsor?

• Access to health care i.e.. maintaining and increasing beds in the city, increasing the number of primary care physicians.
• Affordable housing – not to be confused with low income housing which is also needed so that we can eliminate homelessness in our municipality
• Long term care for elderly and indigent citizens
• Easily accessible community programming and services
• Leadership that focuses on the needs of all of Windsor’s citizens and not just the most affluent is essential

6. Are you seeking any endorsements?

Yes, I am seeking the endorsement of labor and the people on voting day.

7. Have you received any endorsements?

Voters in Ward 6

8. Will you continue the “hold the line on taxes” policy?

First, we have the highest property taxes in Ontario. Properties have not been assessed since 2016 due to the pandemic and will not be reassessed until 2024. Housing prices have sky rocketed and have been inflated but as reported are falling due to interest rate hikes. This means prices at the bottom will fall while those houses at the top (like the new homes at the WFCU) will increase in value. Then you have to take into consideration any changes to tax levies that the Ontario government makes to hand out to allies. So, holding the line on taxes is a false promise.

9. Do you support the mega-hospital location?

I support a mega hospital for Windsor not a regional hospital. I grew up in Windsor and remember when we had 4 hospitals. As the population grew we decreased to 2. Now with projected increases in population and a growing aging population we are down to 1. This is the direct result of the mismanagement and the lack of investment in our services. For years Windsorites have had to travel to London for specialized health services, while Windsor failed to invest in technology and improving facilities. The Leadership concentrated on mortality rates rather than patient care, employee relations and most importantly the access to quality health care. Now scare tactics are being used for a vanity project, not a service for the people of Windsor, but for the wealthy communities surrounding it. I believe we should raise our bed capacity by maintaining and improving service at our current hospitals and building a new hospital to increase bed capacity beyond the projected 2.3/ 1000 that one hospital will provide. This is proactive looking at the future needs of the community instead of backwards thinking leaving the majority of the community without access to the hospital and health care.

10. Do you support strong mayor legislation?

NO. I believe in government for the people by the people. Not a dictatorship or a closed-door government like we have that invites insider trading and corruption that dictates what people want and not listening to the needs of the people.

11. Should the city use taxpayers dollars to bring jobs to the area?

It depends if there is a return on the investment. Windsor has a 7.5% unemployment rate and since 2015 our median income has fallen from 10th in the province to 27th out of 36 communities under the current leadership. I would support union jobs that take care of their employees and that will contribute to the community in partnership in a positive way.

12. If you are running in a ward with an incumbent who is also running, why is change necessary, and why are you the person to deliver it?

If you are running in a ward with an incumbent who is also running, why is change necessary, and why are you the person to deliver it?
Let’s be clear for the last twenty years my friend in ward 6 has played vanity politics with the city. The incumbent was part of the vanity 0% tax policy that has now come home to roost. We fail to invest in all of the critical areas of concern to this city from health care, affordable housing, community services, infrastructure and roads. We have seen the radical decision of moving a critical piece of our core to our ward and the decline of the city center that followed for vanity. We saw the closing of community centers and pools for the vanity aquatic center was not built to fit the purpose costing the city annually.

13. How many hours per week do you plan to allocate towards council business if elected?

I will work for City Council as my primary job and commit as much time as is necessary to make sure that the people of Ward 6 know that they have someone that is working for them.

14. Do you live in the ward you are running for?

I will be moving to 8031 Riverside after damage from previous renters is repaired.

15. What agencies, boards, or committees do/have you served on, and in what capacity?

I am a board member of The Black Council of Windsor Essex County

16. What person, animal or fictional character should be Windsor’s unofficial mascot?

Fred Thomas is a model of work ethic, perseverance, determination and high character that others in Windsor should strive for.