Municipal elections are October 26 in Ontario. To help voters make an informed decision here in Cornwall, the editorial board of The Seeker has put together 10 questions for candidates seeking a seat at the municipal council table, whether as Councillor or as Mayor. To ensure fairness, the same questions were sent to every candidate. We sent a total of 10 and they had the option to answer all of them, or pick a minimum of 5. Their answers will be published in their entirety, in the order they are received. We will not edit, correct or modify any responses.
These are Tobias Le Gros’s Answers. He is running for councillor.
Who are you? Where are you from? What education do you have? What relevant experience do you have? (1 brief paragraph)
My name is Tobias Le Gros. I am a husband, father and grandfather. I have lived in Cornwall and surrounding area for the majority of my life. I am currently doing online part-time schooling through St Lawrence College in the Leadership Development Series. I have spent time as a board director for United Way, was a committee member for 7 years for a charity event called Crafting a Cure where we raised money for JDRF, and I was on the committee that helped start 100 Men Who Care Cornwall where we raised $10,000 for Beyond 21.
In The Seeker’s poll asking constituents about the most important issue facing them, a large majority of respondents answered “taxes/affordability”. What would you do as a Councillor/Mayor to make Cornwall more affordable, and what city services or spending, if any, would you be willing to reduce, change or eliminate to keep tax increases under control?
One thing I would like to do is look into taking back the concession stands at the Civic Complex to be under city control. I would also work with our City Hall to see about making it quicker and smoother to get building permits. Doing this should encourage more growth within the city.
Over the past few years, many constituents have expressed concern that the city’s homelessness situation has significantly worsened. What would you do as a Councillor/Mayor to address this issue?
There is no easy answer for our homeless problem. I have reached out to counsellors in other cities and asked them what they have done that has worked and what hasn’t worked. I have also met with a couple of organizations to ask what they believe is the best way to address this problem. I would like to research more information on transitional housing with readily accessible counselling.
Why are you running for Council? What is the most important issue facing the City of Cornwall today?
I am running for city council because we need a change. We deserve a change. For too long we have focused on keeping the city status quo. We need to change our thinking if we want to grow and bring new things to our city. I want more for our children and grandchildren. I don’t want them thinking they have to move out of town to better themselves. Call me selfish, but I want my family closer to me.
Many constituents have expressed concerns about accountability and controversy surrounding Council. What could you do as a Councillor/Mayor to improve transparency and accountability?
I’m a firm believer in accountability. When I make a decision, I explain why I made the decision. If it ends up being the wrong one, I accept the fact it was wrong and admit it was a bad call. As for controversy? With integrity and transparency, I do not put myself into controversial situations. For this I have zero tolerance and will call out what I believe is a controversial situation, and hold them accountable.
We constantly hear about the Art Centre and the water meters. Many residents have expressed the view that these were bad decisions on Council’s part. Both projects are being implemented, but they remain a sore spot for some voters. Would you consider revisiting or changing decisions made on those projects?
The art centre has been a hot topic, and rightly so. The length of time it has taken, and the money spent thus far, is exorbitant. I would have a difficult time approving any more spending on this building. I would like to think that what we have spent has been sufficient to finish the building, and we can utilize the building without spending more. This will allow us to begin to recoup some of the previous counsels spending. I do not know enough about the water meters, besides what one person has told me, so I have to research that more.
What would you do to improve our relationship with Akwesasne? What does Truth and Reconciliation look like to you? Explain how Cornwall can take steps toward it.
One big step we can make towards improving our relationship with Akwesasne is we can put more focus on what we can do together instead of separately, see what we can do in a joint tourism venture for example.
Cornwall’s municipal government relies on experienced and qualified staff to deliver services to residents. What would you do as a Councillor/Mayor to ensure the city can attract, retain and support the best possible people in senior positions?
First and foremost, make sure that the compensation is enticing for someone to come to our city. But, in order to ensure we are retaining them it is important that we work with them and their vision of the future of our city. We brought them in to help us grow and improve our city. It is also important we do our due diligence in researching our potential hire, to ensure that we are going to get what we pay for.
Healthcare is primarily a provincial responsibility, but access to healthcare is a major concern for Cornwall residents. What can the City of Cornwall realistically do to help improve healthcare access, and would you make it a priority as a Councillor/Mayor?
Healthcare is important to me, and I would definitely make it a priority. I would continue with our current programs, but I would also like to see an improvement in the mental health area of our city. I have not yet had an opportunity to meet with someone that could point me towards ways to improve this situation (funding, options, availability, etc.).
Many residents are concerned about crime, vandalism, drug use and a general decline in their sense of safety. What can the city realistically do to address these concerns, and where should municipal responsibility end and provincial or federal responsibility begin?
Our citizens should feel safe in our community. I feel that with proper tools in the mental health area, this would help some aspects of the safety concerns. I would also look into working with the Police Association to see what additional safety measures we could decide upon that would be cost effective while being safety and community effective.
About the Author
