VOTE KAYLA GRANT
On Thanksgiving Monday, Kayla sat down with Clearing a New Path's host Shauna Rae and guest Dr Kay Dingwell to discuss the challenges faced by 2SLGBTQIA+ community members face. This episode happened because a member of the Woolwich community reached out to Shauna with their concerns about hatred they'd seen in social media spaces after statements made during a council meeting in August.
CBC News spoke to ten of the candidates running in October’s municipal elections
James Chaarani · CBC News · Posted: Sep 21, 2022 6:00 AM ET
(Excerpt. Link to full story at the bottom)
Woolwich Township council failed to move forward a notice of motion supporting diversity and inclusion in the community last week.
The motion was raised in response to controversial comments made by a councillor regarding a rainbow crosswalk.
Council says the topic will be discussed again at a meeting next month, ahead of the municipal election.
With a new council set to be elected on Oct. 24, CBC Kitchener-Waterloo reached out to all current incumbents and candidates to ask about the township.... ...Ward 3 candidates
When it comes to diversity and inclusion, Paul Bolger of Ward 3 said in an emailed statement that his "duties and responsibilities … are to present [the people's] views and concerns and ensure any decision is consistent with the charter of rights and freedom."
Another candidate for the ward seat, Bonnie Bryant, sees the township as a place for all.
"Creating a culture of inclusivity is essential," Bryant said in an emailed statement. "Woolwich is a growing community and is becoming more diverse. People need to feel like they have a place, a sense of purpose, and that they are valued."
Kayla Grant, who is also running, has lived in Woolwich her whole life, and is a part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
"For me, representation is really important and … there's several intersecting factors with that," Grant said. "It's not just necessarily having people colour or people in traditionally underrepresented groups like the LGBT, but it also includes women and different age demographics as well."
"What I would like to see in a future council is one that is more reflective of the community," Grant added.
Ward 3 incumbent Coun. Murray Martin didn't respond to requests for comment.
This story is reposted from CityNewsKitchener and can be read in full here.
Rainbows, religion, and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
The mayor of Woolwich is apologizing again for failing to act sooner to stop a more than minute-long rant from a fellow colleague during a council meeting which included a discussion about a proposed rainbow crosswalk in Elmira.
The comments came from Coun. Murray Martin who was allowed to speak at length about his view that rainbow crosswalks "trash" a covenant with God by promoting a lifestyle that is "not correct."
"I knew immediately after the meeting that I needed to apologize," said Woolwich Mayor Sandy Shantz. "The comments, I caused hurt for people in the community and I regretted not stopping them sooner."
"And I am very sincere in that apology," Shantz added. "I can't even count the number of people I know and care for who would be part of that community and I did not intend for the meeting to be hurtful to anyone."
Shantz went on to say she may have gotten caught up in trying to figure out where Martin's comments were going instead of stopping them sooner to caution him on their direction.
That said, the mayor also maintained comments from one councillor should not be used to paint the community as a whole, adding the Township of Woolwich is no less welcoming today than it was prior to Monday's meeting.
"Would I have liked for us to be in unanimous agreement [about a rainbow crosswalk], yes, I would have very much liked for us to be in unanimous agreement [but] that just doesn't always happen," she said, adding while she may have failed at the time to talk the talk, council as a whole is still looking to walk the walk by trying to find a suitable location in Elmira for a rainbow crosswalk.
As for Coun. Martin, Shantz said she did pull him aside after the meeting on Monday and has also spoken with him since about potentially offering an apology of his own.
"We talked and he talked about where he was coming from and I told him that the way he expressed his opinion was not appropriate in a number of ways," she said. "We also talked about the impact of his words and what he said and how hurtful they were."
"I spoke to him again yesterday and talked to him again about that and encouraged him to address that formally and hope that he does that."
Martin is able to do that at any time though there are also a couple of opportunities coming up to do it in a more official way, including at either a Committee of the Whole meeting on September 12 or at a regularly scheduled council meeting the week after.
Also asked whether Martin should face any further repercussions, Shantz said we are now in the midst of a municipal election and that decision will ultimately be made by the voters in October.
A candidate running in Martin's riding of Ward 3 also responded to his comments on Wednesday.
Kayla Grant said as a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, she was "incredibly disheartened" to see a local representative dismiss and belittle members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, adding she is saddened by the harm those statements have caused.
"In his comments Monday night, Coun. Martin called same-sex relationships a 'lifestyle,' said that being a part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ was 'not correct,' and said that using the rainbow as a symbol of diversity, inclusiveness, and a fight for the rights of everyone was 'trashing' it." Grant said.
"These views are abhorrent at any time, but especially so in a day and age when we know showing inclusiveness and respect for all people is imperative for good mental health and creating safe spaces in our community." she added.
You can read Grant's full statement below:
Later in the afternoon Wednesday, councillor Murray Martin also issued an apology. His full statement can be found below:
"I understand that the comments that I made at Council on Monday evening were not only harmful to members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community but to Woolwich Township residents as well. I can clearly see that the statements I made were wrong and it was never my intention to cause harm... Read more on the CityNews Website.