Chance Peterson; Candidate for Smiths Falls Town Council 2022

10/25/2022

The votes are in, and 436 isn’t bad for a first run in my mind. I appreciate every one of them - but the work isn’t done yet.

Soon council will convene to put together the new boards. I aim to continue my drive to help serve the town by getting onto the Police Service, Housing and Business boards.

My goals remain the same - and I don’t need to be on council to help realize them.

Our social clubs and support groups still need volunteers - our disenfranchised and our homeless still need voices and homes. Our town still needs ambassadors to ensure business, industry and tourism keeps coming.

The elected seven will do their part, and we will do ours.

Let’s Go Forward Together!

10/24/2022

It’s been a busy couple of weeks around town for sure.
Signs have been placed, doors were knocked on, and some tucked pamphlets into mailboxes.

Hopefully we’ve all learned enough to make informed choices for how we go forward from here. That’s the goal at the end of the day really… we’re still moving steadily ahead, but what outlook do we have for the next four years? Who will help get us there?

I’ve had plenty of discussions and interactions with many of you since this campaign began, and there are many more I unfortunately never had the opportunity to. In those discussions I was part of and even in the others I overheard; were people reaching for an understanding of what they want our town to be! Not just for them, but in some cases for their children, or anyone else who happens to come after this moment.

That’s the unique ability to municipal elections I believe – where unlike the Provincial and Federal ones – we are more likely to see the fruits of our labor here in as few as four years. I’m very certain that with the right people in the right places, and a community working together, we can make ourselves the goalpost for other municipalities.

Will we solve ALL our problems in four years, not likely – but will we make strides forward, break new grounds, and grow ever stronger as we go forward together – I have faith that we will.

In less than 12 hours the polls will be closed, and the votes counted. Smiths Falls will have had its say for another four years – so – if you have already cast your vote; thank you for taking part in this decision! If you have not yet chosen your candidates or are still unsure where to vote; there is still time, and I hope you find choices that work for your wants and dreams!

In closing, it has been an invigorating experience to put my hat into the ring for this. I’ve learned much about my fellow citizens and what drives them, and what their wants for the town are. There is a lot of love and hope for this town we call home – and for that I am very glad. I’m also humbled by the support and well wishes I’ve received already – I was not entirely certain how it would roll out from the get-go, nor am I even remotely certain how it will end.
In either case, let’s go forward together, shall we?

Onward,
Chance

10/14/2022

From now until the 24th at 8pm - you will be able to cast your votes in favor of the way forward for the next four years.
Your mayor, councilmembers and schoolboard trustees.

Some of you will be voting for the first time perhaps, and many I'm sure are returning to the democratic process. Wherever you land there matters - as does your vote. So please - make sure you vote before the 24th - but make sure you make an informed vote.

Until the 24th you are guaranteed to see myself and other candidates and incumbents out around town and active online - ask your questions, voice your concerns - make sure you get the facts that are important to you.

IF you haven't received your voter card in the mail with the information on how to vote online or by phone - please go to town hall and ensure you're registered properly.

If you haven't registered to vote in Smiths Falls yet as you're new to the area - you will need form EL 15, along with your driver's license. That EL 15 form and a more complete list of voter information can also be found at the link below!

Information for Voters Voting Period Voting period begins October 14, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. through to October 24, 2022 at 8:00 p.m. Election Day is October 24, 2022 and voting period ends at 8:00 p.m. Who can vote You can vote in the Smiths Falls municipal election if you

10/12/2022

If you’ve been looking for the video from the debate last week - the links are now live on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/NTo3DS_q9kQ

How do you think it went?
Any questions you wish were asked?

Municipal Election 2022 All candidates night for the town of Smiths Falls held on October 5th, 2022. Event hosted by the Smiths Falls Chamber of Commerce

10/05/2022

The mood is palpable at campaign headquarters tonight (the kitchen table on Lavinia Street). In a little less than 24hrs the town’s hopeful candidates will converge at the memorial center for debate.

How many will attend?
Will we be prepared for the barrage of hot button topics?
Will any of us be caught by surprise?
I think it will be a busy night regardless - and maybe even a little fun!

After all, a lot has happened in the last four years that some want answers for - or comeuppance to come due. (The line forms to the right). Tomorrow will bring questions for the way forward. A great number of issues too numerous for one debate, need attention. Housing, a bridge, a tower, police budgets and health care all come immediately to mind.

Who will see eye to eye, who will we citizens find more hope in?
We will find some of that out tomorrow evening.

Having my own horse in this particular race makes for a new outlook; it’s a thrill to be involved. At the same time it’s a profound and reverent thrill; that should all go well in the coming weeks, I too could be elected to council and carry some of that hope forward. I welcome the challenge if so and am happy to see others doing the same.

Other municipalities near us may not have been so lucky. Their councils have been elected by acclaim - meaning either everyone is completely happy, or that no one with the grit to step up; can counter their own apathy long enough to do so. Let’s hope it's the former, and not as bad as all that. Because politics is a rough game, it always has been - and it feels more estranged than ever - at least on the provincial and federal level to me. Not to mention globally.

Yet, in the here and NOW, locally; I think maybe that if we do this right, get everyone together, not divided, but as a town being heard - we might all go forward together.

10/03/2022

Thank you to all who messaged or called for signage for your yards, it was great to run out of signs as quickly as I did - a good problem to have!
I’ll be ordering some more this week if you’re still inclined to receive one.

In addition - should you happen to see any of my signs making it’s way down the road like the Littlest Hobo, let me know where it’s heading. So far I know one has uprooted and taken off!

09/28/2022

-The Social Clubs and Non-Profits need new life and renewed support-

With so many aspects of the modern day doing more to pull us apart and away from one another - it’s clear that we should be so much closer than we are.

Being a face in the crowd is for the cities, knowing the faces in the crowd is for the small communities like us!

The old saying of ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ comes to mind. While I’m not suggesting everyone else raise your kids on the whole - I’m leaning into how these clubs and non-profits for years have fostered our growth and community values in the charitable work and support roles they occupy.

From the Civitan, the Rotary, the Legion, Lions Clubs, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, not to forget the food banks, job banks and far too many more to list - they’ve supported us when we’ve been down, organised fundraisers when things needed buying or nurturing and they overall taught us the valuable lessons of how to give more of ourselves to those who need it - and for the best of reasons.

As things continue to get harder for the average person day by day, costs of living, the daily grind itself, or even mental health concerns - these groups and entities are still here organising help where needed; and offering a light at the end of the tunnel for many. Yet we’re now at a time when they need the help too, as their participation numbers are dwindling. People aren’t volunteering as they used to, so that help no longer goes as far.

We need look no further than: down the road to Perth and the loss of their Rotary club - after 76 years, due to lack of participation; or the recent listing of our RCAF hall for sale, to see the state of some of these groups, and how that light is slowly going out.

09/28/2022

Election Signs are in!
I'd love to get these out and on some more lawns around town!
If you think you might be interested - let me know and I'll be more than happy to come by for a chat and hopefully earn your support!
If not - you can always tell me to get off your lawn!

09/28/2022

“Who are you, and what are you doing here?!”

I was born and raised in Smiths Falls back in the 80’s and 90’s.

I would later leave for Radio school like my uncle before me, and have it take me out to northern Alberta - where I learned just how much I missed home. After Alberta I did some work in Internet Radio and News/Journalism of sorts, I can still to this day be found providing my voice to projects in the odd corners of the internet.

I even ran away and joined a travelling freak show once - an experience I recommend to everyone who will listen - that brought me all over Ontario to small communities similar to this one!

The most recent years have found me doing security work - hospitals, events, transporting, bylaw and I’ve also been the National Operations Coordinator for 3Sixty; which left me no stranger to mountains of paperwork.

I’m also a homeowner - living in the same home that raised my father; and the same neighbourhoods that raised me.

Now - I’m running for town council in 2022.

I’m doing this because I feel Smiths Falls is a great place to live and raise a family, and I want to do my part to ensure that as we continue to progress and move forward; that we don’t lose the small town community feel - that is becoming all too rare these days and the benefits of being a part of one.

To close this off I'll mention very briefly three areas I believe we need to focus some of our work.

The commercial and industrial growth of town.
Enhanced support to social clubs and community support services.
and dedicated care and protection to our already present community assets and infrastructure.

08/21/2022

While we look towards growing our local businesses and filling vacant shops - we need to be certain that we are also giving our citizens a diverse offering of things they both need and want.

While any growth in business can be seen as good growth - if it's always the same type we're limiting our offerings to both tourists and those living here and very soon they too will just go abroad to have their needs met elsewhere.

All of that said begs two questions - What do you think we need more of? What do you think we lack completely that we have need for?

08/19/2022

Good Evening to all!
Nomination Day has come to a close and with it a host of fellow candidates for Smiths Falls Town Council 2022!

I hope to not only spend time with them - but more importantly you, my fellow citizens of Smiths Falls; because this page will grow and take the time to search out and understand just what is most important to you in this election, so please voice your opinions.

That is how we will learn what really matters for you in this election and how best we can organize and go forward together from 2022 onward!