Glenn Hamilton, Candidate for Mayor in Hamilton Municipal Election 2010 - Raise the Hammer Elections

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Candidate Details (top)

Name	Hamilton, Glenn
Election	Hamilton Municipal Election 2010
Area	Mayor
Party	N/A
Votes	949
Email	voteglennhamiltonforhamilton@gmail.com
Website	http://hamiltonforhamilton.com
Home	905-527- 8828
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Bio	Please allow me to introduce myself; my name is Glenn Hamilton, that’s right, Hamilton! I am running for Mayor, in what I call “The Great City of Hamilton”. And yes, it is my name, Hamilton, and there are some historic ties I discovered. That is, it is my people, of common Scottish descent; this is called a Clan, the Hamilton Clan. The founder of the City of Hamilton, politician and businessperson, George Hamilton founded the City of Hamilton in March 22, 1816 and he is part of the Hamilton Clan. He was the son of politician Robert Hamilton, coincidently my late Fathers name as well. As far as I know he is not direct relative. Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of United States was apparently the son of a Scottish sailor and if that were true, that would place him of common descent as well, or of the Hamilton Clan, as I am. There is a black plaque at Gore Park acknowledging the Hamilton Clan. They may have been why my Scottish Grandfather, William Hamilton, moved here. The Hamilton City council just honoured our city founder, George Hamilton, and indirectly the Hamilton Clan by announcing the first Monday of every August, of every year, to be called, George Hamilton Day. I witnessed the moving, heart felt official proclamation ceremony at Hamilton City Hall on Monday August 2, 2010. The roaring Scottish drums and bagpipes sang boldly, their spirited harmonies in the city halls council chamber room as the town crier formally announced the proclamation in Historic Hamilton Clan style. A wonderful presentation by the Hamilton Historian Board Chair, Bill Manson brought the facts to bear about our founder. It was a proud day for the Historical Hamilton Clan and this great city. This would make it very special for me if I were elected this same year. Now that would be fun! Well now, back to the more serious issue of earning your vote. Back to the present, and more importantly, Hamilton, is my hometown and I’m proud of it, having been born and raised here, unlike my major competitors in this election. Some of my family’s history starts long ago right here in Hamilton. Since many of us are immigrants from somewhere at sometime, I thought my family’s arrival would be a good place to start and then tell you about my family, when we were immigrants like many of you. I will then tell you about myself, my business career, my platform and how my family and our history have influenced my devotion to Hamilton and its citizens. This is my, family experience here, from the start and how family helped me form my respect, attitude, and honour for this great City of Hamilton and it’s all important future. You will begin to understand why I care so much about Hamilton, this multicultural economic enterprise, as it boldly continues on its global voyage. Now about me, having come from quite a hardy heritage and courageous family with very strong ties to this community, I believe I have inherited some of the same adventurous spirit, courage and strong ties to our community. That is probably obvious because I’m running for mayor of Hamilton. Being of half, Scottish heritage has given me a bit of that Brave Heart grit and fighting spirit and I believe the city has it too. For the most part our early family heritage here was farming, dairy, flower and lumber mills and hard work, my sense is times were tough and it didn’t get that much better when my parents were born while being themselves raised in the dirty 30s of the depression. The attitudes and lessons taught to me by my parents, about work ethic and hard times, would always stay with me. My generation could be considered the lucky ones and most of my parent’s later years, who are both gone now, would get to enjoy the post war boom in this great, dynamic manufacturing, industrial dynamo called Hamilton. My Dad and Grandfather would play there part as employees at National Slag and Stelco respectively as they were previously known. Now LeFarge and US Steel. My Mom worked at Stoney Creek Dairy. Sadly, Stoney Creek Dairy is also leaving Hamilton, ending a local historic tradition of excellence. As a child I would sometimes cry as she headed off to work in her pink uniform and her yellow apron. She worked the evening shift so she could put us to bed, tuck us in and kiss us good night. What loving memories. She, later in life would use her academic skills, genius IQ, and become a writer and author. As kids we were spoiled at least once a year with vast numbers of presents at Christmas. If it was one of your goals for us to have more than you, Mom and Dad, you did succeed in that respect. I was born on Quigley’s Rd., conceived by my loving parents, and delivered at the Nora Frances Henderson Hospital (Juravinski Hospital). I believe my doctor was Dr. Kemp at that time. We originally all lived as a family at my Grandmother’s (Grace Green) small farm house. This was when that area was all farms and a dirt road. It was beautiful, dangerous and fun as a child. I believe I was four when we moved to our own place in Vinemount, (Stoney Creek Mountain area, historically known as Green Town, named after our family). It was a nice ranch house in the country on Green Mountain Road. I believe the road was named after my ancestors as well.

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Responses to Questions (top)

Question	Brief Response	Full Response
Should we spend the Future Fund to build a Pan Am / Ticat stadium on the CP Rail Yard lands? Why or why not?	No	The money should be loaned and paid back as per the original mandate of the fund. The balance of the money for the project must come from Federal, Provincial and private sources. The TiCats must stay here because they are responsible for millions of dollars of Hamilton promotion each year on the global stage. Hamilton needs to be recognized!
Do you believe that poverty is the most critical issue facing Hamilton today? If so, please outline your solutions. If not, please explain your reasons.	Yes	Yes I believe poverty is the issue. This is why Jobs Jobs Jobs has been my campaign focus. See my website at hamiltonforhamilton.com . This issue is why I would work towards creating a Hamilton Stock Market and create a movie studio and arts incubator so new businesses and existing one could get funding to expand job opportunities and work sector diversity to all Hamiltonians. I also believe greater help must be given to individuals who are trying to get in a position to get work or just maintain a decent living standard or education standard to be ready when positions are made available. Also, better health facilities and support centers must be supported by all levels of government to make us a center for work ready candidates so companies move here.
Hamilton's Cycling Master Plan has Council approval. However, the implementation timeline is very long and ward councillors can block individual bike lane projects. Do you support accelerating the completion of a continuous bicycle network and other initiatives like a bike sharing program and better access up and down the Escarpment? Why or why not?	Yes	It helps to create healthier lifestyles, better safety, and reduced green house pollutants.
For your campaign, will you be accepting donations from corporations or unions? If so, why? If not, why not?	Yes	As for contributions, the maximum any one entity can contribute is $750.00, based on my knowledge of the laws (MEA) and by what I was told by City Hall. I believe the key is to do it legally. As for me, I need all the help I can get for my grass roots campaign! I am up against two career politicians and their formidable campaign machines as you know. That's Eisenberger and Di Ianni for sure and whoever else is running. I want to mention that corporations and unions play a very important role in our community. That is how we have jobs and that is how we make good working conditions between the two of them. We want more of that here in Hamilton Now! The Unions of Hamilton helped to create the middle class in North America and perhaps the world, right here in Hamilton in the 1930s. We have lots to celebrate and be proud of as Hamiltonians, but much more work needs to be done.
Will your term change people's first impression of Hamilton, and make that first impression more attractive to visitors, students, commuters and newcomers? If so, how?	Yes	Yes, I would change our image to a new business hot spot so jobs and new companies are plentiful and bring new life to our business sector for jobs. I would make City Hall business friendly. I would also aggressively market and change Hamilton to express all our natural beauty, arts and lifestyle. We need a new Hamilton and that's me. Vote Glenn Hamilton for Hamilton on Monday Oct 25th.
Council is poised to vote on the Airport Employment Growth District, a 3,000 acre plan to expand the urban boundary around Hamilton International Airport for employment lands. Do you support this plan? Why or why not?	Yes	Jobs are crucial to this community and some employers want that type of space to locate here. Further, use of all other brown fields and available space must be remediated at once by the city and laws created so property owners are responsible for cleanup, not the city.
Do you support Hamilton's LRT proposal? If so, what will you do to ensure Hamilton's success in building LRT? If not, why do you oppose it?	Yes	I would have an assigned professional dedicated to assuring a successful outcome for this opportunity.
The City of Hamilton has committed to doubling transit ridership by 2020. Do you support this goal? If so, how would you realize it?	Yes	I would support that goal by making the bus routes user friendly and have better shelters for winter months.
Many observers argue that Council meetings could be more respectful and professional. Do you agree? If so, what will you do to change this?	Yes	Create financial penalties for crazy behaviour.
Some cities have committed recently to publishing their public data in an open format that citizens can directly access. Should Hamilton pledge to become an "open source city"? Why or why not?	Yes	To help citizens know what is going on in city hall with their money.
Is Hamilton doing enough to support and encourage new investment in our older neighbourhoods? If not, what should the City be doing?	No	Allow investors to renovate with zoning flexibility and beautify neighbourhoods into affordable housing and solve two problems at once.