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WARD 4 PARKDALE HIGH PARK
VOTE4 VALERIE GRDISA

Thank You Parkdale High Park!

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I entered the municipal election when Councillor Doucette withdrew because I fundamentally believe that the Councillor should live in Ward 4 Parkdale High Park and I could bring 30 years experience to City Hall - by the time I got the campaign up and running, I had 25 days to convince 108,805 people to vote for me!

 

Thank you to the 37,903 people  (34.8%) that voted on October 22nd.  I am so delighted that in 25 days, I was able to earn almost 5% of the vote! It was a true privilege to listen to what matters to the residents and businesses of Parkdale High Park. Over the coming years, I will get more involved and be ready to throw my hat in the ring again - as I am the Change You Need - a principled leader who cares about the community she lives in! 

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 30 Years of Public, Private, Not-for-Profit and Government Experience

Dr. Valerie Grdisa is a principled leader dedicated to her community.  Valerie has had a rewarding career working for 30 years:

  • As a Clinician caring for patients, families and communities (including Ward 4 residents) as a Registered Nurse, Child Protection Officer and then Nurse Practitioner, 

  • As a Professor and Scientist studying, writing, teaching and speaking about children and youth  mental health and addictions services and how interorganizational and intersectoral collaboration improves outcomes,

  • As a Senior Manager and Small Business Owner delivering on programs and projects that made public sector organizations more efficient and more effective by implementing innovative service models and removing waste and duplication, and

  • As a Senior Government Official, leading system transformation initiatives that meet the needs of local communities within a municipal, regional and provincial context.   

 

When Valerie sees something that doesn’t make sense, she rolls up her sleeves to understand, just like she did when confronting children and youth mental health services.  It was uncoordinated and fragmented, so she learned about it and eventually obtained a PhD (doctoral degree) on how to design integrated services to meet the complex needs of children and youth.  When Valerie sees a problem, she doesn’t just stand by and hope for the best, she speaks her mind and is ready to work with others to do the right thing.  And, yes, she is ready to fight when necessary to make sure that wrongs are made right and that people in power are held accountable. 

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Valerie has worked in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors as well as in government.  She knows how these sectors can interact to make things better and improve lives; she also knows how they can interact to stall momentum and create waste.  Five generations of her family have lived in Parkdale High Park and she lives on Clendenan Avenue, just south of Humberside C.I.  This community runs in her veins and she is ready to ensure that we are well represented in City Council.  Valerie is a bold solution-focused leader with a proven track record leading innovative strategies to improve services and outcomes for the public and  she wants to bring her passion and experience to Parkdale High Park and represent you at City Hall. 

Know Your Vote with Vote Compass

Go to link: https://votecompass.cbc.ca/toronto/

 

Vote Compass has been used by millions of Canadians in more than a dozen election campaigns for voters to determine which Candidate you best align with. CBC News asked All Candidates for Councillor to complete the 30 survey questions and supporting rationale on a range of public policy issues by Saturday, September 29th at 5:00 p.m.

 

Four of ten Ward 4 Candidates for Councillor submitted responses by the deadline date - I was one of them.  Another Candidate submitted after the deadline - this means that you have an opportunity to determine how your priorities and views align with 5 of 10 Candidates for Councillor in Ward 4.

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Of the 5 Candidates that completed the survey, only 3 of us live in Ward 4 - I live on Clendenan Ave.  Gord Perks and David Ginsberg do not live in Ward 4.

 

Vote Compass also provides you a calculation for the Mayoral Candidates - the picture shows how the results come out from Vote Compass - if you have any questions about my ratings or responses to the 30 questions - send me a message!  Some of my responses have been shifted after strategic conversations with so many of you over the past 2 weeks. Have fun!

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COMMITTED TO ACTION BASED ON YOUR PRIORITIES

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September 21, 2018

I am thrilled to submit my candidacy for Councillor of Ward 4 Parkdale High Park. We need change with new solution-focused leadership to promote healthy and safe communities, keep our streets and transit moving, ensure affordable housing, bolster our local businesses, and protect our parks and preserve our heritage!

Promote healthy and safe communities:

  • Ensure high quality community services and supports are delivered at the best value

  • Improve community resilience, reduce crime and improve everyone's personal safety

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Keep our streets and transit moving:

  • Support multiple transit projects that stay on time/budget and enforce traffic laws

  • Implement safety measures for pedestrians and cyclists and build new cycling networks

 

Ensure affordable housing:

  • Invest in new affordable housing that is accessible, safe, suitable, and sustainable

  • Ensure a diverse range of housing types and focus on protecting rental housing

 

Bolster our local businesses:

  • Strengthen the business environment, boost business growth and assist entrepreneurs

  • Advocate for and be responsive to Parkdale High Park Business Improvement Areas

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Protect our parks and preserve our heritage:

  • Champion the three current Heritage Conservation District (HCD) studies and address all HCD redevelopment concerns

  • Protect ecosystems and enhance green space

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Explore this site, Vote Compass and the social media accounts to learn more about the issues that Valerie Grdisa is concerned with, her plan to tackle these problems and ways you can join the campaign. 

I have received countless e-mails requesting me to describe how I am different than Mr. Perks and I have been reluctant to respond but as the election comes to an end and I listened to Mr. Perks during 4 debates in 8 days, this is my differentiation:

 

  • I live in Ward 4 Parkdale High Park and Mr. Perks does not (nor does Mr. Ginsburg)

  • I am collaborative and Mr. Perks is divisive

  • I implement solutions and Mr. Perks identifies problems 

  • I have provincial and federal government experience and Mr. Perks does not

  • I bring 30 years experience with a proven track record and Mr. Perks has been in the role for 12 years with mixed results 

  • I am a regulated health professional who has delivered and transformed services in Ward 4 and Toronto and Mr. Perks has not delivered services at the frontline

  • I have fresh and viable solutions for community health and safety, transit, affordable housing, local businesses, heritage conservation districts and our parks and Mr. Perks has used all the tools in his tool box

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