7/31/2019 Mississauga Life Magazine - A Passionate Persuader

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7/31/2019 Mississauga Life Magazine - A Passionate Persuader

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CITY LIFE | POLITICS

22SPIRITof the CITY

May/June 2012

fundraising in Vancouver; I loved networking with Arts Umbrella

[a non-profit arts centre for kids in the heart of Granville Island]

and its huge outreach program.

Coming Home

The Crombies North American journey finally brought them

home as Brian was hired by Mississauga-based pharmaceutical

manufacturer Biovail.

Crombie started working with Toronto Fashion Week to

help them grow their sponsorships, and she returned to school

to take her Master of Business Administration degree from York

University. She got involved with the Credit Valley Hospital Galaand fundraising. She served on the Mayors Blue Ribbon Task

Force on the Arts to provide recommendations for the future

sustainability of the arts in Mississauga.

Her ascension to political office was prompted in 2007,

when former car dealer and Pakistan Air Force pilot Wajid Khan,

(Member of Parliament for Mississauga-Streetsville at the time)

discovered that he preferred to work with the Conservative

minority government and agreed to become Stephen Harpers

special envoy to the Middle East. This immediately raised the

temperature in Liberal households across Mississauga, especially

amongst his most dedicated campaign workers, including Crombie.

Six months later, when Wajid Khan walked across the floor

to join the Conservatives, the people who got him elected would

turn to work against him in the next electionled by newly

elected Liberal candidate Bonnie Crombie. It was a betrayal,

she offers succinctly.

Crombie defeated Khan in the 2008 elections. Once on the

Hill in Ottawa, she became the noticeably red-clad chair of the

Liberals GTA caucus and was paired with fellow newcomer,

Justin Trudeau, as co-chair of the partys Outreach Committee.

She enjoyed working on the NATO committee and her languages

served her well; she speaks Polish, Ukrainian, French and English.

The Blue WaveOn May 2, 2011, her career as an ebullient hard-working membe

of Parliament was shattered by a surprising defeat at the polls.

Conservative candidate Brad Butt won the riding easily as part

of the blue wave that swept Mississauga. After a previously

charmed professional life, Crombie was not equipped for defeat.

I didnt see it coming. It was big loss. I loved being the

community advocate. I thrived on it. I was doing a good job but

the tide was against me.

Immediately, her old friend Hazel McCallion suggested that

Crombie run for the seat on Mississaugas City Council, vacant

after the departure of newly elected MP and former Ward 5

Councillor Eve Adams.

I had experience, integrity and leadership, and would

support the Mayors teamand there were candidates who

didnt, she notes, recalling the case for her candidacy.

Stepping into the political ring against a strong candidate

like Carolyn Parrish was daunting, but Crombie needed to win.

Winning gave her a way back and she bent to the task of getting

to know far-flung Ward 5the biggest, most populous Ward in

the City. Six weeks later, after a tumultuous campaign as one of

27 candidates, Crombie was elected to City Council with only 24

more votes than Parrish, the runner-up.

TOP

Cutting the ribbon on a

huge residential project

that promises economic

benefts up and down

Hurontario Street.

BOTTOM

Surrounded by supporters

in a neighbourhood pub

on election night, Crombie

savours her hard-ought win.

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Six months later, at this interview, I was given a list of Bonnie

Crombies initiatives during her first six months on the job. While

it sounds similar to lists that other Councillors work with, these

issues represent new and exciting challenges for the Citys newest

Councillor. Shes held public meetings on Pinnacles grand new

residential development, Uptown, and promoted meetings on

secondary units to address the challenge of providing affordable

housing in the City. Shes working to change provincial legislation

regarding the proximity of crematoriums to residential areas;

shes brought forward a motion to Council for a new Governance

Committee to strengthen the Citys ethical infrastructure, and

another to encourage the Ontario government to preserve the long-

gun registry information. Shes also developing a youth program,

joined the Regions Child Care Task Force, and hosted the Wards 1st

Annual Skate-a-Thon.

Bonnie Crombie is just getting warmed up. But she worries

about how she can become a better business ambassador

for Ward 5 and lift the economy. To that end, shes already

helping neighbourhoods establish residents associations, and

is organizing a Business Improvement Association in Malton to

raise funds for community improvements.

Shes delighted that Pinnacles Uptown will incorporate a

major public art component, a particular interest of hers. One

longer-term priority is to work with the City of Brampton for the

much-needed construction of the Goreway Drive overpass at the

CN Rail line, south of Steeles Avenue.

Every day my staff and I ask: What we can do to make

things better in Ward 5? Weve got a list, so we know whats

needed; but what could we do, she asks, passionately looking

for new ideas. n

The boundaries of Ward 5 are as follows: Starting east from the Ontario Hydro Corridor/

City of Brampton l imits at Fletchers Creek to Hwy. 427, then south along the 427 toEglinton Ave., then west along Eglinton to Mavis Rd., then north along Mavis to Hwy. 401,

then east along the 401 to McLaughlin Rd., then north along McLaughlin to Fletchers

Creek, and north along Fletchers Creek to the City of Brampton limits.

Locating Ward 5

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