This version of Peterborough’s city council holds its final meeting

There will be a new mayor and some new faces at the table after the Oct. 24 vote

Thestar.com
Sept. 27, 2022
Joelle Kovach

It was the last city council meeting of this term of office on Monday night, and Mayor Diane Therrien donned the chain of office -- which she usually does not wear during meetings.

“I got my bling on -- it’s a special occasion,” she said.

Therrien isn’t running for re-election in the municipal election Oct. 24: Coun. Henry Clarke and Coun. Stephen Wright are running for mayor, as are former Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Jeff Leal, former teacher Victor Kreuz and former real estate broker Brian Lumsden.

Two other city councillors aren’t running again, making it their last meeting on Monday: Coun. Kemi Akapo and Coun. Kim Zippel. All others are running for re-election.

Therrien said on Monday it’s been “a challenging four years” with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but that the city has had plenty of successes too.

“And we tend not to always highlight those: especially in the media, tend to focus on negativity and the issues that our community is dealing with,” Therrien said.

Through it all city staff have done an excellent job, she added, and she thanked workers.

“For their support, for their expertise, for their sense of humour -- for everything they do, not just around this table,” Therrien said. “There’s so much that happens behind the scenes, that residents don’t know or don’t see.”

Coun. Kemi Akapo said she never imagined she’d run for municipal office.

“When I arrived in Canada and in Peterborough 17 years ago, it was the furthest thing from my mind -- I didn’t even know municipal politics was a thing,” she said.

“To have been elected four years ago to this position was a huge honour. I chose Peterborough as my home. Some were lucky enough to be born here, but I chose it because I love it so much.”

Akapo also thanked her fellow councillors.

“We haven’t always agreed -- and you know what? That’s a good thing. Democracy shouldn’t just be all of us sitting and agreeing,” she said.

Akapo’s parting message: “Remember that people sitting around this table are human beings as well. We put our hands up to represent you -- and the last four years have been really challenging.”

Coun. Keith Riel is running for re-election in Ashburnham Ward; incumbent Coun. Gary Baldwin is running for re-election too, with former Peterborough-Kawartha federal Green party candidate Andrew MacGregor (2019 federal election) seeking a seat in the ward as well.

Riel said that in his 12 years as a councillor, every successive council “brought something to the city.”

“And I think this council has brought a lot,” he said. “I think we’ve done a lot for the citizens of Peterborough. And it’s unfortunate that the news media play on the negative part of it.”

“For the three women who are leaving council … I want to thank you for the knowledge, and what you did for the citizenry of Peterborough,” Riel added.

“I think the bar was set pretty high with the three of you ... You can hold your heads up high for what you did.”

Coun. Gary Baldwin, who is also seeking re-election in Ashburnham Ward, thanked the parting members of council as well.

“I wish all of you the best -- health and happiness to all.”

Who’s running for city council?

Mayor Diane Therrien will not seek re-election.

Coun. Stephen Wright of Northcrest Ward is running for mayor, as is Monaghan Ward Coun. Henry Clarke.

Former Peterborough city councillor and former Peterborough--Kawartha MPP Jeff Leal is also running for mayor, as are former teacher Victor Kreuz and former real estate broker Brian Lumsden.

Coun. Kim Zippel of Otonabee Ward won’t be running again, but her wardmate Coun. Lesley Parnell is seeking re-election. Kevin Duguay, a professional planner, is also running in Otonabee Ward, as are former Peterborough-Kawartha federal Green party candidate Chante White (2021 federal election), automotive entrepreneur Nathan Russell-Meharry and Citizens Against Radioactive Neighbourhoods (CARN) activist Eleanor Underwood.

Councillors Keith Riel and Gary Baldwin are both seeking re-election in Ashburnham Ward, as is former Peterborough-Kawartha federal Green party candidate Andrew MacGregor (2019 federal election).

Coun. Dean Pappas of Town Ward is seeking re-election, but wardmate Coun. Kemi Akapo is not running again. Former Peterborough-Kawartha federal NDP candidate Joy Lachica, artist Alex Bierk, volunteer street advocate Brian Christoph and Speak Easy Cafe owner Vickie Karikas are running.

In Monaghan Ward, Coun. Don Vassiliadis is seeking re-election. IT specialist Matthew Crowley is running, as is Kiwanis Club of Peterborough past president Jeff Westlake, social justice advocate Charmaine Magumbe, tax preparer Lyle Saunders and retired millwright Tom Wigglesworth.
Coun. Andrew Beamer is running for re-election in Northcrest Ward. Former Northcrest Ward city councillor Dave Haacke is running in that ward as well, as is Monarch Ultra co-founder and entrepreneur Carlotta James, RV sales consultant Aldo Andreoli and behaviour consultant Shauna Kingston and social services specialist Karen Grant.