Values and skills

Which values are most important to me?

I've received so much from this community, and I'm running for council because I see participating in municipal government as an excellent opportunity to give back to it. In my day-to-day life, both professionally and personally, I try to exemplify the qualities I expect of a responsible leader: integrity, compassion, open-mindedness, courage, a collaborative spirit, creativity, resourcefulness, fiscal responsibility, transparency, flexibility, and resilience.

Why does city council need a musician?

I've played professionally in orchestras and other ensembles for about thirteen years now, and I can tell you that making music is an excellent exercise in teamwork. It requires meticulous attention to detail, tremendous sensitivity, humility and (particularly in the trumpet section) diplomacy to ensure that everyone involved understands how they fit into the big picture at each moment, how to work together to achieve a common goal, and how to stay motivated and sincere through the difficult and often tedious labour of creating beautiful sounds. As a performer and conductor I've been told time and again by colleagues that they enjoy working with me for those very reasons - because they feel respected, supported and energized by my approach to music and teamwork, and because they feel that I bring out the very best in them. I will bring positive energy and a collaborative spirit to city council.

Why does city council need a philosopher (of sorts)?

One of my professors once joked that philosophers look at ideas and ask themselves how to make them more complicated. Philosophy (and philosophers) have a well-earned reputation for being confusing. In all seriousness, though, I think that the philosophical spirit is about exploring complexity without being intimidated by it and seeking clarity without sacrificing meaning or nuance. While I hesitate to call myself a philosopher just yet, I do like to gather and synthesize information, relate seemingly disparate elements, find patterns, and observe how ideas are created and evolve. Although I revel in details, fundamentally I am a big-picture thinker, and whenever appropriate I try to infuse discussion and debate with this perspective.