Six questions with Darryl McIntosh, candidate for Kingscourt-Rideau District
Editorial note:
Across the province, Ontarians are getting ready to cast their ballots in every city, town, and county as the 2022 Municipal Election is fast approaching. With election day on Monday, Oct. 24, 2022, Kingstonist has reached out to all candidates within the City of Kingston to create profiles allowing voters to find a brief overview of each candidate in one place. As response comes in, more and more candidate profiles will be added here, which you can access through our Municipal Election 2022 section (with the tab on the Kingstonist.com homepage), or through our ‘Candidate overview landing page.’
With 45 candidates in total for Kingston City Council alone – and with only one district acclaimed (Countryside District will once again be represented by Gary Oosterhof) and six districts without an incumbent – our goal is to provide as much information as possible leading up to the elections. Thus, we will endeavour to collect response from as many Kingston candidates as possible, with the hope of providing similar coverage for Loyalist Township, Frontenac County, and the Town of Greater Napanee moving forward. All relevant links will be available under the Municipal Election 2022 tab.
For more general information on election process in Kingston, including details on electing Board of Education Trustees, ensuring you are registered to vote, etc., visit the City of Kingston Municipal Elections webpage.
Candidate profiles are being published on our website in no particular order.
Darryl “Mac” McIntosh ran to represent the Kingscourt-Rideau district in the last election, and is hoping to win the seat this time around.
A resident of the district for 55 years, the father of two is active in the community, and has been coaching hockey and baseball locally for 30 years. McIntosh is a small business owner and said that in his spare time he likes to work on his house and yard, and play baseball and golf.
When asked for a “fun fact” he said, “I enjoy dining out in the city’s great restaurants.”
How would you describe your personal political ideology and/or affiliation?
Municipal politics is the grass roots where politicians have direct contact with their constituents and I believe we should protect this institution from politicians who represent special interests and partisan politics.
Partisan politics is where politicians stop listening to the people and start forcing an agenda on the people.
What made you want to run in this municipal election?
I have lived in Kingston my entire life and have identified areas where the city and my district need improvement. I believe my ideas, passion, and ambition will truly make a difference in building a stronger community.
What are the three most common issues voters are bringing up to you as you campaign?
- Affordable housing
- Homelessness and mental health
- Safety and security
What three issues are most pressing/important to address locally, in your opinion?
The three most important issues that need to be dealt with [are], in fact, the issues that I am hearing about most often:
- People have a basic need to feel safe and secure in their city and I am hearing more and more that people don’t feel like we have walkable streets and they feel they need to have cameras surrounding their homes to protect their property.
- Home ownership has become out of reach for many, and people who are renting are spending too much of their incomes on keeping and maintaining their apartments and rooms that they are renting.
- The homelessness and mental health crisis needs immediate attention! When asked four years ago what I thought would be the most pressing issue of the last four years, my answer was homelessness and mental health. Today I would say my prediction was absolutely right, and I would say that the issue is worse now than it was four years ago.
What is the most pressing issue in your district?
In my district all three issues [above] are of concern, but I truly believe that affordable housing is the most pressing issue for the next four years. Safety and security, and the homeless crisis are not far behind.
What do you feel sets you apart from other candidates?
What sets me apart from the other candidates is my practical experience in running and managing my own business for 26 years. I have a common sense approach and a determination to find solutions. I am not satisfied with simply acknowledging that we have an issue — I will work diligently to solve the issue. That includes coming up with ideas and seeking the expert advice from the many contributors who are needed to build a strong community.
For more information on Darryl “Mac” McIntosh, candidate for Kingscourt-Rideau District in the 2022 municipal election, visit his website or Facebook profile, or reach him by telephone at 613-539-6969.
With files from Cris Vilela.