Why I'm Supporting Terri Chu

I've been in and around politics for quite a while now - not as long as some, perhaps, but long enough to both know how the game is played and how to know who's in it for the right reasons.

 

While I maintain that most would-be politicians get into the business with noble intentions, it's equally true that a lot of them are motivated in no small degree to the simple idea of being an elected official.  It's partially the nature of politics - to want to run, especially in the days of War Room politics and twitter trolls, a bit of ego helps.  It also, however, skewers your view.

Having worked with one truly amazing MPP and with a couple of candidates who were good on paper but in practice put themselves before their community, I've become very selective of who I will dedicate myself to.

There have been a number of Councilor Candidates and Candidate teams that have approached me this radio, asking if I'd like to sign up.  Several of them would and hopefully will make great candidates, but I can't say that I know their motivations entirely.
 

Terri Chu didn't ask me to be part of her campaign.  She didn't need to.  When she told me that she was thinking about running, there was zero hesitation on my part.  It's the same with all of us who've signed on to her team.
 

Terri founded Why Should I Care (which remains steadfastly non-partisan, and as such will be endorsing no candidate - even its founder) because she saw a need for voters to be more informed about the substance of the issues facing us.  She felt that politics needed to be something discussed in polite conversation, because that was the only way we could get past cheap-shot bickering and soundbites to start discussing the issues in detail.  Which, of course, is the only way to land on the best solutions.
 

Get informed, get engaged, make a difference - that was and is WSIC's motto. 

But WSIC itself is only about the first bit of that.  We help people to get informed by creating space and bringing speakers and audiences together to have issue-oriented conversations about political issues (and do a damned good job of keeping the tone civil, if I do say so myself).  We can suggest people get engaged, but are we leading by example on this?

This, to me, is why Terri is running.  She can discuss specific issues that matter to her with the detail of an engineer but the passion of a community leader, but at the core of her motivation is a sense of responsibility to walk the walk.
 

Title doesn't matter to Terri - she's never framed herself as Director or President of WSIC, because it was never about her.  All that she has achieved, the team that she has assembled and the brand she has built came naturally, organically out of her belief in people and the need for informed, engaged decision making at all levels of government. 

This is the part where I'm supposed to tell you why you should support Terri, too.  I'm not going to do that, nor will I suggest any other Trinity Spadina candidate would be a bad choice. 

I encourage you to check out each candidate, thoroughly, and speak to them directly if you can.  Understand what they're offering, seek to understand what their core motivation is.  Then make your own informed choice.

Terri has my support because I know exactly why she's running - it's the natural next step in what she's been doing with Why Should I Care, through her engagement in community activities like the Farmer's Market and countless other events she partakes in.

The fact that she's already won the respect from WSIC speakers and Torontonians from all walks of life is testament to how broad her appeal is.

Plus, she's got a habit of delivering what she commits to.  That matters.

You'll learn more about her positions in coming days and have plenty of chances to meet and talk with her in person.  I have no doubt you'll be as impressed as I am.

Terri Chu - she's in it for you.