The two-way race to represent this area at the Simcoe County District School Board is pitting two former colleagues against one another.
Incumbent Trustee Jodi Lloyd is seeking re-election, while Debra Edwards, who was unseated in the 2014 race, is looking to get back to the table to represent Orillia, Ramara and Severn.
The two were on the board together before trustee representation areas were redrawn, which led to them facing off against each other in the 2014 election.
Both had lots to say Wednesday night during an all-candidates meeting at the Orillia City Centre that also included the city's mayoralty hopefuls.
Lloyd was first to provide an opening statement, in which she touted her work ethic, her record as a trustee and her commitment to collaboration.
Lloyd noted a business case has been developed for a new school in west Orillia, that she has “committed to building stronger relationships with Beausoleil and Rama First Nations,” and that she has an “impeccable attendance record” at board and committee meetings.
Edwards’s opening remarks ran the gamut, and how.
“Canadian patriotism needs to get a step up in our schools,” she said, adding she thinks students should have to sing O Canada rather than just listen to it.
She also feels the federal government “should step up on gun control” to ensure the safety of students.
“Are we going to wait until something happens locally?” she asked.
Asked whether they agree with the province’s decision to suspend the modernized sex-education curriculum while it conducts a review, Lloyd said she supports the government’s right to consult, but added, “I wish they had left in place the curriculum we had,” as it included topics such as consent and social media.
Edwards expressed her support for the province’s move.
“The curriculum approved … in 2015 had a number of complaints,” she said. “What harm in dialling it back for a year and seeing what could be improved?”
One contentious issue that is still being dealt with is the increase in education development charges, which are levied against new development to help the board pay for new school sites.
Edwards called a recommendation to hike the charges by almost 300 per cent “outrageous.”
“It’s going to cripple development,” she said, adding she supports an area-specific charge rather than a uniform one applied to all municipalities in the county.
Lloyd noted the board sent its consultant back to the drawing board to determine what an area-specific charge would look like. It is common practice to apply the same rates across the board.
Lloyd said she is leaning toward supporting an area-specific charge – which would see parts of the county experiencing less growth pay lower fees – “but there are some long-term consequences that we need to be aware of,” she said.
Regardless of where it comes from, revenue from those charges benefits the entire county.
While most of the questions asked Wednesday night were posed to the candidates for mayor, Edwards and Lloyd were invited to offer their two cents’ worth for some of them. They decided to chime in on the legalization of cannabis and the ability of municipalities to opt out of allowing retail stores in town.
“It’s going to play havoc in our schools,” Edwards said, adding there are already “serious substance abuse issues” among students. “(Marijuana) is definitely a gateway drug.”
Lloyd said the board has, in the past, addressed issues such as cigarette smoking, with students not allowed to smoke on school property, and she encouraged the city “to ensure (cannabis stores) are not near our schools.”
Voters will make their choice for trustee, mayor and councillors together when they cast their ballots in the Oct. 22 election.
