This is the third in a series highlighting the six candidates for Ward 1 Councillor in the upcoming municipal election. The Silhouette will be profiling each candidate in advance of the election on Monday, Oct. 27.

Ira Rosen, an almost life-long Westdale resident, has been an active member of the community for over a decade. Rosen emphasizes the great impact McMaster and its students have in the local community. As a Ward 1 candidate, Rosen is greatly concerned with solving landowner, student and Westdale resident conflicts by improving the overall conditions of student-rental homes, as well as working with developers to build new homes that fit into the financial model of students.

His plan also includes encouraging the development of small businesses on Emerson St., in a similar manner to Locke St. and Westdale Village, as well as introducing big box retailers for the area, such as Canadian Tire.

Rosen has had a long history with McMaster, working with numerous MSU Presidents including Teddy Saull as well as the Presidents Advisory Committee on Building an inclusive Community. He has acted as a nominator for the MSU-sponsored Good Neighbour Award, a coordinator and supporter for the Student Community Support Centre and is as an avid supporter of the Peer-to-Peer program that allows local residents to peacefully solve by-law issues with student neighbours without the involvement of the city or police.

Rosen is an advocate for the implementation of a rental housing license to hold property owners accountable and subject to health and safety inspections and standards.

He recalled his involvement in an MSU pilot study on fire safety after several incidents in student rentals, some of which involved fatalities a number of years ago. Though students must observe by-laws and take some responsibility for their homes, Rosen acknowledges students often only live in single rental homes for one year because of poor conditions.

“It’s terribly unfair for the students. For many students it’s the first time they’re living on their own,” said Rosen. “The international students have no idea what they’re getting into […] they aren’t from our area, they don’t know what our standards are […] and they’re living with mould and mildew and potentially other health issues.”

Rosen also supports the university’s ongoing downtown expansions, noting that the current campus capacity has been maximized.

“I can work with Patrick Deane as well as the staff of the university and we can really do great things, but we have to work together […] we need to know the enrolment plan of the university so we can make sure we are doing things that are best for the university, best for the community, and best for downtown.”

For more information on Rosen and his campaign, visit his website at http://www.irarosen.ca/index.php/en/

Twitter @IraWRosen

This is the second in a series highlighting the six candidates for Ward 1 Councillor in the upcoming municipal election. The Silhouette will be profiling each candidate in advance of the election on Monday, Oct. 27.

Jason Allen became interested in politics during his time as President of the University of Calgary’s Student Union. As a candidate for Ward 1, he strongly believes in the positive and meaningful effect municipal government can have with people every day.

Jason has worked for Metrolinx as a Quality and Training Leader for the past five years, while participating in a wide variety of community committees and organizations. He is a frequent writer for Raise the Hammer, Chair of the Association for the Down Syndrome Association of Hamilton, and is a long time Beaver Scout leader.

His platform advocates for more complete streets that balance public transit, cycling, walking, and driving. One specific dangerous traffic situation he would like to address is Emerson St., through a comprehensive study with the end goal of making the road more accessible to different types of transit.

Allen is also an advocate for a rental housing by-law as a way of addressing both the concerns of Westdale residents and the deteriorating properties around them. If elected, he would provide residents an avenue to raise concerns and have safety inspections done on their homes.

Allen believes that LRT will address student housing issues, as it will give them housing choices further away from campus that they may not have now with the current transit options.

“The buses coming into Westdale from across the 403 are packed in the morning. I know people who work at McMaster and have waited five, six, seven buses for one to finally stop and pick them up,” said Allen. “If you give people a genuine choice on where they live, then students get to experience a really amazing community they may not get to see now.”

However, one of Allen’s most unique plans as city councillor would be the creation of a “customer-service” culture in city hall.

“I want to create a situation where if you call city hall for help or assistance of any kind, any issue large or small, you know you’re going to get the right answer the first time,” he said. “Right now city hall is a patchwork of departments that largely don’t communicate with each other and right now it can be difficult getting a consistent answer.”

Allen is hoping that if there is ever a situation that needs to be addressed, such as landlord conflict or pest issues, students will feel comfortable calling their city for assistance.

Allen is a trained facilitator, and as a city councillor he is hoping to use these skills to bring community members together in conversation to solve city issues and work out disputes.

“I’m a big believer that if you just get people in a room and have a conversation, often with facilitator of some kind, you come to a conclusion very quickly.”

For more information on Mr. Jason Allen and his campaign, visit http://www.jasonaallen.ca/ .