Valier is a triple threat, a business owner, a single-mom, and a concerned citizen.

And in running for council, she’s planning to use the strength it takes to raise two boys to wrestle with issues near and dear to her heart.

On Tuesday morning, Valier spoke to The Enterprise about some of the things that will make up her first campaign.

CE: Why run for Caledon Council?

TV: “Well, I figured that I was going to make a difference because I’m a resident and business owner. I’ve talked to a lot of people, and a lot of businesses, and some are disgruntled. I figured that with partnerships and listening to what the needs of both are, I’ll take that to the council table and make a difference.”

CE: What do you believe you can bring to Caledon’s  Council? What about Trudy Valier is going to make a good councillor?

TV:  “I’ve been around town a bit and talked to some of the people and there was the issues about growth and non-growth and what some of the business people are feeling, and the residents, and I’ll talk to them and try to do the right thing, like shopping in town. I figure it’s time to go back to doing the right thing and getting out there and talking to the people. I don’t know if it means more telephone surveys, but I want to get out there and talk to the people and find out what their concerns are and find a happy medium between the residents and the business people. What their actual needs are. I have a couple issues I would like to bring to council. I want to see what we can do in focusing on more youth programs and facilities, so that we can encourage youth to contribute energies in a positive way. I’d also like to try and help to give some financial aid for programs for seniors that we have in Bolton. And one of the other concerns I personally have is the proper and planned infrastructure in regards to road repairs and safety on the roads.”

CE: A decision to join public service usually means a dis-satisfaction with the status quo. Are you a dissatisfied constituent?

TV: “I would say yes.”

CE: What is the source of your dissatisfaction?

TV: “I’ve been to a lot of the council meetings and it does always seem to be divided between Bolton and Caledon. I’ve seen, it seems, like more favourtism going to the Caledon side. Maybe you need to sit on council to understand the differences and why it seems we’ve been left behind with all the changes we have had on the commercial and industrial side.”

CE: Where do you stand on the issue of growth in Bolton?

TV: “I figure that that is one of the things on my list that I would like to work with. I would like us to have managed and balanced growth between the businesses and residents. I don’t personally feel that growth going north or south is a good thing. That only stems from the meetings I’ve been to at council and heard that we don’t have servicing north of Columbia and that the Region was not willing to extend that at the time. And I guess we only really have one direction to go into. So I guess if we have growth, it should go into areas where we do have infrastructure to have the growth. And I would not like to see the infill in the town.”   

CE: If you were an Area Councillor in Ward 5, do you think there is work to be done to calm the tension between the rural ideals of the rest of Caledon and the urban ideals of Bolton to make the council run smoother?

TV: “I would suppose that maybe if we brought more of the councilors into Bolton, not to say that they don’t (go themselves), but unless they really truly know what it’s like to be here and live in Bolton, deal with the traffic issue going up and down the north hill, see what it feels like to stand at the four corners, see the traffic, the improper turns, the safety on the roads, trucks are a major concern. And I know I can’t be standing at the street corners to see if Marolyn Morrison, Nick DeBoer, Richard Whitehead, Allan Thompson, Gord McClure, Richard Paterak or Doug Beffort is on a corner, but most of those councillors live in rural areas and don’t see what it’s like day-to-day in Bolton.

I know we do have to find a happy medium.

I don’t mean for them to just come into town and have a coffee, or dinner. They need to spend quality time here, and see what the people of Bolton are seeing.

I believe Bolton’s future is about complete communities and providing skilled jobs for residents along with housing options that do not cause a burden on existing infrastructure. This means no uncontrolled infill or dense development in the north or south hills of our community. Any Bolton resident will tell you our community is overburdened and cannot take anymore.

We need clear and better representation at the council table.”