Four Accountability Questions for All New Councillor Candidates in East Gwillimbury

In January, a surprise motion (Resolution C2026-006) was introduced to restrict public deputations, placing new limitations and procedural hurdles on residents seeking to address their elected council. When defending this motion to silence the public, Councillor Scott Crone went on the record stating: "These are council meetings, not public forums. They are our meetings..."

Fortunately, the establishment was challenged. As Councillor Susan Lahey stated in her dissent during that same meeting: "This is not our meeting. This is the meeting of the people. This is the meeting of the taxpayers."

The Record on Resolution C2026-006 (January 13, 2026):

• Spearheaded and Moved by: Councillor Scott Crone

• Actively Backed and Seconded by: Councillor Tara Roy-DiClemente

• Recorded Vote to Restrict Residents (Yes): Councillor Crone, Councillor Roy-DiClemente, Councillor Carruthers, Councillor Foster, Mayor Hackson

• Recorded Vote to Stand with Residents (No): Councillor Johns, Councillor Lahey

With Councillor Crone now officially launching his campaign for Mayor of East Gwillimbury, this voting record demonstrates how politicians from any ward can directly impact the democratic rights of residents across the entire town. Because every council decision affects all of us, I have asked all new councillor candidates across every ward to go on the record.

As a taxpayer, a resident of East Gwillimbury, and someone who—just like you—casts two votes for Ward Councillor and one vote for Mayor, I have asked them to answer the following four questions:

1. Do you support restricting public deputations at Town Council? If a councillor introduces a similar motion this upcoming term, will you commit to voting against it to protect the taxpayers' democratic right to be heard?

2. Will you commit to using the full weight of Town Council to demand that the York Region District School Board (YRDSB) immediately fund, approve, and build East Gwillimbury’s first public high school?

3. Do you support initiating a comprehensive ward boundary review to transition East Gwillimbury to a "One Ward, One Councillor" system—for example, dividing Sharon and Queensville into separate wards so that each community has its own dedicated representative?

4. Do you commit to prioritizing public safety and the public interest above all else, ensuring that neither is ever compromised for private or political gain?

Candidates have been requested to provide their written responses by Saturday, October 10, 2026, at 12:00 PM.

Following that deadline, I will publish all unedited responses. In mid-October, I will also release an "Accountability Risk Assessment"—an objective evaluation of all candidates based strictly on public records, transparency, and conduct in defense of the public interest. Naturally, this assessment will also evaluate incumbents based on their past voting records.

Shahab Aryan, P.Eng.
Independent Ward 2 Candidate
East Gwillimbury Resident and Taxpayer