“The Town of East Gwillimbury has limited who can comment on this post.”

Recently, the Town of East Gwillimbury posted an update on the Animal Services report—a critical issue of public safety, municipal contracts, and accountability.

Their response to this community-wide concern? They limited who could comment on their Facebook post.

Unfortunately, if you have been paying attention to City Hall, you know this isn't an isolated incident. It is a deliberate, documented pattern. Earlier this year, this Council passed a motion specifically designed to restrict residents from speaking at council meetings.

Defending the move to limit public deputations, one Councillor actually stated on the record: “These are council meetings, not public forums. They are our meetings and we have a responsibility to manage them effectively.”

Let me be perfectly clear: The council chambers do not belong to the politicians. The Town's Facebook page does not belong to the politicians. They belong to the taxpayers who fund them.

With the election ahead, these voting records matter more than ever:

• Councillor Scott Crone, who introduced the motion to restrict public delegations and claimed council meetings are "not public forums," is now asking residents to elect him Mayor.

• Councillor Brian Johns, who stood up for the public and voted against the restrictions, is also running for Mayor.

• Councillor Loralea Carruthers, who voted in favor of muzzling residents, is seeking re-election to represent you.

• Mayor Hackson, and Councillors Foster and Roy-DiClemente, also voted for the limits.

• Susan Lahey, who recently won the by-election and is now our MPP for York—Simcoe, voted against it, rightly pointing out that the motion was "a very sad day for democracy in East Gwillimbury."

Whether it is shutting down social media comment sections when a third-party service fails our community, or using technical loopholes to stifle debate in the council chambers, the message from the current establishment is loud and clear: they do not want to hear from you if you are asking tough questions.

🗣 To our Mayoral candidates: What is your vision for public engagement at City Hall? If elected Mayor, will you repeal the restrictions on public deputations, guarantee that town platforms remain open to public feedback, and commit to never using Strong Mayor powers to bypass residents?

🗣 To the incumbent seeking re-election who voted for these limits: How do you justify telling taxpayers that council meetings belong to politicians rather than the public?

🗣 To the candidates aligned with the establishment's voting record: Will you publicly distance yourself from this history of silencing debate, or will you continue to support policies that shut out the public?

🗣 To the Residents of East Gwillimbury: Do you want a local government that sees public input as an annoyance, or one that welcomes accountability?

I want to hear from everyday residents today—the people who fund this town and live with the consequences of these decisions.

As an independent candidate for Ward 2 Councillor, I believe in an accountable voice that answers only to you. True leadership doesn't hide from tough questions. If this Council won’t listen to residents about animal services, how can we trust them to make the right decisions on your tax services, fire services, or land development applications?

Let me know your thoughts.

Please share this post and discuss it with your neighbors to help build strong community advocacy. In East Gwillimbury, you elect two Ward 2 Councillors, giving you the power to shape our community's future. Make Shahab Aryan your absolute first choice to bring independent, engineered leadership to Town Council.