"I DON'T VOTE FOR A LAWN SIGN!" 
UPDATE: Thursday, March 4th, 2010
ANONYMOUS ONLINE "CAMPAIGN SIGN SURVEY" go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RVJQQ8K
To date I've spent 7/10th of 1% of the $28,811 that I'm permitted to spend on the campaign.
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Email: perry@perrysimpson.ca
My name is Perry Simpson. I’m 39 years of age, and originally from Renfrew, Ontario (about 75 km west of Kanata). I moved to Ottawa in 1991 to pursue my university education, and have been a resident ever since. I hold degrees in Political Science and Law, as well as having a 4th level CGA, and a Project Management Designation. I moved to Kanata 6 years ago, and live with my common-law wife (who I hope to wed this summer) and step-son. I am a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) type person. I’ll be open and up-front on my stances and opinions. Please see my Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) below.
FAQ:
Why run for municipal politics? I’ve been politically active since 1993. I was elected to 3 back-to-back terms as an Arts and Social Sciences Councillor at Carleton University. Some will say that this experience is insufficient. I beg to differ. My constituency was 60% of the size of Stittsville’s present constituency. That is over 8,000 students. There is nothing small about that! University politics is a microcosm of Federal and Provincial politics. You deal with budgets, interest groups, policy, etc., but on a smaller scale. It was during this time that I met our (then) City Councillor Jim Watson. Jim has always been a solid advocate for students. Toward the end of my university career, I volunteered on Jim’s successful Mayoralty run. My career subsequently took off, and my focus shifted, but as the years passed the political bug struck again. I never doubted that it would. I became the Chief Financial Officer for Jim’s Provincial Riding of Ottawa West Nepean. You cannot help but learn from Jim when you are lucky enough to work with him. His successful political career is undeniable. In my humble opinion, Jim’s gift is that his political career is not about getting his name in the newspapers so much as it is about his altruistic desire to help people.
Am I running with or because of Jim Watson? The answer is
a simple “no”. However, I will take
many skills gained under my time with Jim into my future political
endeavours.
Am I too young to run for office? I’ve been
asked this question several times now, and much as I hate to answer a question
with a question, I am forced to ask the return questions; Why am I too
young? What is the age cut-off line
where you can run and no one asks that question? Must every politician be a retirement aged lawyer? If there is one recurring theme that I hear
from the citizens of Ottawa, it is that Ottawa’s municipal government needs a
changing of the guard. New blood, with
fresh ideas and perspectives. Those
fresh ideas and perspectives won’t come without a major overhaul in City
Hall.
Can a paperless campaign be successful? Fair
question! Maybe not, but first let me
clarify. My campaign will be nearly
paperless, but will be completely without lawn or roadside signage. Most signs are now a corrugated
plastic. Lawn signs are the norm. We all complain about their ugly presence
during Federal, Provincial and Municipal elections, but no one seems to present
an alternative. Why not? I’m running in Kanata South. Kanata is Silicon Valley North. I’d conservatively estimate that 90+% of
homes have a computer. If I can just
get people to go to my website, then I don’t need to put a sign on their
lawn. If they wish, they can print a
sign from their home computer and post it in their window. I’m permitted to spend $28,811 on my
campaign. That is a lot of plastic
signs! I won’t do it.
Below is my original press release announcing my candidacy.
PERRY SIMPSON TO REGISTER FOR MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO REPRESENT KANATA SOUTH WARD.
West-end leader to focus on issues directly affecting Kanata South residents
Ottawa - Perry Simpson will be filing his nomination papers on Friday, January 15th to run for City Councillor in Kanata South Ward 23.
“It is time for a ‘changing of the guard’. Residents no longer have confidence that the City is acting in their best interests. I’m going to change that! Residents of Kanata South will find a voice in me.”
Mr. Simpson is 39 years old, and originally from Renfrew, Ontario. He moved to Ottawa in 1991 to pursue post-secondary education, and now holds degrees in Law and Political Science, as well as a Certification in Project Management, and a 4th level CGA.
Mr. Simpson’s political aspirations began as a student councillor at Carleton University, where he was elected to three back-to-back years as an Arts & Social Sciences Councillor, representing a constituency of over 8,000 students. He has been an active volunteer for Jim Watson in his successful Mayoralty bid, as well as acting as the Chief Financial Officer for Jim Watson’s Ottawa West Nepean Provincial Liberal Association. He is in the full-time employ of a government consulting firm. He has a common law wife of 6 years, and a step-son.
Mr. Simpson intends to run a near paper-free campaign. “In the world of social media, rather than kill trees to put my name out there, I will utilize the internet to make my stand. I trust the intelligence of Kanata South residents to make an informed vote, rather than checking the box of the candidate who had the prettiest or most lawn signs.”
“Kanata has experienced, and continues to experience, issues that have essentially gone unaddressed. No more.”
Contact: Perry Simpson
