Macdonald concerned about traffic and crime
First-time candidate wants to see better city services
By Kris Scheuer
(Written May 7 for Town Crier.)
Teacher Roy Macdonald's running for ward 16 council seat. Photo courtesy of Roy Macdonald.
Teacher and coach Roy Macdonald is seeking to unseat Eglinton-Lawrence Councillor Karen Stintz in Ward 16.
“I don’t see it being a stretch going from teaching to politics,” said the 42-year-old, first time candidate. “I’m pretty good at bringing people from different personalities together.”
Macdonald’s worked as school liaison worker with students at Lord Dufferin School supporting kids both academically and emotionally. Many of the students lived in shelters or came from problem homes. He’s taught in communities from Jane and Finch to Lawrence Park.
In his spare time he coaches children’s hockey four times a week in the winter, hardball/softball in the community in the spring and soccer and baseball at school.
“I like to be a busy person,” said Macdonald, who lives in the ward.
One of the big local issues for him is traffic cutting through residential streets. He notices speeding cars when he’s walking his kids to school north of Yonge and Eglinton. And traffic is a big issue for families playing sports on residential streets.
“It’s an area with a high concentration of families with young kids,” said the father of eight and 12-year-old sons. “Myself and other parents try to take back the streets by playing street hockey. We have kids biking, playing street hockey and soccer. That’s the kind of community I want to live in.”
He’d like to see more aggressive police ticketing of traffic violations such as drivers who speed and fail to obey stop signs.
And he’d like to witness more street cleaning.
“It’s been years since I’ve seen a street sweeper on the street. I clean our street regularly. I joke that I have a part-time job cleaning streets for the city,” said Macdonald.
He’s also concerned about crime and would like to see an increased police presence.
“There’s been reports of more kids mugged at Lawrence and Yonge, and Yonge and Eglinton. Kids mugged at gun point,” he said.
Macdonald comes from a political background as his father Ian was deputy minister of treasury in former Ontario premier Bill Davis’s government.
He stills gets advice from his 80-year-old dad who is an active professor at York University.
Macdonald hopes to follow his father not only into teaching, but also into working inside government.
Kris Scheuer 
I realize this is a little late, but certainly topical as Karen is in the news daily, but as usual it is not about our ward issues. The debate took place a month before the election and Karen had been to more homes. Not surprising since she had all of her office staff campaigning and she had not had a council meeting since mid August. While working a full time job, I worked every night and weekend up to the election getting to as many doors as possible. I made it to many people. I had a dedicated team of friends and family going door to door as well. Because I could not get to everyone, I even sent a bulk call to all constituents. I hope that what you saw during the debate convinced you to vote for someone other than Karen. Let me know your address and I will be the first one at your door in 2014.
All the best,
Roy
Hi,
We watched the debate on Rogers TV tonight.
It was the first time we saw and heard anything about the opposing candidates of Karen Stintz. Nowhere were introduction pamphlets and advertisements noticed. Mr. Mills mentioned he walked umpteen miles in the ward but seem to have missed us. At least a member of Ms. Stintz’ team came to our door.
How can one vote for somebody one doesn’t know?
H. Klug