Ward 21 candidate ready for the challenge of municipal politics

David Brown is a lifelong resident of the village of Richmond and wants to be the voice of a community that is near and dear to his heart. 

Brown is one of three people officially registered and vying to be the next city councillor for the Rideau-Jock ward. 

“After completing my professional education in dairy farming from Kemptville College and working for more than a decade on local dairy farms, my keen interest in politics took me away from the farm but launched me into my political service in Ottawa,” said Brown on his website. 

Brown told The Sam Laprade Show with guest host Derick Fage on Thursday, July 28 that for the past decade, he has worked for elected officials at all three levels of government, and for the last six years, has been working at city hall addressing the concerns and issues of residents and taxpayers. 

Brown has been an active member in the community participating in the Richmond Community 4-H Club and St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Richmond. For almost two decades he has been a volunteer with the Richmond Agricultural Society, which is most notably known for hosting the Richmond Fair, the single largest annual event held in the ward. 

“My long-term volunteer commitments in the community and my passion for serving the public have shaped who I am today,” he said. “With a decade of public service experience, the past six years at city hall, I'm no stranger to the challenges we face as a rural ward. I'm ready to address the concerns and issues of our communities.”

Brown said the biggest issue he has heard at the door while speaking to residents is roads and infrastructure.

“A priority has to be putting real money into fixing our roads,” he said. “Areas like Richmond and Manotick have seen huge growth and we have to make sure that appropriate infrastructure is put in place when people start moving in.”

Brown said the ward is feeling the impact of the Trail Road Waste Facility. In 2016, staff estimated that over 450,000 tons of garbage was dumped at the facility. 

“Everyone creates waste,” he said. “We need real solutions that we can implement in the short-term.”

Listen to the full interview with David Brown below: