This is a very good question and one I was asked at the recent Wards 1, 2, 3 & Mayoral Candidates Q&A.

I can provide a fairly informed answer because I have been involved with the Rice Lake Legal Personhood Initiative through my employment with Alderville First Nation since its early stages.

What is the Rice Lake Legal Personhood Initiative?

The initiative was championed by Alderville First Nation Chief Taynar Simpson out of concern for the long-term health and protection of Rice Lake.

In November 2025, Alderville First Nation Council approved a resolution recognizing legal status for Rice Lake. The work leading to that decision involved Council, Elders and Knowledge Keepers, with legal assistance and outside expertise.

The term "legal personhood" can understandably cause some confusion. It does not mean that Rice Lake becomes a human being or that the initiative is created to restrict enjoyment and use of the lake by all.

The basic idea is to recognize that the lake has rights of its own and to create a mechanism through which people can speak and act on behalf of those rights, if or when those rights are violated.

The initiative is ultimately about protecting the long-term health of Rice Lake, its water, ecosystems, biodiversity and the many communities and people who depend upon it.

What is the proposed Guardians Council?

An important part of the initiative is the development of a Guardians Council that would serve as a voice for Rice Lake.

The intention is NOT that Alderville alone would make decisions for everyone surrounding Rice Lake.

The vision described publicly by Chief Simpson is much broader and could, if they are interested, involve municipalities, townships, conservation interests, neighbouring First Nations, tourism associations, anglers, hunters, harvesters and others with a connection to the lake.

There is still work to be done on exactly how that Council would be structured, who would participate and how it would operate. I think those are important questions, and neighbouring municipalities and the public should continue asking them.

What has my involvement been?

My involvement has been through my employment with Alderville First Nation, where I provide senior administrative support to the Chief.

I was involved in organizing the first committee meeting established to help move the initiative forward, and I have continued to provide administrative support as that work has developed including grant proposal writing.

That has given me an opportunity to hear the discussions, understand why the initiative was started and see the work that has gone into it.

It is also important to be clear about what my involvement doesn't mean.

I am not the decision-maker for Alderville First Nation. I am an employee providing administrative support to Chief. Decisions of Alderville First Nation Council belong to its elected Chief and Council.

Would this create a conflict of interest if I were elected to Trent Hills Council?

Potential conflicts of interest are something I take seriously, and I have considered this question before the election.

My employment with Alderville does not mean that everything involving Alderville would automatically constitute a conflict for me. Each matter would have to be considered based on the circumstances and the rules that apply.

But this is also an important point:

Conflict of interest isn't unique to me because I work for Alderville First Nation. It is a responsibility every member of Council carries.

Municipal Councillors continue to have lives outside the Council Chamber. They may have full-time employment. They may own businesses or property. They may work in real estate or other professions. They may serve with organizations or boards. They have spouses and families who may have employment, businesses and financial interests of their own.

Having those connections does not, by itself, mean someone cannot serve on Council.

What matters is recognizing when an outside interest intersects with a matter before Council and understanding your responsibilities when it does.

Every Councillor is personally responsible for being aware of their own potential conflicts and making the appropriate declaration when required.

I have dealt with this responsibility before

I previously served on Municipal Council, so this isn't an entirely new responsibility for me.

When I believed I had a conflict, I declared it and did not participate in the matter.

When I was uncertain, I sought clarification from the Municipal Clerk. Ultimately, however, I understood that the responsibility for making the declaration was mine.

I have always believed it is better to ask the question and err on the side of caution than simply assume there isn't a problem.

And I think something else is worth saying:

Declaring a conflict doesn't mean a Councillor has done something wrong.

Recognizing a conflict, declaring it when required and following the applicable rules is part of transparent and responsible municipal government.

The responsibility works both ways

There is another side to this question that I have also considered.

If I am elected to Trent Hills Council, there could potentially be occasions when something coming before Alderville First Nation Council directly involves Trent Hills or my responsibilities as a Trent Hills Councillor.

I have discussed this potential overlap with my employer.

If a situation arose at Alderville where my role as a Trent Hills Councillor created a conflict under Alderville's applicable policies or procedures, I would identify it and follow those requirements.

Likewise, if an Alderville-related matter came before Trent Hills Council, I would consider my responsibilities as a municipal Councillor and follow the requirements that apply to me there.

In other words, I would be mindful and respectful of my responsibilities at both Council tables.

For me, the principle is fairly straightforward:

Know which hat you're wearing. Recognize when your roles intersect. Ask for advice when you're uncertain. And when a conflict exists, declare it and follow the rules that apply.

I believe residents deserve to know about these potential overlaps before an election and how a candidate intends to deal with them, not after an issue arises, and I am thankful for these questions.

Omg no! I don’t even like it when someone refers to me as a politician. I’m not, I’m a resident who wants to contribute to the future of my community. My entire world lives in TH, and municipal councils are where voters have the most direct connection to decision making. Together the 133 municipalities have an even stronger voice to advocate for our day to day lives. Voting matters. Putting strong advocates at the table matters greatly. I have no agenda, personally or otherwise. I’ve been a councillor in Grafton/Roseneath. I know the demands of the role and the importance of the work to be done. This may sound weird, but in my opinion politics has no business in any municipal Council chambers. Council must work with whatever political powers come to be provincially and federally, but stay focused on Trent Hills, including our neighbouring municipalities and the County.

That’s a fair question.

I guess my first thought is that no policy should be written in stone. Something that worked 10 or 20 years ago doesn’t necessarily mean it should continue that way forever just because “that’s the way we’ve always done it.” And the reverse is also true, something that was discontinued years ago because it wasn’t working at the time may be worth looking at again because circumstances and needs change.

The old bus shuttle is an example. It was discontinued because of lack of ridership, I understand, and that may have been absolutely the right decision at the time. But does that mean transportation needs should never be looked at again? I’m not saying bring the old shuttle back, I’m saying don’t be afraid to revisit an old decision and ask whether the circumstances that led to it are still the same today.

By-law enforcement is another example, and one I’m hearing about now from residents and businesses. If we have a by-law on the books, people should reasonably expect it to be enforced. If it isn’t, then I want to understand why. Is the by-law outdated? Is the process the problem? Are there insufficient resources to enforce it? Or is something else getting in the way? Those are questions I think Council should be asking.

I also think policies need to be reviewed regularly. I’ve seen policies go for years, sometimes decades, without meaningful review or revision. I don’t think that’s good governance. Are they still relevant? Are they working? Do they need to be updated? Or do we even still need them? And sometimes the answer after reviewing one may simply be, it still works, leave it alone.

Something else that is very important to me is the relationship between Council and staff. Council has a responsibility for developing and evaluating municipal policy, but staff are the people working with many of those decisions every day. They have knowledge and expertise that Council needs to respect.

I want staff to feel comfortable saying, “This isn’t working,” “We need to look at this again,” or even “I don’t agree, and here’s why.” I want their true and honest professional opinion, even when it may not be what Council wants to hear. I don’t want a Council/staff relationship where staff feel they have to be yes-people. Respect has to go both ways, and people need to be able to speak honestly and professionally without fear of repercussions.

One councillor can’t walk into Council and change policy on their own, nor should they. But I can ask questions, bring concerns forward, listen to residents, businesses and staff, and not be afraid to ask, “Why are we still doing it this way?”

So rather than give you a canned list of policies I promise to change, throw a specific one at me and I’ll tell you what I think. 

Honestly, I have intentionally not produced a long list of campaign promises, or a platform. My approach has been to listen first through ward walks, business outreach, community events and the questions residents bring to me, and then provide my response. My priorities include responsible municipal spending, maintaining our roads and infrastructure, community safety, responding to housing and transportation needs, supporting sensible growth and our local businesses, protecting the services residents depend on, and making sure residents know they have a Councillor who will listen, ask questions and represent their concerns at the Council table.