Marianne Wilkinson
Encyclopedia
Marianne Wilkinson is the Councillor of Kanata North (Ward 4) in the City of Ottawa
, Ontario
, Canada
. She is a long-time resident of Kanata
and a veteran public servant in that former city. She served as Kanata's first mayor
following its incorporation (1978 to 1985). Before that, she was a member of the March Township
council from 1970 to 1975. Wilkinson served as a mayor for seven years and regional councillor for nine years, and returned for a further term as a councillor in Kanata from 1991 to 1994. In 1994 she ran to represent Kanata at the Regional Municipality of Ottawa Carleton, but lost to Alex Munter
. Wilkinson was elected to Ottawa City Council
(Kanata had amalgamated into Ottawa in 2001) in the 2006 election
. She was re-elected as councillor of Ward 4, Kanata North, in the 2010 Ottawa municipal election.
, and once served as an assistant to Progressive Conservative (and future opponent), Norman Sterling. She ran in the Ontario general election, 2003
as a Liberal
and finished second against Sterling with 23,466 votes (38.79%), a strong showing in the safe Tory constituency.
Commissioner (she brought transit services to the City of Kanata), and chaired various committee
s: Regional Planning
, Waste Management
, and Budget. Also, Wilkinson was elected President of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario
, and holds a Masters in Management
Studies from McGill University
.
Wilkinson founded the Kanata North Business Park, known as “Silicon Valley North.” She also negotiated the acclaimed 40% Open-Space Agreement (urban land in Ontario generally has a 5% open-space allotment) for Kanata North to protect Canadian Shield
environmental lands, unique in the City of Ottawa, in the face of planned housing subdivisions. Wilkinson obtained Pinhey’s Point heritage property. She obtained the land for the Elsie Stapleford Childcare Centre and Walter Baker Park.
Wilkinson also has considerable volunteer experience working for various groups: Community Resource Centre for Goulbourn
, Kanata and West Carleton
(Founder); Kanata Food Cupboard (Chair); Kanata-Beaverbrook Community Centre (Director); University Women’s Club (Founder); Ottawa Talent Initiative; St. John’s Church (Warden); Kanata Choral Society (Founder); Kanata Canada Day
Committee (Founder); Western Community Resource Centre (Chair of Steering Committee); and Ottawa Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (member of Steering Committee).
System to bring local decision-making back to Kanata, consulting the community on budget priorities and reducing spending, completing the transitway
to Kanata and creating an east-west light rail route, making the Kanata North Recreation Complex a reality, establishing a Kanata police station
, closing the Carp
Landfill
, lobbying for a community health centre and more childcare
spaces, completing Terry Fox Drive, special tax levy for underground electricity wiring on Kanata Avenue, making Kanata a reuse/recycling
leader in Ontario, and preserving the special natural environment
of Kanata.
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. She is a long-time resident of Kanata
Kanata
Kanata is an aboriginal word meaning "village" or "settlement."- Name of Canada :Until the mid-20th century, the Mohawk word "kanata" was thought to have been the origin of Canada's name...
and a veteran public servant in that former city. She served as Kanata's first mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
following its incorporation (1978 to 1985). Before that, she was a member of the March Township
March Township, Ontario
March Township is a geographic township and former municipality originally part of Carleton County in eastern Ontario, Canada. It is currently part of the City of Ottawa...
council from 1970 to 1975. Wilkinson served as a mayor for seven years and regional councillor for nine years, and returned for a further term as a councillor in Kanata from 1991 to 1994. In 1994 she ran to represent Kanata at the Regional Municipality of Ottawa Carleton, but lost to Alex Munter
Alex Munter
Alexander Mathias Munter is a former politician and journalist in Ottawa, Canada's capital city. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario....
. Wilkinson was elected to Ottawa City Council
Ottawa City Council
The Ottawa City Council is the governing body of the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is composed of 23 city councillors and the mayor. The mayor is elected at large, while each of the councillors represent wards throughout the city. Council members are elected to four year terms with the...
(Kanata had amalgamated into Ottawa in 2001) in the 2006 election
Ottawa municipal election, 2006
The 2006 Ottawa municipal election was held on November 13, 2006, in Ottawa, Canada, to elect the mayor of Ottawa, Ottawa City Council and the Ottawa-Carleton Public and Catholic School Boards. The election was one of many races across the province of Ontario...
. She was re-elected as councillor of Ward 4, Kanata North, in the 2010 Ottawa municipal election.
Involvement in Ontario Provincial Politics
Wilkinson was originally a Progressive ConservativeProgressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
, and once served as an assistant to Progressive Conservative (and future opponent), Norman Sterling. She ran in the Ontario general election, 2003
Ontario general election, 2003
The Ontario general election of 2003 was held on October 2, 2003, to elect the 103 members of the 38th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
as a Liberal
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
and finished second against Sterling with 23,466 votes (38.79%), a strong showing in the safe Tory constituency.
Kanata Mayoral tenure & accomplishments
Wilkinson has many accomplishments. She was an OC TranspoOC Transpo
OC Transpo is the urban transit service of the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. An integrated hub-and-spoke system of services is available consisting of: regular buses travelling on fixed routes in mixed traffic, typical of most urban transit systems; a bus rapid transit system — a high...
Commissioner (she brought transit services to the City of Kanata), and chaired various committee
Committee
A committee is a type of small deliberative assembly that is usually intended to remain subordinate to another, larger deliberative assembly—which when organized so that action on committee requires a vote by all its entitled members, is called the "Committee of the Whole"...
s: Regional Planning
Regional planning
Regional planning deals with the efficient placement of land use activities, infrastructure, and settlement growth across a larger area of land than an individual city or town. The related field of urban planning deals with the specific issues of city planning...
, Waste Management
Waste management
Waste management is the collection, transport, processing or disposal,managing and monitoring of waste materials. The term usually relates to materials produced by human activity, and the process is generally undertaken to reduce their effect on health, the environment or aesthetics...
, and Budget. Also, Wilkinson was elected President of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario
Association of Municipalities of Ontario
The Association of Municipalities of Ontario is a non-profit organization representing municipal and regional governments in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created on June 22, 1972 through a merger of the Ontario Municipal Association and the Ontario Association of Mayors and Reeves...
, and holds a Masters in Management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
Studies from McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
.
Wilkinson founded the Kanata North Business Park, known as “Silicon Valley North.” She also negotiated the acclaimed 40% Open-Space Agreement (urban land in Ontario generally has a 5% open-space allotment) for Kanata North to protect Canadian Shield
Canadian Shield
The Canadian Shield, also called the Laurentian Plateau, or Bouclier Canadien , is a vast geological shield covered by a thin layer of soil that forms the nucleus of the North American or Laurentia craton. It is an area mostly composed of igneous rock which relates to its long volcanic history...
environmental lands, unique in the City of Ottawa, in the face of planned housing subdivisions. Wilkinson obtained Pinhey’s Point heritage property. She obtained the land for the Elsie Stapleford Childcare Centre and Walter Baker Park.
Wilkinson also has considerable volunteer experience working for various groups: Community Resource Centre for Goulbourn
Goulbourn Township, Ontario
Goulbourn Township, Ontario was formed in 1818, roughly 20 km southwest of downtown Ottawa, with the first major settlement occurring in Richmond. Other communities in the township include Stittsville, Munster, and Ashton. Stittsville is the largest community in the township, owing in part to its...
, Kanata and West Carleton
West Carleton Township, Ontario
West Carleton is a historic township in Eastern Ontario, Canada. It is located in the rural parts of the new City of Ottawa, west of Kanata. Its northern boundary is the Ottawa River....
(Founder); Kanata Food Cupboard (Chair); Kanata-Beaverbrook Community Centre (Director); University Women’s Club (Founder); Ottawa Talent Initiative; St. John’s Church (Warden); Kanata Choral Society (Founder); Kanata Canada Day
Canada Day
Canada Day , formerly Dominion Day , is the national day of Canada, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act , which united three British colonies into a single country, called Canada, within the British Empire...
Committee (Founder); Western Community Resource Centre (Chair of Steering Committee); and Ottawa Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (member of Steering Committee).
Council priorities
Wilkinson has many initiatives she would like to implement as Councillor, including the creation of a Ward Council and BoroughBorough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
System to bring local decision-making back to Kanata, consulting the community on budget priorities and reducing spending, completing the transitway
Ottawa Rapid Transit
In Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, the public transit service operated by OC Transpo has two rapid transit systems: the Transitway, a bus rapid transit network, and the O-Train, a diesel-powered light rail transit service operated on one line.-Major routes:...
to Kanata and creating an east-west light rail route, making the Kanata North Recreation Complex a reality, establishing a Kanata police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
, closing the Carp
Carp, Ontario
Carp is a large village west of urban Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.The village takes its name from the Carp River which runs through the village.The main street was formerly a section of the Trans-Canada Highway and carried much of the traffic coming from the west into Ottawa...
Landfill
Landfill
A landfill site , is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment...
, lobbying for a community health centre and more childcare
Childcare
Child care means caring for and supervising child/children usually from 0–13 years of age. In the United States child care is increasingly referred to as early childhood education due to the understanding of the impact of early experiences of the developing child...
spaces, completing Terry Fox Drive, special tax levy for underground electricity wiring on Kanata Avenue, making Kanata a reuse/recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
leader in Ontario, and preserving the special natural environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
of Kanata.