In his role as an IT technician with the Township of Severn, David Campbell is a fixer.
“People come to me with their problems and I have to figure out what’s at the root of the issue, figure out a solution and do it professionally without losing my patience,” said Campbell. “I’m a fixer. I think, in a way, that is what a city councillor is.”
Campbell threw his hat into the ring at the last minute in 2014 and surprised many by finishing fourth in a crowded field of nine candidates in Ward 1. He missed getting elected by less than 300 votes.
Since that moment, he’s been focused on running again. This time around, he is one of just three candidates in Ward 1.
In the last four years, Campbell, 54, has become more involved in the community. He became a member of Orillia’s Active Transportation Committee and is currently chair. He also joined the Orillia Winter Carnival board in 2016 and helped revive the popular festival; he is now a vice-president helping to plan the 2019 event.
“I’m really proud of the things we accomplished – bicycle repair stations at the waterfront and Tudhope Park, a bike day, a pedestrian charter – on the active transportation committee,” he said.
He said resolving the Grape Island dispute is a key issue in Ward 1. He also believes more attention needs to be paid to roads and is also pushing more transparency.
“There’s this perception that council is up to something,” said Campbell, a lifelong Orillian. “There’s a perception council looks for reasons to go behind closed doors. I want to push to be absolutely 100 per cent open.”
To that end, he would like to see every vote of council recorded. That way, any resident could easily look up voting records. “We’re there to represent the people. The people deserve to know what’s going on.”
The long-time drummer for Dr. Krane said he has some concerns about a potential deal between Hydro One and Orillia Power. That deal was turned down by the Ontario Energy Board, but is being refiled this month.
“There probably should have been a referendum on it during this election,” he said, noting his main issue is that it appears some of the “promises” from Hydro One are not “in writing.”
Campbell, who formerly was a co-owner of Northern Business Equipment and worked at several local car dealerships as well, said he would be a hard-working councillor.
“I’ve worked really hard to make sure I’m ready for this,” said Campbell, who earned a spot on the honour roll after taking a course offered by the Association of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario to learn the ins and outs of municipal government.
“I have owned a business, I understand how difficult it is to run a business (but) I’m also an average working person,” said Campbell. “I will represent the average working stiff. I’m not tied to any business and I don’t owe anyone anything.”
Campbell is married. His wife, Nancy, works at Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital as a pharmacy technician. Their daughter, Emily, is in her second year of biomedical engineering at the University of Guelph.
Emily helped inspire his passion for volunteering. He became involved with the Regent Park School Parent Council and was part of a fund-raising effort that resulted in a new playground.
“That showed me what can happen when people work together,” said Campbell, who noted his daughter also encouraged him to enter politics in 2014. “She told me to quit whining and get involved … so I did.”
Editor's Note: All candidates in Orillia's municipal election will be profiled in the days ahead. They will be published daily, by ward, in alphabetical order; the mayoralty candidates will also be profiled.
