Marianne Wilkinson
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Marianne Wilkinson (born Marianne Berton in Ottawa, Ontario) 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.
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[edit] Affiliation to the Ontario Progressive Conservatives
Wilkinson was originally a Progressive Conservative, 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.
[edit] Kanata Mayoral tenure & accomplishments
Wilkinson has many accomplishments. She was an OC Transpo Commissioner (she brought transit services to the City of Kanata), and chaired various committees: 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).
[edit] Council priorities
Wilkinson has many initiatives she would like to implement as Councillor, including the creation of a Ward Council and Borough 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, making Kanata a reuse/recycling leader in Ontario, and preserving the special natural environment of Kanata.
[edit] External links
| Preceded by John Mlacak |
Reeve of March Township 1976–1978 |
Succeeded by None. March dissolved into Kanata |
| Preceded by None. |
Mayor of Kanata 1978-1985 |
Succeeded by Des Adam |
| Preceded by Peggy Feltmate (Kanata Ward) |
City councillors from Kanata North Ward 2006-present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
