Lakefield Herald Special Report

Andy Mitchell runs for Deputy Reeve in SEL

Andy Mitchell registered Tuesday as a candidate for Deputy Reeve in the Township of Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield.

Andy and his wife Christine, their children and grandchildren are residents of Lakefield.

Andy is the past President and CEO of the Greater Peterborough Area Economic Development Corporation, a member of the Privy Council of Canada, and former Member of Parliament and Federal Minister of Agriculture.

“Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield is a great place to live,” said Andy. “I believe my personal, professional and political experience equips me to work well with township residents to meet the challenges and opportunities facing our community.”

In addition to his role heading up the Peterborough region’s economic development initiative Andy has served in a number of local regional positions.

He currently serves on the Peterborough Regional Health Centre board, is a member of the area Workforce Development Board, leads the Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster and is a founding member of the Peterborough Prosperity Roundtable.

Andy received an undergraduate degree from Carleton University in Ottawa. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at Trent University, where he teaches a course in Public Policy development.

Andy worked in the banking industry for 20 years where he developed respect for sound fiscal management.

He was a community branch manager in a number of small communities across Ontario and has a strong record of assisting small businesses operating in rural communities.

In 1993 Andy was elected a Member of Parliament where he served for more than 12 years. In that role he represented over 20 small rural communities, working hard on issues important to communities similar to Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield.

Andy has hed a number of cabinet portfolios, which have equipped him to address issues facing the residents of Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield.

These include Secretary of State for Rural Development, Minister responsible for the Trent Severn Waterway and Minister of Agriculture.

Andy has a good understanding of the senior levels of government and how best to partner with them to help meet the needs of our local residents.

Andy has spent a long private and public career advocating for the needs of smaller rural communities. As the former Secretary of State for Rural Development, Andy consistently worked within government to ensure that the unique needs and challenges of rural communities were not lost or ignored within larger urban-based economic and social initiatives.

“Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield is an exceptional community,” Andy said. “Our municipality is a distinctive place, with unique needs, a strong tradition of caring and nurturing, blessed with an abundance of natural beauty and built heritage and well positioned to offer a good quality of life and increasing standard of living for its residents now and into the future.”

During the campaign Andy will be outlining a series of initiatives built around four broad themes:

• Sound management of the township’s finances;

• Open, inclusive and transparent government;

•Developing economic opportunities for our businesses and our citizens; and

• Providing appropriate stewardship over our natural and built heritage.

Andy can be reached through email at andy@electandymitchell.ca and by phone at (705) 931-3331.

You can also learn more about Andy from his websire at www.electandymitchell.ca.

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