GUEST SPEAKER: Dan Carter, Mayor of Oshawa & fellow Rotarian
Introduced by Dave Andrews:
From a background of immense personal challenge and tragedy, Dan has become an inspiration and role model to individuals across Canada. As a professional speaker and leadership expert, Dan has motivated many people to achieve their full potential. As a life-long learner, he has completed leadership training with the Zappos’ Team in Las Vegas and the Disney Institute in Florida.
Active in community development initiatives, Dan lends his time to many philanthropic endeavours. His deep commitment to making a difference to those in need led to the creation of the Day of Hope and Leadership which has raised close to one million dollars for Carea Community Health Centre and the establishment of The Hope Centre of Learning. Our own Rotary Club member, the late Todd Skinner, a Director in our Rotary Club, was a huge supporter of this project with Dan. The objective of the centre is to enhance people’s opportunity for learning and was built on the belief that we can do more, be more, and help more when we learn more.
Dan’s leadership and contributions have been widely recognized and he has received several honours and awards for his work, including the Business Person of the Year by both the Whitby Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce, the CAMH Courage to Come Back Award, Paul Harris Fellow from the Courtice Rotary Club and the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medallions. In addition, Dan is now an honourary member of the Rotary Club of Oshawa.
In 2011, Dan was conferred a Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa, by the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.
As a Regional and City Councillor for Oshawa he chaired the Finance Committee. As a member of the Health and Social Services committee at the Regional level, he was instrumental in getting the mobile health unit on the streets. In his capacity as President of the Durham Region Non-Profit Housing Corporation, Dan worked successfully to bring to Durham the Building Up training program that provides employment opportunities for residents of supportive housing as well as the Rogers Connected for Success program which provides high-speed internet access to people living in rent-subsidized non- profit housing. Dan has been and is a strong supporter of our Rotary Club of Oshawa-Parkwood during the Kids Against Hunger project and Reverse Draws for many years.
Dan takes his role as Mayor of the City of Oshawa to heart and feels very blessed that he has been given the opportunity to serve and to help people in his community every day. And in spite of COVID-19, Dan is committed to leading in a way that will bring out the best in all of us and be the light that brings hope, optimism, and pride to this great city.
Mayor Carter’s Remarks:
Mayor Carter said he was at a loss for the correct words to describe the out pouring of grief for the Trainor family, members of which were murdered. The City will take a long time to heal. The family does not walk alone. He encouraged the whole community to lend support to the family.
During the COVID pandemic he witnessed the community coming together to ensure the virus did not spread. He received letter from young children asking “What can I do to help?”
If you have to use City Hall services right now there is only one open entrance.
Staff has been reorganized to serve citizens better. Part of the new standard: “service excellence in everything we do”. Over 4 million dollars have been saved by this reorganization of city hall.
Mayor Carter mentioned the retooling of Oshawa GM plant to produce PPEs.
The City has been working with the Port Authority in light of the federal Government’s decision to amalgamate Oshawa and Hamilton Port Authorities.
He mentioned how proud he was of Tent university’s new building that just opened in the city, and new buildings at Ontario Tech U and at Durham College.
He spent some time talking about the opiate crisis in the city . He says we are losing the battle because people are still dying in the streets even though they have implemented a very detailed plan to help these people..
300 individuals have come to Oshawa from the surrounding area for help, since COVID-19 started. He talked about the Back Door Mission and the one stop Mission United , helping the homeless in Oshawa. He talked about utilizing Camp Samac and how they have been able to provide shelter for 100. He says that 45 unsheltered people will not accept help from the City. Some of those people are causing crimes in the city.
He is looking at long term affordable housing with 70 mini homes with services nearby.We need a place for people to lay their head. .
He maintains that public safety is #1 priority for him.
He is a member of the mayor’s economic task force assisting businesses that are in difficulty due to COVID. He said the poverty level is at 14% and has been steady at that for a long time.
He maintains that next year will be better than this year. Hardships bring out the best in all of us.
Mayor Carter was thanked by Past President Linda Porritt.
NEXTSCHEDULED MEETINGS:
Topic: Rotary Club of Oshawa-Parkwood Weekly Meetings on ZOOM, UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
Time: 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Every week on Tue,
Sept 8, 2020 07:00 PM
Sept 15, 2020 07:00 PM
Sept 22, 2020 07:00 PM
Sept 29, 2020 07:00 PM
OCT 6 : 6 PM Start - Zoom Meeting LINK to be announced.
IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT, MAKE UP: Go online at www.rotary.org go to the club locator and find a club or clubs near your destination. Or you can add the free App Rotary Club Locator to your phone for instant look up of any club in the world. Please mail or fax your make-ups to Secretary Robbie Larocque, or give your make-up card to the attendance/registration officer at the next club meeting.