With the nomination period for the October 26 municipal election having closed on August 21, Haliburton County voters are looking for answers from the now-certified candidates for council.
Residents of the four municipalities that form Haliburton County — Township of Algonquin Highlands, Municipality of Highlands East, Municipality of Dysart et al, and Township of Minden Hills — will be voting for members of their lower-tier councils whose leadership makes up the membership of county council.
In this multi-part series, kawarthaNOW is publishing responses from candidates in each municipality to the question “Why are you running for council and what makes you a unique candidate?” Stories in the series, presented by municipality, will be updated as required to include candidate responses received after initial publication.
Located in the northern part of Haliburton County, the Township of Algonquin Highlands is a rural municipality with a population of around 2,600 permanent residents and around 10,000 seasonal residents. Communities in Algonquin Highlands include half the village of Dorset, part of Carnarvon, and the hamlets of Boshkung, Buttermilk Falls, Halls Lake, Little Hawk Lake, Maple Lake, Ox Narrows, and Oxtongue Lake
The council for the Township of Algonquin Highlands includes a mayor and four councillors representing three wards, with one councillor elected in Ward 1 (former Township of Sherborne and part of Dorset), two elected in Ward 2 (former Township of Stanhope), and one elected in Ward 3 (former Townships of McClintock, Livingstone, Lawrence & Nightingale). At the first meeting of the new council, one of the four councillors will be elected to serve as deputy mayor for the term.
Incumbent members of council who are seeking re-election are mayor Liz Danielsen and Ward 2 councillor Lisa Barry. Incumbent deputy mayor and Ward 3 councillor Jennifer Dailloux and incumbent Ward 1 and Ward 2 councillors Julia Shortreed and Sabrina Richards are not seeking re-election.
Challenging Danielsen for the mayor’s seat is Mike Lang.
Karla MacKay was acclaimed as Ward 1 councillor after the closure of the nomination period, as she was the only nominated candidate.
In Ward 2, James Cooper, Gary Trapp, and Kent Wallace are competing for the two councillor seats along with incumbent Barry.
In Ward 3, Don Embree and Darren Wiebe are running for the single councillor position.
Mayor
Liz Danielsen (incumbent)
I started my municipal career in the northwest territories, and when I came back to Ontario I worked for a local newspaper as a roving municipal reporter. During that time, I was asked by numerous people to run for council. I found that it is truly something that gets in your blood. I have been on council in Algonquin Highlands for 16 years now. The first three terms as a deputy mayor and this past term I was successful in my run for mayor. I absolutely love solving problems on behalf of the residents, particular living in a small community like ours where our tax base is limited to residential and the economy is primarily tourism based. Over my time here we have faced many challenges, particularly environmental in nature, given that our economy is based primarily on the health of our lakes. We have struggled at both the upper and lower tiers on items, like Shoreline preservation, septic inspection programs, short-term rental legislation as well as community, safety and well-being. I believe I bring a very balanced approach to municipal governance, and that my knowledge and experience will serve us well while we go through the ongoing governance and financial sustainability study that the county is undertaking. There is a little doubt that without raising taxes we must find different solutions, learn to work together, partner on service provision, and try to reduce costs wherever we can. It is my sincere hope that I am successful in my run so that I can continue the good work that has already been started across Haliburton County.
Mike Lang
I am running for council because I believe Algonquin Highlands deserves leadership focused on change, transparency and good governance. After 15 years as a resident, I have seen both the strengths of our community and the opportunities to do things better. I want council to listen to residents, make informed decisions, respect taxpayers and focus on the issues that matter most to our community.
I bring 35 years of public service and leadership experience, including management responsibilities in the federal government. I understand how government works, how policies and regulations affect people, and-equally important-the different roles and responsibilities of each level of government.
I am a consensus builder who believes in working with people rather than working against them. I am retired, a husband, father, grandfather, outdoorsman and handyman who understands the practical realities of living in our community.
I believe good leadership means listening carefully, being transparent, finding practical solutions and knowing which battles are worth fighting. I am prepared to bring that experience, independence and common sense to council and work together to make Algonquin Highlands an even better place to live, work and invest.
Ward 1
Karla MacKay (acclaimed)
I am running for council in ward 1 because I believe each ward needs a local voice at the table. The MacKay family has been in Dorset since 1863 … Angus MacKay was on council then and I want to bring the name back to its civic roots.
I have raised my children here and my children would like to do the same. I want this village to thrive!
I believe we need responsible, honest people helping lead the township and councilors willing to listen, ask questions and take the ward’s concerns to council.
Ward 2
Lisa Barry (incumbent)
kawarthaNOW did not receive a response prior to publication. This story will be updated with any response provided.
James Cooper
I am a full-time resident, who has been coming to the region since the late 1970’s with my wife and family. It was the safe, connected community, where neighbours look out for each other, that convinced us to retire in Algonquin Highlands. These are community values that I want to preserve. As a seasoned Information Technology Sales professional, I have sold multi-million dollar enterprise deals to some of the largest corporations in the world. My background allows me to bring proven leadership, fiscal responsibility, and creative problem-solving to the Algonquin Highlands council. Given the state of the global economy and how its effect is filtering down to our municipalities, your representative on council needs the strong business and financial background that I can bring to meet the new economic realities we are facing. I believe I can bring fresh ideas and critical thinking about how our tax dollars are utilized and to the challenges that continue to be persistent in Algonquin Highlands. For the last 4 years I have been deeply involved in monitoring our existing Council’s activities and advocating for issues affecting not only Algonquin Highlands’s residents, but also those in Haliburton County. I believe everyone needs a voice in our township’s decisions, and I would like to be that voice for you!
Gary Trapp
kawarthaNOW did not receive a response prior to publication. This story will be updated with any response provided.
Kent Wallace
I’m running for council because this community has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. My family has roots in Stanhope going back generations, and I’ve recently made the decision to make Algonquin Highlands my permanent home. I care about where this community is headed and felt it was time to step up rather than just have opinions from the sidelines.
What I bring is a combination of deep local roots and a different kind of experience. I spent more than 20 years in business, including owning and operating a company for over a decade and managing multimillion-dollar lines of business. I also spent several years working in the waste management and environmental services sector. My career has involved managing budgets, people, contractors and customers, while being accountable for both financial and operational results.
I think that experience is particularly relevant right now. Municipal costs are rising, taxpayers are feeling the pressure, and Algonquin Highlands and Haliburton County are facing significant decisions about how services should be delivered in the future.
I want to bring a practical, common-sense approach to council: look carefully at where our money is going, find opportunities to work together and eliminate unnecessary duplication, protect the services and local representation that matter, and make decisions based on what provides the best value for taxpayers.
Most importantly, I’ll listen. Whether someone lives here year-round or spends part of the year here, I want people to feel their concerns are heard and that council is working for them.
Ward 3
Don Embree
kawarthaNOW did not receive a response prior to publication. This story will be updated with any response provided.
Darren Wiebe
kawarthaNOW did not receive a response prior to publication. This story will be updated with any response provided.
kawarthaNOW has reproduced written responses from candidates verbatim. Any errors, factual or otherwise, or any use of AI-generated content originate with the candidate.
