A Response to the Controversial Statements of Senator Pierr-Hugues Boisvenu

Many columnist and writers across Canada including Prime Minister Stephen Harper have indicated and suggested that Senator Boisvenu comments can be understood and somewhat justified considering his prior experience with the criminal justice system. After all he is the founder of “Murdered or Missing Persons Families Association” (MMPFA), and a man who has greatly been personally affected by a thoughtless and heart wrenching crime.

However we live in Canada and as a Canadians we are fortunate to have rules of law that govern us. No mans personal "feelings”, “emotions” or “thoughts” are above the law or our countries constitution. It is for that reason it is not hard to believe why Senator Boisvenu statements insulted millions of Canadians and provoked a re-opening of the capital punishment penalty in Canada. In my opinion his comments were indecent and surprising especially when considering how pro-life (fiscal conservatives) tend to be. His statement is selective, extremely bias, and more concerning lacks basic human empathy and compassion that I always thought separated Canadians from other nations throughout the world.

We need to remember the purpose of our criminal justice prison system. It is to re-rehabilitate criminals not to be place to send them to rot, die and be forgotten about. So what if our prison system is overcrowded and it cost millions of dollars. I didn’t realize our “integrity, and ethical values” could be equated into a dollar value. We need to invest in alternative measures of deterrence of criminal activities, education, after school programs, parks, family support programs these are all programs that are worthy of our tax dollars.  I mean I just read in the January 16th, 2012 edition of Maclean’s Magazine that the Canadian Federal Government through ACOA gave a Halifax promoter $140K + to bring Snoop Dogg to Nova Scotia in 2010. I am sure that concert was a very positive uplifting event, encouraging thousands of youth in attendance to read stay in school and not to do drugs.

It is important to note that this is not just about my ideas over another’s it is much deeper than that. This is about the fabric of our nation’s integrity and values concerning crime and punishment. Jogging my mind and political science background for reference and justification of my statements I look back to one of the world’s most renewed scholars Michel Foucault, in his work Discipline & Punish he accounts and suggest the reason why we don’t allow prisoners to kill themselves is because in the modern society it is actually an exercise of the power of the state over the imprisoned person. It is the state and the law which is to decide who will live and who will die.

Disciplinary punishment gives "professionals" (psychologists, programme facilitators, parole officers, etc.) power over the prisoner, most notably in that the prisoner's length of stay depends on the professionals' judgment. Foucault goes on to argue that Disciplinary punishment leads to self-policing by the populace as opposed to brutal displays of authority from the Monarchical period. - Discipline and Punish, (1977)

Fortunately in Canada we don’t have a capital punishment system so that decision doesn’t have to be made within our judicial system. However if we were to back-door and allow this power and control that we have given the state, and hand it over to prisoners it would actually be a weakening of our state power and control, which would actually be the complete opposite reason as to why Canadians in 2011 voted for a “strong majority conservative government”, therefore it would be truly unwise for any legislative body, politician, senator or person who believes in our representative democracy, and constitution to ever seriously take this idea into consideration let alone overtly suggest that it would be a good idea.

I agree there is plenty of room for improvement on how we deal with matters of social justice, I have no problem with being tough on crime, or bringing these issues to debate in the House of Commons. If we as a country want to allow prisoners the option to  start hanging themselves so be it. However I am afraid it would say a lot more about us as a society and how barbaric, out of touch and backwards we could become. 

I think Senator Pierr-Hugues Boisvenu is a great Canadian. He has helped make many communities, families and individuals safer by bringing awareness and support to those affected by terrible crimes through MMPFA. The fact is his personal opinions and hurt cannot  overshadow our Canadian values, his statements  only brings further credibility concerns as to why the Conservative lead Omnibus Crime Bill is not a good idea for the nation, it is littered with emotional ideology that does not represent the majority of the nation. We should not make decisions based on irrational negative emotions instead I suggest that we make decisions using our better judgment, intellect and wisdom. We have a choice, and I choose love and compassion over hatred and fear.

Relationships, Stress & Perseverance

"Trust your gut, take care of yourself, and remember if your not mentally strong and in a good place, either is your business and your ability to grow. " 

This is an introduction to a 3 part blog posting that will focus on Relationships, Stress, and Perseverance. I will attempt to show how understanding these three things are crucial to developing a successful business venture. I will use examples reflecting on my own personal experience, I'm living it, this is as authentic as it gets.

Relationships (Part 1)

In the first post I will focus and look at relationships such as family, personal, business, and  those that are simply just to complicated to even explain. These relationships can cloud your vision, and severely hinder your mental health. In the last year I have learned that "managing" these relationships are a fundamental pillar and the most important thing any young entrepreneur or aspiring young professional can do. I have made many mistakes, but I  have also learned from each one.  I thought sharing this knowledge would go a long way to help others avoid some unnecessary avoidable problems.

Stress (Part 2)

The second post will look at Stress! This includes financial, personal, mental and physical stress that comes from every day life being on your own. It is one of  the most destructive forces that I know. It's not so much the physical aliments associated with it, but more so the mental. If you are stressed you will have a negative outlook, you will have doubt, you will loose your vision, and more than likely you will damage if not permanently loose some very important relationships that mean a lot to you.            

Perseverance (Part 3)

My third and last post will talk about Perseverance. When I finished university I got the word "Perseverance" inscribed on the inside of my graduation ring.  It is such a powerful word because it describes a powerful characteristic, the ability to withstand discouragement and difficulties holding true to your beliefs. For an entrepreneur this is everything, if you don't believe in what you are doing no one else will. Quitting is not an option; restructure, re-build, keep going, never stop believing in you. Some people might call you cocky, don't worry about that,  its just confidence and unfortunately  a lot of people lack it.

"Success is a lifestyle and mental state, not something that can be attained."

Recapping The Past & Moving Forward

Finally, my first real post. 

When I set this website up 3 years ago its original and sole purpose was to serve as my campaign website for the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) Election’s in 2008.Since that time my life has changed significantly so now this site is going to be a simple blog that will focus on Entrepreneurship, Politics and Business.

An Early Start

I was 23 years old straight out of university and working for the bank when I first decided to run. I had big ideas, huge goals, and large ambitions; probably inspired by all the progressive higher learning I was doing at Mount Allison University. Deep down I knew I had to run at a young age because that experience would help me in the long run in the future. I also wanted to give back to the community that helped raise me. Coming back from school I witnessed a city that was once very proud and united, divided and not confident. Something needed to be done, someone had to step up,  so I did. Ex. (I wanted to talk about things like Re-investing in youth recreational programs, and development  not about "cat bi-laws" and "decaying buildings.") It was never about my ego, just common sense.

So on September 7th, 2008 I announced I was going to run for District 12 Halifax Downtown. Over the following 6 weeks I worked full-time, knocked on thousands of doors and spoke with hundreds of people. I was 6”1, 235 fresh off the football field, no longer chasing CIS running backs, but instead now I was chasing after votes. I really believed in what our team was doing, and they believed in me too. It was a lot of fun and we learned about many peoples stories, that experience will be shared by us all for the rest of our lives.

Trying My Best

Although I lost the election I continued in my quest to do my part to positively contribute to the city. Therefore I took on significant responsibilities with open arms. I volunteered, coaching high school football. Served on the HRM School Advisory Council, working with education administers and policy analyst on best practices and strategies. I started a corporation in the financial service industry saving my clients thousands of dollars in interest charges. I worked on non-profit community engagement projects,  and even  started a technology joint venture that won the best “big idea” award for the entire province of Nova Scotia. With all my energy I networked and dove deep inside the depths of the political bureaucracy and private business sectors that run the Atlantic Canadian region.

I think looking back my ambitions where a little to large and threatening for some. Maybe that's what happens when you put up 500 signs in the downtown core, and the following spring your companies advertisements is on the radio. Even though I invested my heart, money, business, and time into the city. The cultural, political, and economic policy that was in place would allow me to go so far. I remember being told by a well respected business man after a meeting  in my office "In  5 years, your going to be very dangerous ". Take that statement how you want and in three years I guess will find out, however the bottom line is my intentions where always good.

Moving Forward

Currently I have expanded my presence beyond Atlantic Canada in order to ensure my business can succeed. The fact is market realities, the political climate, and economic conditions left me without a choice but to grow beyond the east coast. I am now back home in Toronto, Ontario the place I was born.  The experience of living, studying, and doing business in the Maritimes  has defiantly prepared me for the new challenges I will face building in Central Canada.  I now have  renewed energy, focus, and determination to start building and growing again. I have lot of people to thank for believing in the best of me, no way I could still be going if it wasn't wasn't for your help, encouragement, trust and support. You all know who you are, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning. - Benjamin Franklin

Citizens For Halifax Candidates Survey

Written By Downey Campaign Official Agent , for Citizens For Halifax

The following survey was completed October 2008  for Halifax Regional Municipal Election (HRM). The organization responsible for this survey is called Citizens For Halifax. It is an independent grassroots society that was  built to promote change and progressive ideas within the HRM; they plan on doing this by encouraging and engaging the community to be active,  within the democratic process. Citizens for Halifax encourages and supports candidates for civic office. They advocate intelligent, thoughtful, fiscally responsible civic government. Their core goal as an organization is to enhance the progress of the HRM with a bold vision for a more prosperous city of the future.

Jerome Downey Survey Response

1. 'The division of the municipality into two units with smaller councils to better serve the rural and urban communities more effectively and efficiently.' Select 'Yes' if you support dividing the municipality in this manner, or 'No' if you oppose the division.  Yes. Efficiency and responsive government is a must within municipal government. It's not about dividing more so then creating continuity and better government. Within are urban core the issues which we have must be addressed faster and resources must be allocated better. I will stand up and support cooperative measures to do what is in the best interest of the residence my constituency. Making sure that before any collective action is taken proper steps and action plans are provided that will make for a smooth transition.

2. 'Tax reform that more closely aligns taxes with the actual cost of services delivered.'Select 'Yes' if you support reforming taxes in this manner, or select 'No' if you oppose. Yes. People deserve and want what they pay for. And as a municipality you could argue that many of our residence in Halifax-Downtown are being short changed. I simply will work to make sure more resources are allocated to improve the quality and quantity of services for the residence of District 12. I would do what the people of Halifax want us to do in city hall, and that get results and give them their monies worth. Some things just a thought would be. * A new pool and water park on the commons. * Public ice skating park. * A new all purpose field on wanders grounds. * Enhanced recreation facilities and service.

3. 'More aggressive development of the Arts and Culture sector by committing a minimum of 1% of the annual municipal budget to this sector.' Select 'Yes' if you support committing a minimum of 1% of the annual municipal budget to the Arts and Culture sector, or 'No' if you oppose.  Yes. I support investing in Arts and Culture. I would work to improve the quality of places where we can display our creative talents. For example I will encourage the creation of an amphitheater in Point Pleasant Park, so that people can enjoy plays such as Shakespeare by the sea or our great NS Symphony without sitting on the wet grass. Its hard to commit when their are so many variables. Government must be flexible and react, however it is a great first step.

4. 'The creation of the position of Chief Sustainability Officer with the necessary authority and budget to ensure Halifax becomes the most sustainable city in Canada by 2020.' Select 'Yes' if you support creating the position of Chief Sustainability Officer as described in this statement, or 'No' if you oppose. No. I support anything that is going to make things more efficient and effective. I would suggest better vision and leadership within, making logical choices. More then more government. Maybe investing in our city planing department and direction would be something to look at. However making sure our city is sustainable is a must. I don't oppose this suggestion but I would review and need to look at the pros and cons much more before making a full decision.

5. 'The development of an integrated intercultural strategy to attract and retain immigrants and to better support disadvantaged groups within our community.' Select 'Yes' if you support developing an integrated intercultural strategy to attract and retain immigrants, and to better support disadvantaged groups within our community, or select 'No' if you oppose.  Yes. Lets not talk about it lets do it, district 12 is the most diverse in HRM. Lets break down the road blocks and invisible barriers and start coming together, working together to make this sad reality a thing of the pass. I will be a leader in bring this issue to the table and working towards improving the current situation.

6. 'The creation of a transportation authority to develop and implement a long-term comprehensive transportation strategy that integrates all modes of transportation.' Select 'Yes' if you support creating a transportation authority as described in this statement, or 'No' if you oppose. Yes. This needs to happen, and I will support this by working with the transportation authority to encourage and improve the quality of our services. Park and Ride needs to be better utilized.

7. 'The adoption of a more transparent and streamlined development process as proposed by the HRM by Design initiative.' Do you support or oppose adopting a more transparent and streamlined development process in this manner? Yes. We need a definitive document and concrete action plan to make this possible. Other wise it is one big dream.... I will work to make sure this happens, and everyone has a seat at the table so that it will reflect the diversity and vision of where we want to go as a city.

Divisive Development

Written by Victoria Goodday, Editorial Intern at Corporate Knights

The A. Murray MacKay Bridge looms behind local politician Jerome Downey; a small memorial is all that marks the community destroyed for its construction.

Photo by Paul Trussler

Halifax, Nova Scotia, is a small port city rich in Maritime history and down-home hospitality. Known for its hard-partying students and sailors, the city’s lively cultural scene has earned it the nickname of “the New Orleans of the East”. The similarities between the two cities don’t stop there. Like New Orleans, Halifax has an urban core characterized by a sharp racial divide and a population plagued by racial tension.

A history tainted by discriminatory policy decisions has left Nova Scotia’s capital fighting to achieve an inclusive society. Home to the largest proportion of Canadian-born blacks in the country, its racially disparate downtown and isolated black neighborhoods challenge Canada’s “cultural mosaic” moniker.

Cross Cogswell Street headed north, and you’ll find a neighborhood in decay: boarded-up storefronts, dilapidated homes, garbage-littered streets, services for the homeless and drug-addled. Mixed up in this wounded economic climate is a historic black community.

Cut to the downtown South End: grand estates and tree-lined roads, universities and a world-class public park; a haven for affluent families – almost uniformly Caucasian.

“It’s just a ‘we and they’ kind of mental attitude,” says Halifax’s Irvine Carvery (arguably the black community’s most influential leader) of the black and white populations.

The municipality’s concentrated ethno-cultural enclaves are shocking reminders of the racial inequities that still exist in our urban centres. The outskirt community of Preston is the archetype: 69.4% of its population is black, versus only 3.6% of Halifax overall. These silos risk isolation amid greater diversity – wasting the creative and economic potential of their members and posing barriers to inclusive, equitable urban democracies. The North End’s Jerome Downey can testify to this reality.

“They’re not in the equation,” he says of black Haligonians. “So many of my friends and peers have left because of opportunities that are not present. …It can be healthy to have a tight-knit community, but the problems begin when that community is both secluded and excluded.”

A graduate of Mount Allison University’s political studies program and city council candidate at only 23, Downey is the personification of potential home-grown in the North End. He, too, draws comparison to the racially asymmetrical cores of so many American cities, dubbing Halifax the “South of Canada”.

So why is this otherwise innovative city – a national leader in green initiatives – lagging in pursuit of social assimilation? The answer is in the history books.

Photo by Paul Trussler

In the late 1960s, Nova Scotia’s black community experienced what has been called one of the most severe episodes of racism in Canadian history.

Throughout most of the 19th and 20th centuries, the province boasted the largest indigenous black population in the country. Still without basic civil rights, unequal opportunities forced most African Nova Scotians to remain in segregated communities. Africville, a settlement on Halifax Peninsula’s northern shore, was the epitome of the tight-knit, all-black colony of the time. Established in the early 1800s, it served as a private oasis; a self-sufficient community where its 400-odd members could live in peace.

But the 20th century brought big growth for the small city – and big injustices to the residents of Africville. The area became a haven for unwanted industry – dumps, factories, slaughterhouses – and Africvillians were subjected to toxic waste and emissions. Their prime waterfront location grew increasingly attractive to developers and, in what some call Africville’s plotted demise, the City denied them basic services and utilities and even refused to help reconstruct their homes after the Halifax Explosion.

Finally, in 1964, the local government made its move. Africville was bulldozed in favour of urban expansion; its voiceless residents warehoused in public housing.

“Put it this way – people owned property, had a livelihood, had a community destroyed,” says Downey.

This case of urban development out-valuing ethnic heritage is not unique to Haligonian history. Hogan’s Alley of Vancouver was a historic black neighborhood sacrificed for an 8-lane freeway in the 1960’s; Toronto’s original Chinatown was a long-standing Asian community razed for the construction of a new City Hall and civic square in the late 1950’s.

The majority of former Africville residents were relocated to Uniacke Square, a 184-unit housing project just north of the heart of downtown – a move the City hoped would “modernize” the black Haligonians. Instead, it proved only to perpetuate their isolation.

Downey blames the city of unequal treatment - including poor garbage removal in the Square.

Forty years later, the Square’s residents are still mostly black. In a situation frighteningly similar to Africville’s, “Squaretown” has been ghettoized by the pressures preventing its people from leaving: a lack of affordable housing options, poor employment opportunities (unemployment pushes 60%), and persistent stigmatization.

“There’s a lot of pride, it’s a community – but it’s demonized,” Downey says of the notorious housing project.

The area’s tarnished reputation soon led to an exodus of businesses. Banks, movie theatres, a post office, and a department store were among the services that vanished from the scene, taking employment and accessibility with them.

The last grocery store in the area closed its doors in 1987. Now, with no affordable food in walking distance, car-less residents are forced to shop at smaller, more expensive convenience stores or hire taxis. In the South End, chain grocery stores are almost obscenely abundant: at downtown’s Barrington and Queen, two are only one block apart.

A stagnant business climate, however, doesn’t necessarily mean a lack of development.

“[The North End] is being redeveloped residentially at a much quicker pace than any commercial developments,” Carvery explains. “Now, the big area of concern is affordable housing.” A man of many hats, Carvery is a member of the Metro Authority on Housing and a voice to the Square’s troubled residents.

“The residential developments are way out of the income range of the people who have lived here for generations. The ability for them to move out of public housing and into rental situations is now gone.”

Like Africville, Uniacke Square is finding itself amidst rapid urban renewal. The decaying yet centrally-located neighborhood has developers drooling and a wave of gentrification is moving northward, threatening redevelopment of the Square. The nearby Ocean Towers are obvious examples: two high-rises recently given facelifts, the subsequent hikes in rent landing many of their low-income tenants out on the streets.

Lacking both ownership of their homes and affordable options for new housing, the Square’s residents feel powerless.

“Now, there’s talk about the second Africville,” says Downey. “I don’t feel that needs to happen.”

Halifax Regional Municipality Mayor Peter Kelly recognizes the urgency of supporting the city’s downtown black community.

“We can never forget what has transpired and we have to ensure that it never happens again,” he says.

In an effort to avoid past mistakes, council has made social inclusion a priority. “We have to work as an inclusive community and have to be open to change and reflective of the needs not only for one community, but of all communities,” says Kelly. “Our goal as a council is to ensure that every community within the HRM is strong, and we work towards that goal each day.”

This focus on strengthening individual communities has meant a large part of the government’s efforts is directed at making change from within the black community itself. The City actively seeks out African Nova Scotians as job candidates and works with many key players – community groups, housing authorities, the police force, and local businesses – to help support its black citizens.

But both Carvery and Downey say that non-black citizens need to be more involved. Carvery points to the lack of participation of white Haligonians in “culturally sensitive” events such as those put on by the Black Cultural Centre or the Africville Genealogy Society. To broaden awareness of African Nova Scotian issues, he stresses the importance of a wholly-integrative approach involving citizens from all ends of the city.

“That inclusiveness has to start in schools, because children are going to become adults. We’ve got to start with our education system and we need to sensitize the population a little bit more around it’s not a ‘we-they’ kind of thing.”

Downey feels strongly that this change in attitude must begin with the municipal government. His grandfather, Graham Downey, was Halifax’s first and only black city councilor, serving for 24 years. Now, many blame the all-white city council line-up for disconnect between the State and its people.

“It’s kind of shocking. A lot of issues that need to be addressed in the Northern end of downtown are not,” says Downey. “Before anything can change, you need to change the attitude of the council. But that’s difficult when you have people that don’t understand the complexity of the issues.”

Spurred by this feeling of neglect, Downey ran for city council in last fall’s municipal election. Currently, two of the municipality’s most heavily populated black communities share ridings with “white” neighborhoods – Downey’s downtown district 12 was one of them. In a pattern familiar to the black community, he swept the North End but fell short overall.

Carvery puts the onus on the parties to ensure adequate representation in these heterogeneous districts. “Representation is of the utmost importance,” he emphasizes. “A voice of authenticity at that level of decision-making would go a long way. Until the political parties have the will power within themselves to ensure that their representative is of African descent, we still are going to be unrepresented in the House.”

Though set back by past failures, the city is showing signs of progress towards a more unified urban core. Much of this change is coming from within the isolated community itself: dynamic black leaders stepping up to the plate.

Successes like Square-born R&B artist Jordan Croucher and Preston’s booming gospel music scene are helping to shed the regions’ no-good stigma. Local hero Mickey MacDonald has turned an abandoned North End theatre into Palooka’s Boxing Club, a safe-haven for inner-city youth. And this year, the Halifax Regional School Board elected Irvine Carvery as its chair, marking a milestone in African Nova Scotian history.

Like their predecessors, Halifax’s post-civil rights black citizens are up against the agenda of urban development. But this time around, they are determined to stand their ground. The city has an opportunity to show it has learned from past mistakes, and its black community is proving that it is as much a part of this mission as any developer or government representative.

“Our ideas and values and virtues are more important than the color of our skin,” says Downey. Already gunning for Mayor Kelly’s post, he foreshadows another, more hopeful connection to American society. “How do you think Barack Obama is the president of the United States?”

Halifax Downtown Four-Way Race

Written by Tim Bousquet, News Editor at The Coast

The downtown Halifax council election heats up in District 12, with the incumbent facing the young scion of an old political family, a student and an environmental consultant.

For local politics, downtown Halifax is the place to be this year.

In the battle for media attention, Halifax elections lag behind coverage of the American and Canadian federal elections, and what press coverage locals do get is mostly focused on the mayoral race between Peter Kelly and Sheila Fougere. But the most dynamic and interesting local election is arguably the council contest for District 12.

That four-way race pits incumbent Dawn Sloane against Jerome Downey, James Stuewe and Cameron Ells. Sloane is a singular presence on council, both lauded and criticized for her outspoken, take-no-shit style. Downey is an account executive and grandson of Graham Downey, the long-serving African-Nova Scotian councillor who represented the north end in the old city of Halifax and into the amalgamated HRM. Stuewe is a university student who comes from the ambitious young professional networking scene. Ells is an environmental consultant.

Those varied personalities are vying to represent a similarly varied constituency. Bounded by North, Robie and South streets and the Halifax Harbour, District 12 contains the working class neighbourhoods of the north end, the urban chic condo district around Bishop's Landing and the historic Schmidtville, an increasingly vocal community of professionals.

Of late, the highest profile and most contentious issues in the district have revolved around development of high rises, which Sloane has generally opposed. But in interviews, each of the candidates speaks of a broader range of issues, from violence to community parks to transit. And while they are reluctant to directly criticize each other, each insists he or she is the best person for the job of representing District 12.

Jerome Downey
"Making the decision to run for council---to be honest, it was something I've planned my entire life," says Downey. "I grew up in a political family, it was what I was raised on. I can remember tossing a ball and walking through the hallways of City Hall."

Downey went to Mount Allison University on a scholarship, and now works as an account executive at a financial institution downtown.

When he gets elected, he says, "the first thing I'll do is clean up our streets." He underscores quality-of-life issues---replacing parks that have been removed, providing better lighting, more trees, etc. He'll use his council seat as a bully pulpit to oppose school closures in the neighbourhood.

Gottingen Street has been ignored and "is nothing more than an exit ramp to the Macdonald Bridge," says Downey. "Ultimately, my goal is that when you come off the Macdonald Bridge, I don't want you to know which end of Halifax you're in. It's about addressing the issues and helping the people who need help the most."

"It's the 21st century," Downey says when asked about development issues. "I'm pro-development, but I'm not just about chucking high-rises up just to have them, they have to be cohesive. But you can't disagree with a development just because it doesn't make you feel good. It's not about you, it's about what's better for the city."

Downey offers that he is "saddened" that the Midtown development didn't get council approval and considers Purdy's Wharf "the most beautiful building in Canada."

Downey Seeks Downtown Halifax Seat

Left: Jerome L. Downey, Right: Graham L. Downey

Jerome Downey, grandson of long-time Halifax city councillor Graham Downey, announced he'll be running for office in this year's municipal election. He'll be vying for the Halifax-Downtown seat.

"I am looking forward to the opportunity to represent and make the progressive changes Halifax-Downtown residents, visitors and business owners desperately desire," says Downey. "I'm working to make sure our best interests as a community are being addressed and heard in city council. My platform is based on rejuvenation and a change of attitude and actions in city hall. We need to enhance our community's vibrancy, protect our local economy and make our streets safer."

Downey was raised and continues to reside in downtown Halifax. He graduated from St. Patrick's High School and is a graduate of Mount Allison University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Currently, he is an account executive with a major financial institution in Halifax.