In 2019 Geoff Krauter stepped into politics when he ran as the federal NDP candidate in Perth-Wellington. Now, he is stepping back into the spotlight to run for a spot on Stratford city council.
Krauter was born with cerebral palsy. Speaking with StratfordToday, Krauter explained that while it has affected his motor skills and mobility, it hasn’t stopped him from getting involved. Furthermore, Krauter said that the skills he has fostered make him an ideal candidate.
Krauter has always been passionate about community service. He has served on the board of the Huron Perth Legal Clinic, Stratford’s Energy and Environment Advisory Committee, and has served two years on Stratford’s Accessibility Advisory Committee.
He is also the past president of the Rotaract Club of Stratford, a collection of young people that are devoted to doing good in the community. As he explained, that has given him ‘invaluable insight’ into some of the priorities of the younger generation.
As he runs for municipal office, Krauter has many issues on his mind, many of them ambitious, but he wants the city to aspire to new heights.
“We often hear about things that we can't accomplish,” Krauter said. “But we can be bold and take the lead on things. We can try out some innovative programs.”
Krauter wants Stratford to look to the success of other municipalities with a community benefits approach when it comes to housing. He wants council to get affordable housing built that is rent-geared-to-income or non-market housing.
Other top priorities are climate change and healthcare. Krauter wants to see city council address climate change by putting enhanced development standards in the Official Plan. He also wants the City of Stratford to take a proactive role in protecting public health against ‘looming privatization,’ as he put it.
Krauter believes that the issue of transparency is a two-fold problem. Not only is it a problem in and of itself, but it distracts from other pressing issues facing the city. There are procedural changes he wants to make to address the issue of transparency, such as looking at the provision of a standing in-camera session prior to every meeting.
“I think the city has made some strides in the last year and a half in terms of making things more accessible online,” Krauter said. “There's a lot of work that still needs to be done in order to restore that trust … the public are owed a seat at the table.”
For more information on Krauter, visit here.
A full list of candidates is available here. Voting runs from Oct. 14-24 of this year. Stratford citizens can cast their ballots online or over the phone.
