5 | durhamregion.com | This Week | Thursday, December 1, 2022 | Call us at (905) 655-9954 www.hard-co.com 4900 Thickson Road N.,Whitby Call us at (905) 655-9954 Be Ready for Winter… Family Owned And Operated Since 1953Family Owned And Operated Since 1953 733 KINGSTON RD. E. AJAX MON-WED/SAT: 9AM-6pM, THURS/FRI: 9AM-7pM SUN AND HOlIDAyS: 10AM-5pM WHIlE QUANTITIES lAST @macmillanorchards1953 FAMOUS COWBOY STEAKS TRUCKLOAD SALE $29.99 For A 4lb Bag!!! Compare At $39.99-$45.99 HUGE SAVINGS!!! With three fresh faces and a new mayor at the head of the council table, Whitby's present-day municipal council is ready to act on the feedback they heard along the campaign trail. The current council was officially sworn in on Nov. 15, entering council chambers behind a piper, Whitby's town criers and an honour guard from Whitby Fire and Emergency Services. Before councillors took the oath of office, Anishinaabe traditional grandmother and ancestral knowledge keeper Kim Wheatley delivered a traditional welcome. Elizabeth Roy, a former regional councillor, became Whitby's 49th mayor. "In the next four years of council I anticipate challenges, but I also anticipate a lot of opportunities," said Roy. She said the first step will be the establishment of a community strategic plan. "Since the election I have met with each member of council and we have discussed priorities of this community, we discussed opportunities and we also discussed concerns," said the mayor. "Each member shared extensive feedback that they heard at the doors while campaigning." Roy said she's encouraging more town hall meetings and local committee meetings with residents. "I personally plan on engaging more of the community through town halls, newsletters and initiating roundtable discussions that will give concentration to safety, not-for-profits, business advisory, housing needs, seniors, youth, diversity, homelessness and the faith communities," she said. "Health care is a discussion that every member of this council has identified as a key priority. Whitby does have an opportunity for the new Durham hospital ... our next steps as a community and council is to ensure that we receive a planning grant as part of the upcoming provincial budget." She also identified hospice care as a priority and said she wanted to ensure shovels were in the ground by 2023. Whitby council is made up of Mayor Roy; regional councillors Rhonda Mulcahy, Chris Leahy, Steve Yamada and Maleeha Shahid; and town councillors Steve Lee, Matt Cardwell, Niki Lundquist and Victoria Bozinovski. New faces on council include: Lundquist, a human rights and labour lawyer, who previously served as a school board trustee; local business owner Cardwell, who owns the Royal Oaks pubs in Durham; and Bozinovski, who is a commercial real estate broker. After taking their oath, each of the councillors thanked their supporters and several discussed their priorities for residents with affordability for residents being a key topic. Lundquist expressed her discomfort about the oath of office. "Not because of the pecuniary interest or anything else that's in there, the only reservation I have is swearing allegiance to the King," she said. Lundquist added she has not had to swear allegiance to the Crown in any previous position she has held. "It sits uncomfortably, not because I'm not committed to public service, or not because I'm not committed to this council and the work that's before us because I'm entirely committed," she said. "(It's) because I don't believe in speaking out of both sides of my mouth, and I have a very hard time having a land acknowledgment in one breath and swearing allegiance to the Crown in another." She said she will do her best during the term to have the municipal act change to reflect conscientious objectors to swearing allegiance to the Crown. "People should have a choice in the oath that they swear and I was not given a choice, despite my request." This is the 130th council in Whitby since the town was founded in 1855. WHITBY'S NEW COUNCIL READY TO GET DOWN TO BUSINESS Elizabeth Roy took the oath to become the 49th mayor of Whitby on Nov. 15. Elizabeth Roy photo REKA SZEKELY rszekely@durhamregion.com COUNCIL