Bruce Whitaker

Born on a ranch in Southern Alberta, I quickly came to realize how important community was. When a neighbour’s cow went missing, we all jumped in until we found it even in the most frigid conditions. Today, community is just as important and requires all of our attention. Our children face an increasingly complex world. More than ever, they need our understanding, attention and support.

I got involved with inner city youth in the Parkdale neighbourhood of Toronto over twenty years ago. The mandate of POWER Youth was to mentor disadvantaged youth through sports. The organization continues with several of the kids having visited Stratford, touring farms, canoeing Wildwood Lake, performing on stage, learning to cook and, of course, playing basketball.

In Stratford, my experience from Parkdale came in handy. The voice of youth was not being heard with respect to a new skate park. I quickly got involved, engaged the youth and found a solution. As the adult leader of the park, we continue to advance the park every year. This year we will be creating rain gardens to tackle climate change, next year a new bowl will be built. We evolve in response to the needs of our users. The inner city basketball courts were a natural extension to the skatepark.

My interest in becoming a school trustee is to address some of the shortcomings of our educational system. I truly believe that it takes a village to raise a child and that Stratford needs to become much more engaged. This engagement includes addressing children without lunches, enhanced mental health training for students, teachers and staff, recognition of teach and staff excellence, supporting the arts, sharing job and career opportunities, and ensuring equality in accessing technology.

Please join me in raising up our future! I welcome your support.

1. What will be your unique contribution as school board trustee?

I worked as a senior consultant at Ernst & Young leading project teams of up to 100 team members on performance improvement throughout the USA and Canada. The education system could certainly do with improvement. I also have local experience with youth leading the build of the skatepark and inner-city basketball courts, art club for boys, and being a former Chair of the Stratford Secondary School Parent Council. Board experience also includes the YMCA, the library, the Local Community Food Centre and the Grand Trunk Block.

2. How will you encourage schools in the board to respond to climate change?

Lead by example. This month, I am leading the installation of rain gardens at the Stratford All Wheels Park. Such gardens can be installed anywhere, in any green space. A rain garden contains certain plants that filter out the carbons in the air so that the water reaching the ground is purified. They also retain water which can be used during drought like conditions. The gardens also create the perfect environment for attracting bees and butterflies. I would push for them to be planned for outdoor green spaces at schools.

3. How would you support student lead projects?

I believe that adults have as much to learn from students as students do from adults. Empowerment is key. Students should be encouraged to come up with creative ideas and to be empowered to implement them. As trustee, I would like to hear of ideas for improvement from students enabling me to have some influence on where the ideas go. Perhaps, a more structured monthly idea of the month that could be celebrated school wide and implemented.

4. How would promote a safe and equitable learning environment for LGBTQ+ students?

Key to safety is education and it starts with the teachers and staff. We need to ensure that all teachers and staff believe in and are trained in equity. Once that is achieved, then it is important to understand what the issues are directly from those from the LGBTQ+ community and work collaboratively to create solutions.

5. How would promote a safe and equitable learning environment for BIPOC students?

It starts with celebrating the differences of black and indigenous students. As a community, we can learn much from these students. Perhaps, a month to celebrate each distinct group with an educational component included.

6. How would promote a safe and equitable learning environment for students with learning disabilities?

This is an area where advantaged students can participate by creating a club to help mentor and support students with learning disabilities. By caring for others, students can learn the incredible feeling of achievement through experiencing the growth of others. I suppose it doesn’t have to be limited to students. Maybe a certain day of the week, adults could come together to help mentor students with learning disabilities. We have a talented community, many of whom are retired.

7. How would you support students who are living in poverty and tackle child hunger?

I very much believe in a village contributing to the evolution of every student. The residents of Stratford need to become more involved in the education system. Few realize that 50 students in the high school require lunches. Instead of reaching out for grants from donors outside of our community, we need to engage those within our community to rise up and contribute to a food fund and maybe prepare an extra lunch or two.

8. What is your plan to better politically engage youth in Stratford?

I would like to see City Council and, perhaps trustee meetings be held in schools 1-2 times each year. In other words, bring politics to the students. I also think it would be wise for students to take on a consulting project on how to improve our political system starting with the municipality. The recommendations would be presented to City Council and to the Avon Maitland District School Board with a required response.