A primary role of the Regional Councillor is to support the vision of the City/Region, support the agreed to Council priorities while representing the interests of local Ward constituents. Being a Regional Councillor requires tact, diplomacy, leadership and negotiation skills.
It also requires balance. On one hand, Regional Councillors are elected by theirconstituents to represent their views when dealing with issues that come before council. Your constituents have many views and opinions, and you cannot represent all of them, all of the time.
On the other hand, election to office requires a broader understanding of the issues that impact the municipality/region as a whole. Conflicting interests have to be considered and decisions have to be made that will not be popular with everyone. Generally, evidence-based decisions are made by taking into account all available information in a transparent process. Balancing regional, municipal and constituent priorities is critical in achieving One Planet Living.
Culture and Community
Climate change represents a significant threat that can only be addressed through collective action. When it comes to environmental issues, we truly are all in this together. Council can impact residents’ opinions about the importance of environmental sustainability by relating them to different cultures and backgrounds and providing concrete actions we all can take that will give them hope as we collectively deal with the climate crisis.
Question: How well do you understand and support the City’s 2040 vision document?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Tamara Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I’m intimately familiar and support it | ||||||
| I’ve read it. It is a good aspirational goal | ||||||
| I know about it and don’t have strong opinions either way | ||||||
| I think it is time for a new vision for the City | ||||||
| I’m not familiar with it but would like to learn more | ||||||
| I don’t think Vision 2040 is a priority for Council |
Question: If elected what would be your top three priorities to help the City maintain focus on achieving the 2040 Vision?
| Mansoor Ameersulthan | |
| Babita Gupta | |
| Azhar Hussain | |
| Gurpreet Pabla | |
| Michael Palleschi | |
| Keba Thomas |
Land & Nature
Efficient use of land is one of the most important ways that municipalities can protect and restore land for the benefit of people and wildlife. Higher building densities means more land can be preserved for nature protection and recreational activities. Higher density also provides larger tax revenues per hectare and reduces the per unit costs associated with infrastructure, servicing and maintenance.
Question: How important is it to maintain Peel Region’s pre-2022 settlement boundary until at least 2050 to encourage infill development?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very important | ||||||
| Somewhat important | ||||||
| Neutral importance | ||||||
| Somewhat unimportant | ||||||
| Not at all important |
Question: How important is it to change zoning to encourage medium density, mixed-use development projects both in new and existing subdivisions to create complete communities that support small retail, transit and active transportation.
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very important | ||||||
| Somewhat important | ||||||
| Neutral importance | ||||||
| Somewhat unimportant | ||||||
| Not at all important |
Question: How do you think Brampton should grow as a City? How would you prioritize the following types of development?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family homes | ||||||
| Rental/Condo Towers | ||||||
| Townhouses | ||||||
| Mixed use subdivision | ||||||
| Social/affordable housing | ||||||
| Mid-rise medium density housing |
Question: How important is it to reduce environmental racism and classism by removing zoning and other obstacles that tend to limit less-expensive housing forms to noisier, more polluted places, or that make it illegal, impractical or too expensive in many neighborhoods to build non-profit, affordable, supportive and other ‘social’ housing.
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very important | ||||||
| Somewhat important | ||||||
| Neutral importance | ||||||
| Somewhat unimportant | ||||||
| Not at all important |
Question: What is the ideal amount of greenspace (hectares per 1,000 persons) that Brampton should aspire to?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .9 | ||||||
| 1.2 | ||||||
| 5.7 | ||||||
| 8.0 |
Question: Do you support the current Heritage Heights Plan including the Boulevard option?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | ||||||
| No | ||||||
| Other |
Question: Do you support the current Grow Green Master Plan?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | ||||||
| No | ||||||
| Other |
Question: Do you support the current Urban Forest Management Plan?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | ||||||
| No | ||||||
| Other |
Question: Do you support the continuation of trail building in Claireville Conservation Area?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | ||||||
| No | ||||||
| Other |
Question: Parks in Brampton play an important role in protecting habitat, reducing climate impacts, reducing stormwater runoff and helping people to preserve mental and physical health by connecting to nearby nature. Will you ensure that the parks department has the budget they need to maintain and help improve the quality of parks and related programming in the city of Brampton?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | ||||||
| No | ||||||
| Other |
Travel and Transport
A 2018 energy audit reports that 60% of the City’s carbon emissions is from transportation with over 80% of that coming from personal automobiles. A 2013 TDM study indicates that the Region cannot build sufficient road space to accommodate the growth in car traffic by 2040 if current mode share patterns persist.
Question: Do you support the current Active Transportation Master Plan?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | ||||||
| No | ||||||
| Other |
Question: Do you support extending the Hurontario LRT to the Brampton downtown GO station and points further north?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | ||||||
| No | ||||||
| Other |
Question: Do you support the expansion of Zum BRT lines in the City?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | ||||||
| No | ||||||
| Other |
Question: Would you continue with the six lane moratorium on Brampton roads to maintain accessibility?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | ||||||
| No | ||||||
| Other |
Question: What other approaches would you support to reduce traffic congestion in the city and improve accessibility and road safety especially for vulnerable road users?
| Mansoor Ameersulthan | |
| Babita Gupta | |
| Azhar Hussain | |
| Gurpreet Pabla | |
| Michael Palleschi | |
| Keba Thomas |
Heath & Happiness
The physical health of our community has been in decline in recent decades due in large part to sedentary lifestyles. Mental health is also affected by people not feeling a sense of connectedness to their community. These problems are particularly acute in youth and young adults.
Complete communities that are walkable, bikeable and have links to public transit tend to have much higher rates of physical activity than communities that are considered to be “car-centric”. Higher rates of physical activity also contributes to better mental health outcomes.
Question: How important is it for Brampton to prioritize building complete communities where the majority of amenities are within a 15 minute walk?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very important | ||||||
| Somewhat important | ||||||
| Neutral importance | ||||||
| Somewhat unimportant | ||||||
| Not at all important |
Question: If elected, what would you do to encourage the development of complete communities and to retrofit existing neighbourhoods to become less car-oriented?
| Mansoor Ameersulthan | |
| Babita Gupta | |
| Azhar Hussain | |
| Gurpreet Pabla | |
| Michael Palleschi | |
| Keba Thomas |
Question: Brampton has a growing rat problem. At present the region pays 250.00 for residents to hire an exterminator to “get rid of the rats”. This has proven to be temporary and ineffective. What measures do you propose to address this urban problem that will restore eco-system balance with rat/natural predator populations?
| Mansoor Ameersulthan | |
| Babita Gupta | |
| Azhar Hussain | |
| Gurpreet Pabla | |
| Michael Palleschi | |
| Keba Thomas |
Zero Carbon Energy
Mitigating the climate change risk means reducing fossil fuel consumption as quickly as practicable. City infrastructure consumes a lot of energy and cities can be amongst the leaders in implementing energy conservation and fuel switching programs.
Question: In 2022, Brampton Council approved the CCET, Centre for Community Energy Transformation, a not-for-profit corporation to help Brampton implement its Community Energy and Emissions Reduction Plan and Peel Region meet its carbon emissions reductions targets. The City provides partial funding. Would you continue to support the CCET if elected?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | ||||||
| No | ||||||
| Other |
Question: In September 2020 Brampton Council endorsed the Community Energy and Emissions Reduction Plan (CEERP) to, improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create economic advantage, ensure energy security, and increase Brampton’s resilience to climate change. Would you support the continued implementation of the CEERP and the achievement of its GHG reduction targets?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | ||||||
| No | ||||||
| Other |
Question: Will you support the phase-out of gas-powered electricity in Ontario, ask the province to supply renewable energy to municipalities, and oppose the re-contracting of the Goreway gas-fired power plant, the largest greenhouse gas emitter in Brampton and the third largest emitter of nitrogen oxides?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | ||||||
| No | ||||||
| Other |
Sustainable Water
Brampton has parts of three watersheds within its boundaries including the Credit and Humber Rivers as well as the Etobicoke Creek. These watersheds provide significant eco-system services including temperature moderation, storm-water management and recreational opportunities. The City is responsible for co-managing these resources with the Conservation Authorities.
Question: Water quality in our watersheds has been declining in recent decades due to pressures of development including, low levels of natural cover as well as increased imperviable land cover causing sediment, road salt and other toxic runoff. How important is it that watershed water quality be maintained or improved even if it means altering development plans adjacent to or near watershed areas?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very important | ||||||
| Somewhat important | ||||||
| Neutral importance | ||||||
| Somewhat unimportant | ||||||
| Not at all important |
Equity & the Local Economy, Materials & Products, Zero Waste:
If everybody lived the way that North Americans do, it would take five planet’s worth of resources. We have only one planet. We must use resources more efficiently if we are to sustain our living standards and allow others to improve their lot. Cities consume significant materials and products. How they are procured and used can have a big impact on the City’s local economy as well as on its sustainability.
Question: How important is it for the city’s procurement process to favour local manufacturers, fair trade or ethically sourced products, and encouraging the circular economy?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very important | ||||||
| Somewhat important | ||||||
| Neutral importance | ||||||
| Somewhat unimportant | ||||||
| Not at all important |
Question: How important is it for the City to encourage residents’ waste reduction practices by installing waste separation bins in all city facilities and parks, to work with the Region on waste reduction education and to work with Brampton library on materials repair and reuse, (Repair Cafe)?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very important | ||||||
| Somewhat important | ||||||
| Neutral importance | ||||||
| Somewhat unimportant | ||||||
| Not at all important |
Question: What other things would you support to reduce waste and support equity in the local economy?
| Mansoor Ameersulthan | |
| Babita Gupta | |
| Azhar Hussain | |
| Gurpreet Pabla | |
| Michael Palleschi | |
| Keba Thomas |
Local and Sustainable Food
Ontario is a net food importer, importing annually about $10 billion more than it exports, (ERL et al., 2014). Local food security is threatened by loss of farmland due to development and increased cost of imported food due to political uncertainty and climate change.
Question: How important is it for Brampton to have a food security strategy and a plan to provide more locally grown food through projects like urban agriculture and agricultural land reserves?
| Responses | Mansoor Ameersulthan | Babita Gupta | Azhar Hussain | Gurpreet Pabla | Michael Palleschi | Keba Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very important | ||||||
| Somewhat important | ||||||
| Neutral importance | ||||||
| Somewhat unimportant | ||||||
| Not at all important |