HaltonHillsToday is profiling every candidate in the upcoming municipal election. Up next - candidates running for Ward 3 (north Georgetown).
Ward 3 candidate and Georgetown meditation artist Chantal Garneau’s work can be found in the landscape of Halton Hills itself.
In nature trails across the municipality, visitors can find signs with QR codes that trigger an audio recording. Garneau’s voice then leads the listener through a guided meditation in nature.
Unsurprisingly, her campaign planks have a similar, green-oriented theme.
“I care a lot about groundwater, specifically the Credit River and Silver Creek,” Garneau told HaltonHillsToday. The interview was conducted in Berton Boulevard Park where she wanted to show off the nature in her neck of the woods.
“Promoting biodiversity and looking at the gaps in current policies” are some of the ways she hopes to protect local green spaces.
One of her biggest motivations for focusing on the natural environment stems from her desire to get people back to nature, which in turn promotes good mental health. She believes in something called Nature Deficit Disorder, an idea described in the book The Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv.
“The idea that a lot of our mental health challenges, and especially what we're seeing with young people, is from lack of connection to nature-rich environments,” she said.
Her platform calls for the development of nature-rich neighbourhoods that are affordable and inclusive - places where residents can live, work, play, shop and access services.
The long-time Georgetown resident would also like to see increased access to regional services and recreational/social opportunities for youth and seniors.
Last but not least, communication and listening to the residents of Ward 3 are key priorities for the local mother if she secures a seat on council, along with promoting community building and forming relationships.
Garneau has been involved in local politics since the age of 16, when she began actively volunteering with various organizations. She was the first president of Halton Hills Mayor’s Youth Action Committee and helped establish the Halton Regional Youth Action Committee.
Alongside Councillor Jane Fogal, she is one of the founding members of Halton Hills Climate Action. She was also the team lead of the Bird-Friendly Halton Hills certification process, which was achieved, and recently co-founded Halton Hills Nature - a coalition of local environmental organizations.
Her volunteerism extends into the downtown core, where she serves on the Georgetown Farmers' Market board.
