Candidate: Ainsley Naylor

Who are you?
I am an east coast import, a singer, a crafter, an activist, a bike punk. I am passionate about many things including building community, food politics, poverty issues, cycling, and queer politics. I have spent many years working with various activist groups, was a member of the HaliRads, and have done a great deal of cooking and organizing with Food Not Bombs in Halifax and Toronto.

Why are you running?
I grew up just outside of the "largest" city in the Maritimes. A place where you can swim in any of hundreds of lakes, but the city's raw sewage flows directly into the harbour. A place where they have one of the country's first and best recycling programs but all the people drive everywhere. I learned a lot about how the world works living in Halifax, and have learned even more since moving to Toronto. We need to rid ourselves of the self-righteous attitude that is taking over most of North America and work for everyone – our friends, our neighbours, our communities – including those that are generally left behind. I specifically want to take action in Toronto to improve our waste-management and demanding zero waste by 2020, and to also improve our quickly deteriorating Bike Plan.

What should a City Councillor be?
I believe that we need to take action to make our city's/cities' politics accessible. The people who represent us should be real people who live in this city with us; people who understand the ways in which this city works and the ways in which it doesn't. A city councilor should be proud of her city, but also be able to see the potential for change and improvement.

Anything else?
I am always willing to listen. I knit like a fiend. I make a wicked vegan banana bread.

We need new leaders.