Congratulations, graduates of O'Donel High!

Here is a copy of my remarks from O'Donel High School's graduation ceremony this evening. Congratulations to the Class of 2007!

Thank you for the invitation to be here. It’s always great to be back at O’Donel… I graduated from here 11 years ago, and I welcome every opportunity to come back and visit.

Four the last four years I have attended the annual graduation ceremony as Mayor of the City. Tonight, for the first time, I am here as the M.H.A. for the District of Mount Pearl North. I also have the distinct pleasure tonight of bringing greetings and extending congratulations to the graduates on behalf of Premier Danny Williams and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Honourable Dave Denine, M.H.A. for Mount Pearl South and the new Minister of Municipal Affairs, asked me to pass along his regrets and best wishes. He’s out of town on government business this evening, and I know he’d be here otherwise.

Tonight is a time to celebrate not only your graduation, but also your memories of O’Donel High, which is definitely one of the best schools in the province.. I know without a doubt that your experience here has positively influenced your growth and development.

Here you found a second home, and the teachers and staff became your second family. And it’s tough to leave your family. But remember, the world does not end at the doors of this school, it begins there.

With your education, the whole wide world is open to you. You never know where that path will lead. But no matter what path you choose, remember: skills and knowledge are the most important factors in securing sustained success. An investment in education is an investment in yourselves and the future of the province. Be part of our province’s prosperity - help build our province’s future!

You may think: but I’m only a high school graduate – how can I affect the future of our province? Remember, everyone was once a high school graduate and many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have gone on to great success. In fact, anywhere you go in the world, you are likely to find a Newfoundlander and Labradorian who is a success story in his or her own field – educators, journalists, entertainers, scientists, military leaders and the list goes on and on.

Here at home, there are thousands of jobs - in new fields like environmental and endangered species protection, or eco-tourism. Jobs in the oil and gas industry are exploding. There are exceptional opportunities are available to graduates with skills in critical trades and technologies.

But no matter what the future has in store for you, never forget where you came from and always be proud of your heritage. The people of our province are known for our strength, endurance, and positive attitude in the face of challenge. I am very proud of that reputation and I am also proud of the spirit that shapes the very character for which Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are known.

While we gather this evening to celebrate your success, it is important to also acknowledge others, who through contributions of one kind or another, share in your accomplishments. You have had the support of many people to bring you to this point in your lives today – your families, friends and teachers. Your Government supports you as well.

This year, our Government will invest more than $1 billion in education in this province. Money is being invested to maintain our teachers, for maintenance of schools, and in relevant new curriculum, like the skilled trades courses for high school. And though as graduates this won’t affect you, in the coming years, your parents will no longer have to purchase high school textbooks for younger brothers and sisters.

Many of you, I am sure, have already headed on to post-secondary education. You will be happy to hear that this province has the lowest tuition in the country outside of Quebec, and one of the best student aid packages in all of Canada. You will enjoy the continuing tuition freeze, and will be the first group of students to access up-front, needs-based grants since the mid 1990’s. In total, Government is spending more than $377 million on post-secondary education this year. That’s $14,000 per student. And there’s no where I would rather see the money go.

I would like to end with a quote I once read as you embark this new phase of your lives: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.”

I wish you all happy landings as you pursue your dreams for the future. Once again, congratulations, and thanks for the opportunity to be a part of your celebration.

My resignation from City Council

The following is a copy of my speaking notes from last week when I resigned as Mayor of Mount Pearl...


Members of Council, City staff, fellow citizens, ladies and gentlemen:

I want to thank you all for joining us today for this ceremony, and I am very pleased that my fiancée, my parents, and a few of my family members and friends could be here as well. I want to acknowledge the presence of numerous leaders in our community, and in particular I want to welcome two former Mayors of our City – Harvey Hodder and Julie Bettney. I also want to extend my congratulations to another former Mayor, Dave Denine, who will be joining us later. Dave was appointed to Cabinet this morning, this is indeed great news for Mount Pearl. I also want to welcome one of my former Council colleagues, Bernice Miller. I am very pleased that you are all here today.

Effective immediately, I am resigning from my position as Mayor and vacating my seat on the Mount Pearl City Council. I know this comes as no surprise. When I announced my intention to pursue provincial politics, I made it clear that it would not be fair to serve in both elected roles. So, as I prepare to be sworn in as a Member of the House of Assembly on Thursday, the time has come to tender my resignation.

It is difficult to express just how honoured I am to have had the privilege of serving as Mount Pearl’s eighth Mayor. I have always been encouraged by the support I have received from many citizens during my ten years on Council, and I also deeply appreciate the support I have received from my Council colleagues.

Like many of you gathered here today, I truly love this community. Mount Pearl is where I grew up. This is where I’ve studied, worked and played for almost my entire life. I am very proud to call Mount Pearl home, and I am incredibly optimistic about our city’s future.

As I prepared for this evening, I reflected on my involvement with the City of Mount Pearl, and realized that I have been working with the municipality for over half my life! Beyond various volunteer involvements in the community, I signed up for a Counsellor-in-Training course with the Parks and Recreation Department at the age of fourteen. A few months later, I joined the City’s Youth Advisory Council, where I spent the next few years working with Council and staff. When I was fifteen, I accepted my first job with the City, coaching sports at the Reid Centre. I spent the next few years working for the Parks and Recreation Department, before eventually making the decision to run for Council. I’ve seen this community grow, and I have grown with it.

For six years as Deputy Mayor, and for the past four years as Mayor, I have worked hard for the betterment of our community. My promise to you today is to continue to do my best to represent and work for the citizens of the District of Mount Pearl North. I will continue to be a strong voice for the communities I have been elected to represent.

Over these past ten years, I have had the chance to work with three incredibly strong Councils and an amazing team of staff. I have learned so much from all of you, and I look forward to continuing to work with you in my new role. Thanks so much for your encouragement, confidence, and friendship.

I would like to say a few words about my Council colleagues. Randy Simms, you have taught me a great deal. I know the Mayor’s office is being left in extremely capable hands. I have every confidence that you will continue to do the City proud. Ed Grant has been a trusted advisor since my very first Council meeting ten years ago. For 22 years, you have been a great source of strength for Mount Pearl Council. Lucy Stoyles was among the first to congratulate me on my election in 1997, and has been a great friend ever since. John Walsh, who was my high school principal, signed my first nomination papers, and has provided lots of sound advice and encouragement along the way. Paul Lane, who joined our team four years ago, has become a close friend and a great supporter. Paula Tessier, the newest member of our team, has already made a positive contribution to this Council. It has been an honour to work with each of you.

I want to say a very special thank you to each and every employee of the City of Mount Pearl. The citizens of Mount Pearl enjoy high quality municipal services, and this is largely due to the efforts of the outstanding women and men who work for the City. I want to particularly thank the senior management team, most of whom are present this evening. I have great respect for each of you, and I salute your commitment to this City. It has been a great pleasure working with you, and you have taught me so much. I also want to say a very special word of thanks to Mona Lewis, our Executive Secretary, who has worked closely with me in the Mayor’s Office. Mona has made my job so much easier, and has always gone above and beyond the call of duty to support me in my role. She’s a true professional, and I consider myself very lucky to have had the opportunity to work with her.

Ladies and gentlemen, Mount Pearl is an outstanding community. We enjoy a quality of life unparalleled in the nation. There exists a strong community spirit with clean and friendly neighbourhoods. Families are offered a place to lay their roots with the comfort that their children can learn and grow in a safe environment. There are active citizens engaged with our proactive and dynamic local government. Mount Pearl's business sector offers more and better jobs with new growth. Our city is strong and independent. We are a community for all ages, offering respect and opportunities for both seniors and youth.

Our Council team has accomplished a great deal in recent years. I am pleased to report that there has not been a increase in the residential mil rate during my time as Mayor. At the same time, we have made significant investments in infrastructure and maintained quality services. The City developed a new recreation master plan, and we’ve revitalized Centennial Square. Council implemented a household curbside recycling program. We re-focused our economic development strategy, and hundreds of new jobs have been created each year. The City has improved communications with citizens, and we’ve undertaken initiatives to enhance our branding and to strengthen our identity. I have also been pleased to support the establishment of the Youth Action Team, the Citizens Crime Prevention Committee, and the Association for the Arts in Mount Pearl. Here in Mount Pearl, we certainly have a lot to be proud of.

This City is well positioned for a prosperous future. We have an experienced Council team that has always put Mount Pearl first. We have a staff team that consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty to serve the public. We have a community filled with dedicated volunteers who contribute so much to enhancing our quality of life. We have a vibrant and growing commercial sector that contributes greatly to strengthening our community. With all of these elements going for us, I am deeply committed to continuing to help build Mount Pearl’s future.

In closing, this is certainly not good-bye. I will continue to be very active in our community, and I look forward to the challenges that my new office will bring. Thank you, Mount Pearl, for the opportunity to serve as your Mayor. It was an indeed an honour, and an experience that I will always treasure.

Thank you very much.

THANK YOU

Thank you to the voters of Mount Pearl North!

I am truly humbled by your belief in me and I am honoured that you have chosen me to represent you.

I am really excited about joining the Danny Williams Team in the House of Assembly and I look forward to the opportunity to protecting the interests of the people of this District and to bringing their concerns to the Provincial Government.

As I have mentioned before, I did not run this campaign alone, I had many volunteers supporting me in this endeavour, and I owe a great deal of my success to the support they provided. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my volunteers.

Thanks so much to everyone who helped. I couldn't have done this without you.

I appreciate your confidence in me. I won't let you down.

News Release - Kent victorious in Mount Pearl North

NEWS RELEASE

October 9, 2007
For Immediate Release


Kent victorious in Mount Pearl North
Newly elected MHA acknowledges opponents’ effort


MOUNT PEARL, NL - Mount Pearl North was caught up in the same Tory tide that swept the province tonight, and that resulted in a clear victory for Mount Pearl Mayor Steve Kent, who is on leave from his duties as Mayor until tomorrow morning to carry the Tory banner in the District that was represented for many years by PC stalwart, Harvey Hodder. In the end, Kent defeated Liberal candidate and daycare owner/operator, Elaine Reid, and NDP candidate Janice Lockyer, by a sizeable margin.

Still excited by his win, Kent was quick to acknowledge the efforts of his opponents, especially Ms. Reid.

“I want to extend heartfelt congratulations to Ms. Reid and her campaign team for an excellent campaign,” said Kent, as he addressed supporters at Hotel Mount Pearl. “We were able to stick to the issues and represent the views of our parties in an honest and straightforward manner. Ms. Reid provided an important alternative to the people of the District, and that’s an important part of the democratic process”, he said.

Tonight is a night to celebrate with campaign workers and to savour the victory after several gruelling weeks on the campaign trail. Though tired after a nomination challenge followed by weeks of campaigning, Kent was quick to acknowledge the support he received, and had nothing but praise for the work and dedication of his team.

“This was a tremendous effort on the part of the entire team”, he said, “and I just can’t thank you enough for the support and encouragement you provided me over the past several months throughout the nomination process and now with this incredible victory here tonight. Without your support none of this would have been possible. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”


Tuesday night’s victory was another jewel in the crown of an unblemished political career which saw him capture the Deputy Mayor’s chair in Mount Pearl in his very first foray into politics at the tender age of just nineteen. He was returned as Deputy Mayor in the 2001 municipal election. With the departure of former Mayor Dave Denine to the House of Assembly in the last Provincial Election, Kent assumed the Mayor’s chair and has been there ever since.

Kent is looking forward to his new role, and will approach his work with the same energy and commitment that he brought to the municipal scene.

“This is the start of an entirely new challenge for me both personally and politically,” Kent noted, “and I thank the voters of Mount Pearl and Paradise who have shown such confidence in me to be their representative in the House of Assembly. It’s a responsibility that I do not take lightly, and I can assure the people of Mount Pearl North that your issues and concerns will be well represented.”

He was quick to praise the leadership of Party Leader and Premier, Danny Williams, and felt that tonight’s result province wide is directly attributable to the premier’s straightforward and honest approach in dealing with the issues.

“It’s obvious that the people like what they see in this Premier, and they really endorse the direction the province is taking,” stated Kent, “And why shouldn’t they? Premier Williams has restored the faith of the people of this Province in a big way, and it’s clear that he is a man of substance. There is a renewed sense of dignity and pride in this Province, and there is no one more responsible for instilling this than the Premier himself. I’m proud to be part of his team,” he said.

There was no talk on this night about the timing for Kent to relinquish his seat as Mayor. That will be a matter for another day. Tonight was about savouring the victory and celebrating with family and friends. There will be plenty of time for other things in the weeks ahead, but the smiles on the faces of campaign workers and the congratulations all around left no doubt about his level of satisfaction with this victory.

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Voting - a privilege and a responsibility

While the recent poll results have been really encouraging, indicating great support for the PC team and our vision, they have also caused me some concern. I wouldn't want any candidate to coast into their seat, based on the popularity of the Party in general.

No race in this province is a foregone conclusion, that's why all the PC candidates are working hard to show the residents of their Districts why they deserve to be elected. No one wants to get their seat simply riding on the Leader's or the Party's coattails. I want your vote because you believe in me, my hard work and my vision, not just because I am PC candidate.

The possibility of voter apathy concerns me as well. I wouldn't want people to feel that their votes don't matter, or worse, that there is no point in voting at all because the results have been decided.

That's why I was heartened by my encounter with an elderly voter earlier this week. This gentleman assured me that he would be taking the opportunity to vote, and not be influenced by the polls, by possible voter apathy, or by anything else. When I asked him why he was so committed to voting he gave a very moving answer:

He said, "Because a lot of good men fought and died so I could."

And that reminded me of the greater issue here. Everyone should vote, not just to ensure that their voices are heard, but to celebrate the fact that they have the right to. The gentleman was absolutely right -- our freedom, including our freedom to vote, was bought with sacrifice, and not voting is to make light of that sacrifice.

Democracy is not something to be taken for granted. Many people throughout the world suffer under dictatorships and other unfair, cruel forms of government, and we should take advantage of our opportunity to contribute to the political process.

So on Tuesday, make your voice heard: Get out and vote!

If you need information about where to vote, or if you need transportation to the polling station, please contact my headquarters at 745-5368.

NEWS RELEASE - Kent praises Party’s stand

MOUNT PEARL, NL - As Premier Danny Williams wowed a large gathering

of party faithful who had assembled at the Reid Centre in Mount Pearl last night as a final rallying cry leading up to Tuesday’s election, Mount Pearl North PC candidate, Steve Kent, already had plenty of reason for optimism.

Not only does Williams and his party have an almost unprecedented approval rating heading into next week’s general election, but recent projections indicate an increase in the number of seats for his party. Even among the greatest of critics, one would be hard pressed to find too many dissenting voices with the PC Party platform on most of the major issues facing the province at the present time. And you can be sure that there were no dissenting voices from among the throng of party supporters and candidates carrying the PC banner from eastern districts of the province who had assembled to hear the Premier speak last night.

There was roaring approval for the Party’s energy platform, for its debt retirement plan and strong financial position, for Government’s strong commitments in the areas of health and education, and for Government’s plan to provide attractive employment opportunities here at home that will encourage young Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who are living out west and in other parts of the world to consider returning home to work and raise their families.

But there was one issue that particularly resonated with Steve Kent, and that is Government’s continued commitment to enable municipalities on the Northeast Avalon to choose their own destiny.

“The Party platform contains very clear and unequivocal support for municipalities to choose their own destiny in how they are governed,” says Kent, “and for the people that I hope to represent in the House of Assembly after Tuesday’s election, this is one of most important issues that they wanted to see addressed,” Kent said. He noted the people of Mount Pearl and Paradise were pleased to see a strong statement of support.

“The Blueprint clearly states that there will be no forced amalgamation of municipalities, and that’s been the position of the City of Mount Pearl, the Town of Paradise, and all of the other municipalities in the region (aside from St. John’s) for many years,” says Kent. “People want to protect their democratic right to choose. It’s encouraging to see it reiterated as part of Government’s ongoing commitment to municipalities in the region.”

Kent is extremely pleased with how his campaign is progressing and the reception he is receiving at the doors, both personally and for the position of the Premier and his Party. He could not be more proud of his campaign team or the effort they are putting forward in this campaign.

“We have a very committed, experienced, and capable group of volunteers who share the same enthusiasm and confidence as I do in our Leader and in the direction this government is taking us,” reports Kent. “There is a renewed sense of hope and optimism, and this so evident at the doors, and from what I understand, is prevalent in districts throughout the entire province.”

For more information, or to become involved in the Steve Kent Campaign, you are invited to drop by our Headquarters at 39 Commonwealth Avenue (above Barkley’s) or give us a call at 745.5368.

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For more information or further commentary, please contact:
Steve Kent
709.745.5368
steve@stevekent.ca

Practice makes perfect

I was talking to a homeowner at the door the other day and she made a funny observation that has stuck with me.

She wanted to know if I was going to be one of those 'bobbleheads' she says she sees in the House of Assembly at times, nodding and banging their hands in enthusiastic agreement with everything that a member of their Party says but not doing much else. I assured her that I do not work that way -- I am a hard worker and I'll be a strong voice.

That's when she made the funny observation that if I could stand up to Andy Wells, I can stand up to anyone.

I don't want to inflate Andy's ego -- he is hardly the worst thing I could have to face in my career; but he is a constant critic, and he has no qualms about making his disdain known. So I do have a lot of practice in dealing with personal attacks, and in addressing challenges to my position.

And I hadn't thought of this before, but I guess I owe him one - Thanks Andy, for giving me lots of practice in dealing with opposition, I'll make good use of it!

(And as I mentioned in my earlier post on teamwork, I enjoy the interaction of working with a team but I do not blindly follow the crowd, so I am prepared to take on what needs to be done, regardless of how popular it is.)