Dave Jaworksy discusses his platform for coming mayoral election

“For me, this is just the right opportunity at the right time.”

This is what former Blackberry Executive, Dave Jaworsky, said when explaining his mayoral candidacy for the city of Waterloo.

Jaworsky is one of three candidates announced so far for the coming election in October. Others include Erika Traub, who was profiled last week, and Dave MacDonald the former weathercaster for CTV Kitchener

Jaworksy came to Waterloo around 30 years ago to attend the University of Waterloo and has hasn’t left since.

However what separates Jaworsky from his counterpoints is a three-pillar platform.

“Number one is a robust economy, number two is a vibrant caring community and number three is responsible government,” he explained in an exclusive interview with The Cord.

The candidate offered his opinion on what is assumed to be a big hot topic for the coming election: the future of the Region’s LRT.

“I think the number one issue from an electoral standpoint is going to be the LRT,” he explained. “The issue is going to be the robust economy because the economy drives everything,” explained Jaworsky.

Jaworsky takes the standpoint that the LRT is intended to generate jobs in the local community, something he believes is a very important feature of the ion transit.

“We need more companies to stay, more companies to come here,” he said.

“People want to talk about the LRT but that’s just a piece of infrastructure, I think the more important part is the economy and jobs.”

“You need an effective transit system and it’s just got to happen,” he added.

Jaworsky also brings forth student-related issues as he focused on job opportunities and entry-level positions for coming graduates.

“I think the key thing for students is going to be jobs and that’s why my focus is on economic development,” he said. “If we create the right kind of community they will want to stay here, work here, raise their family here.”

“For me I think that’s the number one issue.”

When reflecting on his platform and  campaign, Jaworsky touched on students again as something that is key to a robust economy.

“I look at University Avenue as being sort of our fountain of youth for our community,” he said. “It generates a lot of new talent every year, and also generates start-ups every year.”

“What would be even better as a community would be to work strategically with the university and the college to try and keep more of those people here so that we have more companies creating more jobs to attract the young people to stay here.”

He elaborated on creating a vibrant caring community, saying that it comes down to providing more options for the residents of Waterloo.

“More stuff to do, more stuff to do outdoors, just getting out there and being able to do more things to make it an attractive, greater neighbourhood really,” explained Jaworsky.

As for responsible government, Jaworsky said it’s simple. “Doing the right thing at the right time and doing it efficiently.”