A self-described Anglophone is looking to break the political mold in Clarence-Rockland. Jay Woodruff announced his mayoral run on social media yesterday, directly addressing the long-standing belief that only a Francophone leader can effectively fight for the bilingual community.
Below is what he shared on social media yesterday:
My name is Jay Woodruff and I am not a Francophone.
I say that plainly because for years we’ve been told that only a Francophone can truly fight for our community of Clarence-Rockland.
My Franco‑Ontarian daughter, along with all of
your children, have a right to access their language and their culture, right here at home.
I am an Anglophone asking for your trust.
Not to speak for you, nor speak over you, but to give you the tools, the authority, and the backing to not just protect the French language and culture in our community, but to grow it.
Let’s build a Clarence-Rockland that doesn’t just hope for a better future; it grows it. A place where the next generation of Franco‑Ontarian doctors, teachers, vets, and nurses are educated right here, at home, in their own language. Because our children shouldn’t have to leave their communities, or give up any of their languages, to have a future.
We can build the programs so our best and brightest can train here, serve here, and build their lives right where they live.
True empowerment doesn’t need another savior in a suit, it needs a mayor who knows when to step aside and put power where it belongs: in your hands.
I’m running for mayor to disperse power, not hoard it.
I’m running for mayor to empower us all, as a community, to lead and be the change we actually need, without focusing on the most profitable outcomes for developers.
What matters to me?
True community. A circle where we place the most vulnerable persons we have, the children and the elderly, in the center and we focus on caring for one another by coming together. Helping each other. Lifting each other up. Using our collective power for good.
I have personal priorities, of course. But a mayor’s job isn’t to tell you what you want, need, or will get.
A mayor’s job is to listen to you. To give you resources and support to fight for what matters to you. To stand with you, not over you, or hide from you.
I will not be accepting donations, if you wish to support a worthy donate to Penny Lane Farm Sanctuary
This does not constitute an endorsement from them.