Have a coffee with Michael…
Michael Samlalsingh
WARD 1 CANDIDATE
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Councillor candidate Michael Samlalsingh held a “meet and greet” event recently. A real success!
More than 100 people attended Samlalsingh’s “meet and greet” event held at a local eatery, KCR Bar & Grill. Many well known Pickeringites met with him: a former mayor, former and current executives from neigbourhood associations , the Fairport and the Rougemount, a current mayor candidate, executives from ethnic associations and leaders from the Devi Mandir. An excellent representation of VIPs from a broad social spectrum of the community.
This was an excellent event for meeting the candidate and Samlalsingh rose to the occasion. He hosted the event really well, mingling with everyone, glad-handing them with sincerity, and expanding on his campaign program when asked. Samlalsingh added “good” to the excellence of his event but remembering that guests enjoy nibbles along with their libations while talking politics and election campaigns.
Then, Samlalsingh addressed the crowd explaining his campaign in detail: the why, the what, the goals and his hopes. His words had the ring of genuineness to them, not ‘canned campaign speak.’ He sounded sincere and authentic with an explanation of his campaign that rang true with veracity and credibility.
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Michael Samlalsingh’s address SUMMARY
Candidate for Pickering City Council, Ward 1
Campaign Meet & Greet, September 24, 2026
INTRODUCTION AND PERSONAL ROOTS
- Samlalsingh thanked supporters from neighbourhoods across the ward, including SoRo, Amberlea, Westshore, Fairport, Rouge Valley and Woodland.
- He said his reason for running goes beyond the usual topics of roads, taxes, development and public safety.
- Born in Montreal, he said the Meech Lake Accord and the Quebec separatism debate taught him that Canada must be actively preserved.
- His core belief: where we come from matters, but what we build together matters more.
- He has lived in Pickering for 39 years and calls it home, not simply the place he lives.
- He said he is not running for a title or a résumé line, but to bring responsible, accountable leadership.
FINANCIAL EXPERIENCE AND DISCIPLINE
- He spent more than 25 years in Canadian banking, including a decade as Director of Finance, Technology and Operations at RBC, and earlier at Bank of Montreal.
- He managed large teams, major contracts, procurement and budgets exceeding $500 million.
- His key lesson: you cannot spend a dollar twice. Every choice has an opportunity cost, borrowing costs money, and new infrastructure brings years of maintenance.
- He stressed that tax dollars come from real people: homeowners, seniors on fixed incomes, young families, small business owners and those working two jobs.
- He pledged to be Council’s financial watchdog, asking what things cost, what the alternatives are, and whether taxpayers are getting value.
GROWTH PICKERING CAN AFFORD
- He supports growth, but said it must come with roads, transit, parks, services and sound
- He wants to explore the economic potential of the Pickering Airport lands for agri-food, aerospace, advanced manufacturing and technology.
- He suggested an Ontario Tech satellite campus linked to those businesses.
- He said new businesses should be judged on real results: the number and quality of jobs, investment, tax base and long-term benefit.
PROTECTING WHAT MAKES PICKERING SPECIAL
- He called for protecting the farmland around Rouge National Urban Park as environmental and Canadian heritage.
- He warned against sprawl that ignores costs to taxpayers, the environment and community character.
- He said development along corridors like Highway 2 must fit with existing neighbourhoods. In his words, growth should add to Pickering, not erase it.
SAFE AND CONNECTED NEIGHBOURHOODS
- He named road safety, traffic calming and pedestrian safety as priorities so seniors and children can move around safely.
- He would work with Durham Region on signage, road improvements and traffic calming.
- He said public safety also means partnering with social-service groups on mental health and substance use, with a focus on prevention.
INVESTING IN YOUTH AND SENIORS
- Youth: recreation, safe gathering places, and access to STEM, entrepreneurship and business opportunities so they see a future in Pickering.
- Seniors: affordable housing, mobility and transportation supports, and the ability to stay active and independent.
- He said a city succeeds when people at every stage of life can build a good life there.
A DIVERSE PICKERING
- He called diversity one of Pickering’s strengths, not something to acknowledge only once a year.
- He wants more support for cultural organizations and more chances for residents to share their traditions.
- He said City Hall should represent everyone, not one group, neighbourhood or political faction.
WHY ME, WHY NOW
- He described one central responsibility: a Pickering that is financially responsible, economically strong, safe, inclusive and ready for the future.
- He said that takes experience, listening, and the willingness to say no when something doesn’t make sense.
- He also pledged to say yes to responsible growth, good jobs, local business, safer streets, youth, seniors, the environment and diversity.
- His summary: government should be ambitious about what it can accomplish, but disciplined about what it spends.
CLOSING MESSAGE
- Returning to his Quebec roots, he said strong communities are built by asking what we can do together.
- He described a Pickering where families can afford to stay, seniors age with dignity, youth find opportunity, and every resident feels heard.
- He stressed that taxpayers’ money is their money, not the government’s, and deserves accountability for every dollar.
- He closed with his central theme: we are stronger when we build together.
“Trust. Accountability. Service”
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