wardforward5.ca
W. David Ward
For Councillor
Ward 5 Uxbridge
W. David Ward
For Councillor
Ward 5
Uxbridge
Internet Voting, Technocracy and Stakeholder Capitalism
About W. David Ward
My family moved to Canada from the north of England in 1977, and I remember well the promise this country held in the 1970s. The economic challenges we face today – housing affordability and financial insecurity (food insecurity for many) – represent a total failure on the part of our political class; nevertheless, I believe this country is still a 'land of promise' and abundance. Those who have grown up here, in this town especially, should expect nothing less, but first we need a return to 'Responsible Government' – at all levels.
I have called Uxbridge home for almost five decades now, though my career as an artist has taken me away for extended periods of time. I have traveled, and exhibited my work, in Asia, Europe, the United States, and Canada too of course. My paintings hang in private and public collections around the world, including Canadian Government Offices and Official Residences such as Queen's Park, Rideau Hall and Stornoway.
This country allowed me the opportunity to pursue my passion as a landscape painter, and I have lived (well) by my brush for almost forty years. Every Canadian deserves the same economic opportunities that my generation enjoyed, and the freedom to pursue their dreams too.
As an artist, I bring a different perspective to the table, and more 'creative' solutions as well. The most relevant experience I have to offer however (as your representative on Council), is from my time in the financial world; particularly my early years at the Toronto Stock Exchange where I worked as a futures and options floor-trader (from 1985 to 1988). Although I was a licensed bond trader, I traded mostly stock-index, commodity and currency futures, all of which informed my ‘forward-looking' perspective on our Region's current finances.
'Cost of living' is the number one concern of Canadians today, yet property taxes are expected to increase, in keeping with the 'Envision Durham' Strategic Plan. It is time to reverse that trend and "reEnvison" our future.
As your Ward 5 Councillor, I will work toward this end. We need change, and together we can build a better future.
New Article!
Original Art by W. David Ward in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
"Icarus" - 20"x12" - "Reflections" 30"x18"
"Exchange ll" - 84"x42"
Original Painting by W. David Ward
Thank you, for your vote!
W. David Ward
Policies
Fiscal Responsibility
All candidates make this promise, but we can reduce taxes here in Uxbridge – as we look at the numbers. And one of our more attentive Regional Councillors presented the obvious way to tackle the spending ‘Crisis’ at Durham HQ (at 5hrs 24 mins), if you watch the 2024 Special Meeting in which the 'Envision Durham' Strategic Plan was ‘shaped.’ What happens at Durham HQ, of course, directly impacts the municipalities, as around 60% of our property taxes now (and this number is likely to increase) are remitted to the Region.
Practicality & Transparency
No more empty promises, buzzwords or trendy catch phrases, cut and paste from UN, WHO or WEF literature. As per the ‘Municipal Duties and Responsibilities’ (outlines in our candidate's information binder) we will ‘represent the public and consider the well-being and interests of the municipality as a whole’ – as opposed to ‘the well-being and interests’ of corporate stakeholders and debt-holders outside of our community (too often the recipients of our tax dollars).
Tax Relief in 2027
In light of “The Crisis of 2026,” as the Region’s CAO called the current financial situation in a recent budget meeting (18hrs 20mins 50secs – in the Web-streaming link). 'Responsible' candidates (who, I am sure, you will elect as your representatives on Council) take this warning seriously. At that same meeting, the Regional Chair explained (at 6hrs 31mins 50secs) that not having a plan “...will drive municipalities to bankruptcy... The system is broken,” he continued. The outgoing Commissioner of Finance told Regional Councillors (at 18hrs 22mins) “The way you move into the future is through debt.” That isn't the advice 'Responsible' Councillors would follow, of course (because we all understand the folly of financing our lives with more debt). Bold steps are require, therefore, to curb our Region's spending (and borrowing), before the 'crisis' there impacts the municipalities, and forced our taxes up, higher still, on the road to 'bankruptcy (as the Chair tried to warn us).
Restoration of Our Local Economy
Support family business, SMEs and farmers; food sovereignty and ‘next gen’ farming innovations. The Oak Ridges Moraine restricts what business can be established here, but this is not necessarily a limitation (for creative people at least). Food and water are fundamental, and – since Durham Region is already seen as a Technology Hub – North Durham should be on the cutting edge of innovation in the agriculture and regenerative farm, as opposed to 'Agri-tourism' – Uxbridge is not a museum. This Township, and this Region, could be a model for the new world. Whatever is in store, Regionalism, Localism or Globalist technocracy, in this new world, be it – “unipolar” or “multi-polar” – food sovereignty and local self-determination is now, clearly, the obvious (environmentally sustainable) way forward.
A New Approach to Environmental Issues
With an emphasis on clean water, soil and air, rather than ineffective and costly UN climate initiatives. As the climate narrative is ‘adjusted,’ NASA, the IPCC, Gatesnotes (now a discussion as the original - screen captured page - has been scrubbed, just like Ontario's digital land records), even Tony Blair has back peddled on his earlier climate alarmism. I have presented this material to Council, and to our local Environment and Sustainability committee, and the actions I proposed went nowhere. Net Zero and the UN’s SDGs have virtually destroyed Europe’s economies We do not need to make Europe's mistakes here (as those of you who watch what is going on in the old world will understand).
Preservation of Our Town's Heritage & Culture
In keeping with the heritage of Durham, and Quaker Village in particularly (the 'Heart' of Uxbridge Township, as I like to think of this Ward). Uxbridge is a treasure, despite the fact that our downtown heritage buildings – in Ward 5, mostly – have been largely erased (under various administrations), with no clear plan for the future still. ‘Residents have mixed reactions to downtown plans’... This ‘Ward 5’ conversation is only just beginning.
And the conversation will continue, regardless of the results of this 'Internet election', that we 'Scrutineers' can longer audit. But this is a whole other question, to be opened for discussion at the September 21st Candidates Debate.
See you there!
Events
Meet The Candidates
W. David Ward & Jeff Mittman
Tuesday October 13 - 7:00-9:00 PM
Uxbridge Community Arena
Click above to watch David's introduction.
Meet The Candidates
W. David Ward & Jeff Mittman
Tuesday October 13 - 7:00-9:00 PM
Uxbridge Community Arena
Articles
By W. David Ward - October 17, 2026
Internet Voting, Technocracy and Stakeholder Capitalism
In response to last week's front page article in the Uxbridge Cosmos, 'Township Not Concerned With Voting Cards,' I would like to suggest that resident's concerns should not be so casually dismissed. Whether I am elected to office, or not, I feel I represent the views of most of the town's constituents on this point.
This vulnerability in the system (this 'flaw') should not be played down; the residents of Uxbridge are expressing a legitimate concern. Internet voting is a Township initiate, so the Township should not have the last word on this; particularly as the 'voting card' concern is but one of many.
The most important institution in our liberal democratic society – a sacred rite, as I see it – has been reduced to a simple 'market function' and quietly privatized. In line with neoliberal ideology, technocrats and stakeholder capitalists are taking control of our democratic process.
If we, as a community, cannot come together once every four years to conduct, and oversee, the election of our own representatives – to vote, to count the ballots, to scrutineer, and to retain a physical record on paper, in our custody, that can be audited by the voters themselves – then perhaps we deserve technocracy and full AI governance?
This is where the 'Digital Governance Standards Institute' seem to want to take us; and of course, if we give up our agency, we give up our sovereignty and our right to self-determination. We become – in Neoliberal terms – economic units, subject to control (and exploitation even) by those appointed to manage our democracy for us.
As the 'Appointment of Scrutineer' form 'EL 12' (A) states, 'ballots will not be recounted.' Only the 'service providers' can audit any results, should there be a tie (or a legal challenge); but we're not a bunch of country bumpkins. In farm country parlance though, might this be akin to hiring a fox to watch our hen house? The fact that only the service provider can audit the online results (should questions arise), means this for-profit corporation now knows who you voted for; no matter how many internal firewalls there may be. And, of course, in the information economy, information like this would be pure gold – the Golden Egg, no less.
Should that proverbial fox ever find itself in charge of our hen house, how would we even know? Yet even if this fox were most restrained, there could still be a hack, a breach – a "cyber attack" – and our information could be stolen; as already happened in our Region, on at least two occasions I am aware of.*
Beyond this, there is a simple 'catch 22' problem with the system, as this axiom expresses:
"You can have anonymity or you can have security; you cannot have both."
As technocrats work to 'transition' more and more of our life online – into their digital-twin, metaverse, unified ledger world – we confront this conundrum; though there are actually three scenarios here:
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Your vote can remain anonymous, but then anyone can vote; the election could be compromised in various creative ways online (beyond the misappropriation of voting cards).
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You can be assured that your vote counts, but then some third-party has a record of your political views, and all of your details – the information required to 'authenticate' your vote at the very least. Of course, your vote might still be compromised.
And (scenario 3):
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You have transferred control of the most important institution in our democracy to technocrats and tech-bro digital gate-keepers.
Your information could be stolen (as we have seen elsewhere), and the election itself could be stolen (in ways we cannot yet imagine), but this is not nearly so worrying as the possibility of the system itself being stolen. How quickly do we move from 'there will be no recounts' to 'there will be no vote'? “We've adopted a new 'safe and secure' AI governance system,” you might be told in a few years. “It's efficient and cost effective, so now you don't have to bother yourself .” After all, it seems internet voting actually leads to less participation over time, even the CBC tells us.**
This is the beauty of old-fashioned, hand-counted, paper ballots: After an election closes, the polling station doors are locked. No one enters or leaves, no phones are allowed, and no one goes home until the counters and the scrutineers agree on the outcome.
Have you ever volunteered to be a Scrutineer?
There is no more important roll in our society (I believe) than to be a scrutineer; one of the Watchmen (and Watchwomen) who stand vigil for our sleepy communities (as these counts occasionally continue into the wee hours). Importantly, no one inside those locked doors knows which ballot was cast by which 'registered voted' and the final tally is agreed upon by the counters and the scrutineers, together, within our community.
Thank you for taking to time to read my thoughts. I am not asking for your vote here (it's likely too late for that), but I am hoping you will learn more about this subject, engage and volunteer in the future, so that we can maintain (and celebrate) this essential institution, without technology.
W. David Ward
('Wapentake Dave')
Candidate for Ward 5 Councillor, Uxbridge.
Links:
*PVNC: Durham Region Cyber Breach FAQ
https://www.pvnccdsb.on.ca/durham-region-cyber-breach-faq-information-for-clarington-families/
IPC: Ontario IPC concludes its review of Durham Region’s privacy breach
**CBC: Online voting is more available than ever. So what effect does it have on voter turnout?
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/online-voting-turnout-effect-1.6637975
Rebel News - October 21, 2026
Unauditable Votes – Is Ontario Election Safe?