Five questions with Lori Goulding, candidate for Carleton Place council in the 2026 municipal election

Editor’s note: To help voters to be better informed, Lanarkist will be asking the same five questions of all council candidates in Carleton Place, Smiths Falls, Perth and Mississippi Mills in advance of the municipal election, which will be held on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. Questions were sent to all candidates on Sept. 4, 2026. We will publish their responses as we receive them. Below are the responses from candidate Lori Goulding.

For a full roundup of all the information you need to know before the election, visit Who’s running for mayor and council in Carleton Place’s 2026 municipal election? Here’s what you need to know.

1) Tell us a little bit about your professional background, including any prior municipal or other political participation, as well as about you, personally. What made you want to run for council?

I have worked at NAV CANADA for more than 25 years, having started there while I was still in school. A significant part of my professional development has come through approximately 10 years in elected union leadership, and I currently serve as president of the NAV CANADA group of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC).

I have participated in several rounds of collective bargaining and regularly work with employees, management and senior leadership on complex issues. That experience has taught me the importance of preparation, listening, negotiation, compromise and maintaining productive relationships even when people strongly disagree.

I have not previously held municipal or other political office. If elected, I know I will have a lot to learn, and I’m prepared to do that work.

I decided to run because Carleton Place is my community and I believe I have experience that can contribute to it. I also believe our current council has done a good job overall. I’m not running because I think everything is broken or with a long list of promises about what I will change.

My approach is simple: Listen. Learn. Contribute. Listen to residents, learn the role and the issues, and use my experience to contribute thoughtfully and constructively.

2) How would you describe your personal political ideology and/or affiliation?

I recognize that bringing federal or provincial political affiliations into a municipal election can sometimes rub people the wrong way. Municipal government isn’t organized along party lines, and I wouldn’t want someone to think that how they vote federally or provincially would have any bearing on whether I would listen to or represent them. It wouldn’t.

That said, the question was asked, and I think people deserve an honest answer.

My political views don’t fit neatly into one category. Fiscally, I believe in responsible spending, accountability and making sure taxpayers receive good value for their money. I also believe government has a responsibility to provide good public services and make thoughtful investments in the communities it serves.

Socially, equality is very important to me. I believe people should be treated with dignity and respect regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, background or circumstances. I believe strongly in individual rights and in creating communities where people feel welcome and respected.

My experience in the labour movement has also shaped my views. I believe in workers’ rights, collective bargaining and the importance of people having a meaningful voice in decisions that affect them.

Politically, I’m probably somewhere in the middle, with views that cross traditional political lines. I’m comfortable with that. I can recognize a good idea regardless of where it comes from.

That’s particularly important at the municipal level. If elected, my job wouldn’t be to represent one political viewpoint. It would be to listen to and represent the residents of Carleton Place, including those whose political views are very different from my own.

3) What are the three most common issues voters bring up to you as you campaign?

The three issues I hear most often are property taxes, growth, and affordability, including concerns about homelessness.

Taxes are probably the issue I hear about most consistently. People are feeling increased costs everywhere and want to know they are receiving value for their tax dollars.

Growth is another common topic. Some residents welcome it, while others are concerned about the pace of development and the pressure it places on infrastructure and services. Both perspectives deserve to be heard.

Affordability and homelessness are also increasingly raised. These are complicated issues because many of the tools needed to address them involve other levels of government. That doesn’t mean the Town has no role, but I think it’s important to be realistic about what municipal government can and cannot do.

4) What three issues are most pressing/important to address locally in your opinion?

For me, the three most important areas are fiscal responsibility and taxation, managing growth responsibly, and ensuring infrastructure and services keep pace with that growth.

These issues are closely connected. Growth brings benefits, but it also creates additional demands on roads, water and sewer infrastructure, recreation and municipal services.

At the same time, council has a responsibility to taxpayers. Every worthwhile idea still has a cost. Council needs to ask whether spending is necessary, whether residents are receiving good value and whether decisions are financially sustainable.

I don’t pretend to already have every answer. Part of being an effective councillor is being willing to learn, ask questions, listen to residents and Town staff, and even change your mind when the information supports doing so.

5) What do you feel sets you apart from other candidates?

I think what sets me apart is that I would come to council with fresh eyes, fresh ears and a willingness to learn, while also bringing approximately a decade of experience in elected leadership and representing people.

Being new to municipal politics means I won’t come to the table assuming something has to be done a certain way simply because that’s how it has always been done. I’ll ask questions, listen to those with experience and knowledge, and bring a new perspective to the conversation.

Collective bargaining has taught me that simply repeating your own position doesn’t accomplish much. You have to listen, understand different perspectives, find common ground, know when compromise makes sense and know when it’s important to stand firm.

I’ve also learned that leadership doesn’t mean being the loudest person in the room or always having the answer. Sometimes it means asking the right question and making sure people who haven’t been heard have an opportunity to speak.

I’m not promising that I alone can do the work in Carleton Place or making promises I may not have the ability to deliver as one member of council. What I can promise is how I will approach the role: fresh eyes, fresh ears, an open mind and a willingness to do the work.

That’s what Listen. Learn. Contribute. means to me, and that’s the approach I would bring to Town Council.