Over the past few weeks, a number of friends have asked me the same question:

“What do you think about the Peterborough mayoral race? And who are you voting for?”

I’ve actually enjoyed those conversations.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been away so much, but being back has made me look at Peterborough a little differently. This is home. It’s where I grew up, where I played sports here, where many of my lifelong friendships were formed, and a community I’ve always felt connected to.

What encourages me is seeing more people talking about this election. People are asking questions, talking about the issues and thinking about what they want Peterborough to look like over the next four years.

And there are some difficult issues we need to talk honestly about.

I think many of us are frustrated and saddened by the level of homelessness and addiction we see in our city every day. You can’t walk through certain parts of Peterborough without seeing the impact, and it’s understandable that residents are asking what can be done.

But I also think we need to recognize that the City Council cannot solve this problem on its own.

The resources required to make a meaningful, long-term difference go well beyond what a municipal government can provide. We need the provincial and federal governments at the table with the financial resources, healthcare support and programs necessary to address the root causes.

To me, that means creating more opportunities for people to get the help they need — including treatment and rehabilitation, mental-health supports, housing, education, skills training and pathways back into the workforce.

We need to find ways to help people rebuild their lives and become part of the community again, rather than simply managing the problem from one day to the next.

There are no easy answers here, and I certainly don't pretend to have them. But I do believe Peterborough needs leadership that is willing to have the difficult conversations and work with the provincial and federal governments to bring the resources to our community that are necessary to make a difference.

As for the mayoral race, I’m still doing my own homework. I’m listening to the candidates, reading their platforms, looking at their positions on the issues that matter to me and deciding for myself who I believe should get my vote.

I don’t think someone else should make that decision for me — and I certainly don’t think I should make it for anyone else.

But I do think we have a responsibility and civic duty to participate.

Municipal government affects our everyday lives more than we sometimes realize — taxes, roads, development, housing, recreation, infrastructure, downtown, economic development and the overall direction of our community.

Online voting begins October 5, with Election Day on October 26.

So if you haven’t been paying much attention yet, maybe now is the time.

Have conversations. Ask the questions. Listen to the candidates. Do your homework.

And then, whatever your decision, get out and vote.

For me, this election isn't about telling anyone who to vote for.

It’s about hoping more people care enough to have a voice in what happens next.

Peterborough is our community.

We should all have a say in where it goes.

So, after that very long preamble, I guess I should finally answer the question I’ve been asked by quite a few friends lately:

Who am I supporting for Mayor?

For me, it’s Neil Morton.

And I want to explain why, because I didn’t arrive at this decision simply by looking at a campaign sign or reading a few social media posts.

What really resonates with me about Neil is that he isn’t a career politician.

He’s a guy who grew up here. He has built businesses here. He has raised his family here. He knows this community, and more importantly, he seems to genuinely understand the people who live in it.

Having spent a good part of my own life around business, I know how important it is to be able to listen. You don't build successful businesses by thinking you have all the answers. You listen to customers, employees, partners and sometimes people who completely disagree with you. You figure out what you can agree on, you find a way forward and then you take responsibility for the result.

That is one of the things I see in Neil.

I was particularly impressed by his “100 Coffees” initiative. Before putting his name forward for Mayor, he made a point of getting out into the community and sitting down with people — one conversation at a time — to hear what was bothering them, what they liked about our city and what they thought needed to change.

To me, that says a lot about the kind of leader he wants to be.

Not someone sitting behind a desk waiting for people to come to City Hall, but someone willing to go out and listen.

And the more I think about the challenges facing Peterborough, the more I believe that is exactly what we need.

We have some very real issues in front of us. Homelessness and addiction are visible every day. Businesses are frustrated. There are concerns about development, infrastructure, taxes, red tape and the direction of our downtown. And on many of these issues, the City simply doesn't have all the tools or resources to solve them alone.

That means our Mayor and Council have to be able to build relationships — with the provincial and federal governments, with businesses, with community organizations and, importantly, with the municipalities that surround us.

I particularly believe we need to improve our relationship with Cavan Monaghan and the other surrounding communities.

I don't understand why we should look at our neighbouring municipalities as competitors when we could be partners.

If Peterborough wants to attract new industry and investment, create jobs and grow our economy, we should be working together as a region. The companies and investors we're trying to attract aren't looking at our municipal boundaries the same way we sometimes do.

They’re looking at the region.

Imagine what we could accomplish if Peterborough and our neighbouring communities were pulling in the same direction rather than fighting over who gets what.

That, to me, is where leadership matters.

I want a Mayor who can pick up the phone and have a productive conversation with a neighbouring Mayor. Someone who can sit across the table from someone they disagree with and still find common ground.

Someone who can bring Council together instead of adding to the division.

And I believe Neil has demonstrated those qualities.

I also think his business background gives him a perspective that is badly needed right now. We need to understand what it's actually like for someone trying to invest in Peterborough — dealing with permits, fees, timelines, regulations and red tape.

We don't need to make it easy to do the wrong things.

But we should make it possible for people who want to do the right things — invest, build, create businesses and create jobs — to actually get things done.

I don't expect Neil, or any Mayor, to have a magic wand.

There are no easy answers to some of the problems we face, and I know that being Mayor means making decisions that will sometimes disappoint people.

What I do want is someone who will listen.

Someone who will bring people together.

Someone who understands business and understands Peterborough.

Someone who will work with our neighbours rather than against them.

And someone who has the ambition to look beyond the next four years and think about what kind of city and region we want to leave behind.

After watching Neil go through the process of meeting people, listening to them and building his campaign, I’ve come to believe that he is that person.

So after all my thinking, conversations and homework, I’m putting my support behind Neil Morton for Mayor.

That’s my decision.

I know others will make a different choice, and that's exactly what an election is about.

But I hope everyone takes the time to make an informed choice of their own — and, most importantly, gets out and votes.

Because regardless of who we support, we all have a stake in what happens to Peterborough next.