It's been tradition for former councillors to be recognized at city hall with a few parting gifts and a chance to reminisce about their time around the horseshoe, including both highlights and low points, as well as share a few anecdotes.
Doug Shipley, who resigned his Ward 3 seat last fall after being elected MP for Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte in October's federal election, was front and centre Monday night at council as he addressed his fellow politicians and city staff.
Shipley said he often hears that he moved on to "bigger things" with his duties in Ottawa.
"I tell them 'no'. I moved on to something different," he said. "It's still the same. In fact, you guys have more to do with people's day-to-day activities. It's not bigger, it's not better, it's a different position.
"City politics is where it really meets the road," Shipley added. "I miss it sometimes and it's important to people."
Shipley, a local businessman who served on city council from 2010 until 2019, was given a framed photo of the waterfront (which he says will hang in his Ottawa office) and a commemorative cigarette butt container, which acted as a gag gift for championing their installation around the downtown.
The MP praised Deputy Mayor Barry Ward, who filled in for Shipley when he took a leave of absence to campaign federally and handled Ward 3 residents' concerns.
"I can honestly say you became a friend over those nine years. I have a lot of respect for you," Ward said. "We didn't agree on many issues and not once did that ever interfere with our friendship."
Shipley urged councillors to remain focused on projects they want to see completed around the city.
"Don't leave without getting it done, because those will be the regrets you have," he said.
One of the most serious incidents that happened in Ward 3 occurred in July 2012 when a home on Virgilwood Crescent was found to contain numerous homemade explosive devices. The disturbing discovery led to the evacuation of several neighbourhood homes while emergency crews defused close to 100 bombs.
Mayor Jeff Lehman called it "one of the most difficult" periods of his time as head of city council.
"This is where Doug Shipley's personality came through in spades," said Lehman, who added Shipley "did yeoman's work" on behalf of his constituents. "Doug listened, cared for and made an effort to support every single one of those residents with their individual and pragmatic needs."
Lehman was out of town at the time and vividly remembers getting the morning call from Shipley about the Virgilwood situation.
"I could tell by the tone of voice that something was quite different and quite wrong," said Lehman.
Shipley, who has lived in Ward 3 for 18 years with his wife and two sons, urged the mayor to return to the city as quickly as possible, because numerous people needed assistance, whether it had to do with pets or obtaining medication.
"In circumstances like this, politicians aren't particularly useful in terms of operations or handling the scene, but what we can do is try and help the people who are affected by it," Lehman said.
City of Barrie CAO Michael Prowse, a former city councillor before being hired by the municipality, called Shipley "a consummate bridge builder" and someone "who knows everyone."
"He reaches not only across the aisle, but also makes it very personal with people, which is an unusual way of doing politics," Prowse said. "He's interested in you and what you do, he's interested in your family. He's got a genuine interest. When people disagree with something, he wants to have the conversation with them and talk about it.
"He's fearless when it comes to saying 'no'," the CAO added.
Prowse also recalled how quiet Shipley was when he was first elected to council, barely saying anything in the first year. The councillor told Prowse he was simply watching and learning.
"Around the 13-month mark, you couldn't shut him up," he said. "People in Ottawa should be very afraid, because in about another nine months, he'll have hit that 13-month mark and Doug Shipley will have figured out the rules and who's who in the zoo."
The CAO also injected some levity into the night's proceedings, noting Shipley had a penchant for giving everyone nicknames.
So, Prowse became 'Prowsie', Ward became 'Wardo' and so on.
"I think from the day I met Doug, he told me 'I'm an athlete' over and over," Prowse said. "People who have to keep saying something over and over again, typically it probably isn't true."
Council officially declared the Ward 3 post vacant on Oct. 28, which led to a byelection being called.
In the running to fill the Ward 3 seat are Steve Ciesielski, Ram Faerber, Ann-Marie Kungl, Gerry Marshall, Kelly Patterson McGrath, Tanya Saari, Devin Scully, and Peter Silveira.
Byelection voting starts Thursday and wraps up at 8 p.m., on Monday, Feb. 24.
For more information on the byelection, click here.
