October 23, 2002, Backgrounder - The York Region Character Community initiative

A Character Community is one in which elected officials, community leaders in the education, business, law enforcement, faith and media sectors, and residents-at-large recognize and promote the importance of good character. Everyone works together to ensure that families are strong, homes and streets are safe, education is effective, business is productive, neighbours care about one another and residents are free to make wise choices for their lives and families.
York Region's public and Catholic school boards are strong promoters of character education. Boards have implemented programs throughout their elementary and high school curriculums in various forms, teaching students the importance of positive character attributes.
The idea that York Region could become a Character Community was born at an international Quest for Character symposium hosted in April 2001 by the York Region District School Board. At that symposium, Markham Mayor Don Cousens took on the challenge to host a forum about building cities of character.
In June 2001, a steering committee representing all facets of the community was formed to determine how to develop a character campaign in York Region.
Enthusiastic support from a broad representation of local area municipalities, business, media, educators and residents over the following seven months convinced the steering committee that York Region would embrace and welcome a region-wide Character Community initiative.
On January 24, 2002, York Regional Council approved a resolution declaring York Region a Character Community -- the first regional municipality to do so in Canada.
On February 12, 2002, York Region's Character Community initiative was officially launched with the announcement of a Character Council, mission, logo and Web site (see attached Fact Sheet for details).

The Character Council is comprised of the following:

-Mayor Don Cousens, Markham (Chair)

-Mayor Tim Jones, Aurora (Vice-Chair)

-Regional Chair Bill Fisch (ex-officio)

-Regional Councillor Tony Wong, Town of Markham

-Stephen Chait, Town of Markham

-Brian Dodd, Rogers Television

-Carol Felepchuk, IBM Canada Ltd.

-John Havercroft, York Region District School Board (YRDSB)

-Bill Hogarth, YRDSB

-Toni Hughes, Oak Ridges community member

-Susan LaRosa, York Region Catholic School Board (YRCSB)

-Brenda Larson, York Region Newspaper Group

-Taylor Lougheed, student representative

-Nadia Magarelli, Weston Downs Ratepayers Association

-Bob McCulloch, Community Alliance for York Region Education (CAYRE)

-Chief Robert Middaugh, York Regional Police

-Karen Powell, Magna International

-Lois Tori, Royal Bank of Canada

-Susan Taylor, York Region

-Ghislaine Boulianne, York Region

The following mission has been adopted for the Community of Character initiative:

We will work together to make York Region a Character Community

by nurturing positive character attributes.

On October 23, 2002, the York Region Character Council announces it Character Community Champion, Wendel Clark, former Toronto Maple Leafs Captain and King Township resident. The York Region Character Council also announces its eleven Character Attributes (see attached).
To find out more about the York Region Character Community initiative, visit www.region.york.on.ca/cc

Contact: Wendy Lewis, Corporate Communications Services, York Region

(905) 830-4444 or (416) 297-9696, ext. 1238
Email: wendy.lewis@region.york.on.ca