Mississauga Council
She initially considered running to succeed long-serving mayor of Mississauga City Council, Hazel McCallion, in the November 2006 municipal election, but ultimately filed her candidacy to represent Ward 6.
In the 2006 municipal election, Parrish was elected to Ward 6 by 1,400 votes. In 2009, she raised concerns on council regarding the possible conflict of interest of McCallion's son's company in a failed land deal involving the council, and McCallion herself in promoting it. In particular, she claimed that he personally stood to gain $10 million. An inquiry led by Douglas Cunningham was ultimately called to investigate the allegations. However, at the 2010 municipal election, Parrish lost to McCallion ally Ron Starr by 1,889 votes. She subsequently announced her retirement from political life, although has left the way open for re-entering at some point. She contested a by-election in neighbouring Ward 5 on September 19, 2011, losing to Bonnie Crombie by 241 votes. Shortly after the election, Cunningham's report was released, including a finding that McCallion had a "conflict of interest, both real and apparent" in the land deal. Parrish told media that she felt the election result would have been different had this been known.
Read more about this topic: Carolyn Parrish
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“Parental attitudes have greater correlation with pupil achievement than material home circumstances or variations in school and classroom organization, instructional materials, and particular teaching practices.”
—Children and Their Primary Schools, vol. 1, ch. 3, Central Advisory Council for Education, London (1967)