Council

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Doug Lawrance was born in 1950 in Scotland and moved to Montreal, Canada with his family in 1957.  He completed his elementary schooling and his first year of high school in Montreal before his family relocated to Thunder Bay where Doug finished his high school education and went on to attend Lakehead University.  While taking his BA in Psychology and Sociology, Doug met his future wife, Cherry, who was also attending Lakehead for her BSc in Nursing.  The two were married in 1972 and moved to Toronto where Doug earned his diploma in Engineering Technology and Cherry worked at the Women’s College Hospital. 

From 1975 to 1981 Doug worked on water supply and road construction projects while he and Cherry lived in St. Lucia and then Mozambique.  By 1981 daughter Jennifer had been born and the family returned to Canada, specifically Smithers, British Columbia, where Doug was employed with the Municipal Engineering Department for 1 year.  He went on to be employed by the Province of British Columbia working on forestry road projects.  In 1983, Doug and his family returned to Thunder Bay where he attended Lakehead University to complete a degree in Engineering. By 1986 Doug, Cherry, and their 3 children, Jennifer, Keith, and Robbie, relocated to Sioux Lookout where Doug began his career with a new engineering firm, Keewatin-Aski.

For the next 25 years Doug managed this successful small engineering and architectural business whose client base included regional Municipalities, First Nations communities, provincial and federal agencies, as well as private clients.  After his retirement from Keewatin-Aski in 2010, he worked as an independent Project Manager for Meno Ya Win Health Centre and managed the completion stage of the hospital project in addition to completing the preliminary planning phase of a 96-bed long term care facility for Sioux Lookout.

Doug currently sits on a number of boards and committees including Chair of the Board for the Northwestern Health Unit, Director on the Kenora District Services Board, and Director on the Sioux Lookout Police Detachment Board.  This is his third term as Mayor of the Municipality of Sioux Lookout.

In the past Doug has been involved with coaching hockey and volunteering in various sports and recreational activities.  He enjoys spending time with his family, skiing, cycling, and being outdoors.

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My name is Joe Cassidy,

I was born in Hamilton, Ontario, and raised in the farming community of Jarvis, Ontario.  Most of my youth was spent playing hockey and football, as well as working on various farms and factories.  I attended high school in Brantford and Simcoe and eventually attended Sir Sandford Fleming College where I obtained Fish and Wildlife Technician and Technologist Diplomas.  My Summers during college were spent in Kirkland Lake, and Pickle Lake fighting forest fires, before moving on to trapping bears in Sioux Lookout in the Summer of 2008.  My career with the MNRF has led me through many different program areas, such as; CWD field crew lead, Acting Resource Technician, Silviculture Technician, Aging Lab Technician and eventually led me to my current position as a Integrated Resource Management Technician.  The majority of my work involves planning projects and coordinating staff and contractors and working with various stakeholders and members of the public.

August 2025 marks my 17th year in Sioux Lookout,  I came here on a whim to trap bears and wound up falling in love with this town.  I met my wife here and started a family and grew my career here, I look forward to my time on council where I can provide influence and work with community members to help shape this town into an even better place for families to grow and live.

Sincerely,
Joe Cassidy

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I am a 4th generation Sioux Lookouter and was born here in 1969. I attended primary school in Sioux and graduated from QEDHS in 1987. After high school I went to college for 2 years and spent another 4 years at the University of Manitoba, where I received my degree in Social Work (BSW), with my courses geared towards the geriatric field.

I started working for the family business, Al’s Sports Excellence in 1989, and am closing in on my 25th year of work there. In 2003 I became part owner. It has truly been a great experience and I am still learning new things all the time.

In my mid 30’s I decided that it was time to give back to my home town. Being an avid fisherman and hunter, the logical spot to volunteer was with the Sioux Lookout Anglers and Hunters club. In 2008 I took over the role of President for the club and we have since created many great events for our community over the past decade. I will continue with the President’s role into the future.
Through the club I started a bass tournament that lasted for 3 summers during the Blueberry Festival. From the bass tournament came the idea for a community walleye tournament. So in 2007 I founded the first ever the Sioux Lookout Walleye Weekend with some other great volunteers. I still continue in the Directors position for this annual event and help coordinate and run the tournament.

Politics has been a big part of my life, but I have been more interested, politically, on a Provincial and Federal level. I always wanted to get involved, and had been asked to run locally many times. In 2018, I made the leap into Municipal politics. It will be a steep learning curve, but I am ready to get to work, I am able to provide the time needed, I will be out and about listening to what the residents are discussing, and provide my feedback on every issue at the council table.

As a Toronto girl, I arrived in Sioux Lookout in 1976 after a 2 year round the world backpacking adventure looking for a wilderness experience and more adventure – another “here for a year” folks.  As the only Social Worker in town, the timing was right: for the next decade I was on the ground floor in the creation of several established social service in town – Firefly Children’s Mental Health service, First Step Women’s Shelter, Mental Health and Addictions, and Nodin Child and Family Intervention Services. In 1988, I left Sioux Lookout to pursue a Master’s degree in Public Administration and a doctorate in Social Work.  I conducted research, wrote academic papers, and taught at Cambrian College. I soon learned that I loved Sioux Lookout too much to stay away and returned full time to start a consulting practice.

Working in and around and studying government including sitting on several provincial boards gave me an interest in grass roots politics and in 2006, I threw my hat into the ring for municipal Council. Council has been yet another adventure and here I am doing a 4th term. I have been active in many Council activities – social housing, Ontario Works, homelessness, the environment, First Nations Council relationship building, and strategies to encourage women’s involvement in politics.    I stand for a process in which Council seeks community input on important matter before making major decision and for thorough scrutinization of new projects. I hope that this term, I will encourage more women to become involved in politics and to see at least 50% participation of women in the 2022 municipal election.

I still travel up north to work with the communities. I Chair the Board of Friends of Cedar Bay, and co-chair the Youth Poverty Reduction Strategy advisory committee. I enjoy cooking, entertaining, swimming and skiing. Although I enjoy government, I believe that my best contributions lie in grass roots initiatives.  Please visit my Facebook page, Cllr Joyce Timpson.

Hi, I’m Reece Van Breda. I was born in New Liskeard to a Metis Mother from Pickle Lake and a Dutch Jewish father. We moved around when I was younger and settled in Kenora where I grew up, but spent many summers in Pickle Lake and in Sioux Lookout with my family.

I have a Bachelor of International Development and a specialty in Developmental Economics from Humber College with a postgrad certificate from Algonquin College in Project Management. I spent a few years working abroad for different non-governmental organizations in economics. However, with the pandemic, I struggled to find meaningful employment, and it wasn’t until I moved back home to Northwestern Ontario in the summer of 2021 that I finally was able to spread my roots and bloom. I consider myself proud to have been able to grow up in such a beautiful part of Ontario and my lived experiences have helped shape me to the person I am today.

I look forward to my first term of Sioux Lookout Municipal Council to help shape this community into a more just and equitable place for all. Sioux Lookout is a thriving community that is inviting to everyone. I am excited and ready to work with my Council colleagues throughout the 2022-2026 term.

I have lived in Sioux lookout most of my life. Our family moved here in the 70’s when my parents purchased a business.

I worked for the school board for 30 years. I have raised a family in Sioux Lookout.  I am retired and run a B and B,  I assist my husband with his Home inspections Business, and have been a landlord for over twenty years.

I love Sioux Lookout and I have time to help and make a difference. I strongly believe in the value of having a diverse community where everyone feels welcome.

I am available, if people wish to reach out.  It is important that people are heard, I might not be able to solve the issue, but I am willing to listen.

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Serving his first term on Council.