Professional Comments
Des Farrell – Print Media Solutions – USA
Over a fifteen year period Bill and I worked as competitors and colleagues in both Canada and the United States. He is a hardworking, knowledgeable, focused, driven executive with a keen sense of fair play and an ability to always see the “big picture”. He is well liked as well as highly respected by his peers in the entertainment as well as the software industries.
Christine Bentley – Former CTV Toronto News Anchor
Bill French is a born leader.. pure and simple! He has always been ahead of the curve, thanks to his instinctive ability to accurately size up any challenge, and process workable solutions quickly and collaboratively. His insights and guidance did more to shape my career than anyone or anything else!
David Hollander – Former Managing Director Cinram UK
I was lucky enough to work with Bill for a while in 2001. I was very grateful for his clarity of vision, his diligence and the considerable leadership he showed.
Dennis A. Watson – Retired Broadcasting Executive
Bill French and I worked together in numerous capacities during our careers in the Broadcasting Business. During that time I came to know Mr French as a person who could get things done, he was trustworthy, insightful and when Bill was tasked with a project it was always completed on time and on budget.
Robert Wright – Midhurst Area Farmer
I believe Bill brings a business attitude and a common sense approach to our municipal government.
Gary Christie
Bill is committed to providing his community with a bright and prosperous future in harmony with a healthy environment. He brings honesty, integrity, commitment and much needed transparency to municipal government and its embattled region. The critical fabric and identity of Springwater needs Bill for its protection, survival and establishment as a unique and important part of our country.
Ian Bender – Former Director of Planning County of Simcoe
Bill has a clear understanding of the development process, the (provincial, county, and township) planning framework, and how to make it work to achieve appropriate development at the local level while avoiding unnecessary and unwanted sprawl in our local communities.
Jonathon Beddows – Former Director of Sales – Cinram UK
I had the pleasure of working for Bill French when, as a senior executive who headed up the acquisition and integration of several businesses in Europe for Cinram International Inc. Bill is a charismatic, natural, inspirational leader able to operate at all levels of an organization. Aside from excellent commercial and negotiation skills, Bill is a great ‘people person’. He has the ability to see the big picture and takes into account the different positions of involved parties finding common ground and driving solutions. Bill’s energy, charisma and people skills make him a natural leader.
Vern Martin – Midhurst Resident
Bill French stood against Midhurst’s “idiotic growth” (as described by Margaret Atwood) prior to the 2010 election. Bill is still the choice to preserve the rural communities of Springwater and protect us from the developers who “paved paradise and put up a parking lot”.
Bernard Pope – Ontario Farmland Preservation
I admire his wholesome, honest and modern vision for Springwater and I trust his keen business sense that his career has fostered. In short Bill has the vision we need and the leadership we deserve.
Anne Nahuis-Ritchie – Dairy Farmer
Bill French is very dedicated to the Township of Springwater; he does his homework, understands the processes of governance and participates in a constructive democratic manner. When concerned about a topic, I have witnessed Bill do his research and approach council in a respectful manner and offer well thought-out solutions to difficult subjects. Bill is also not intimidated into not raising his voice when those concerns go ignored. This is of great importance at Springwater Council and also at the County of Simcoe. Bill French has participated as a citizen at the Ontario Municipal Board to oppose the proposed Midhurst Secondary Plan. Bill was also part of the Simcoe County Official Plan process, meeting with provincial representatives to defend farmland and ask them to reconsider the Special Rules – Amendments 1 & 2 that were put in place to allow the Midhurst development that would otherwise have been prohibited by provincial anti-sprawl legislation.
Chris Evans
My personal opinion is that Bill has the leadership, business and critical thinking skills, abilities and experience required to protect and restore our precious Natural Heritage. Bill’s objectivity and openness enable him to see how this Natural Heritage has been so sadly abused and neglected. Bill recognizes how critical it is to take action now to protect and restore this exquisite foundation in order to secure the prosperity it provides, now and for the future. Despite the unrecognized human inflicted damage this foundation has sustained, Springwater Township remains as a keystone in one of the richest, most biologically diverse Natural Heritage Systems on earth. Urban Development is the biggest threat to that biological diversity, and, thus, persistently and increasingly assaults and erodes the very foundation of our prosperity. As Mayor, Bill has brought awareness, balance and the right action to Springwater and Simcoe County Council to protect and restore that critical foundation and all that it supports.
College Student Comments:
- Good professor and very knowledgeable in his field of study.
- Uses his own experience of what has happened compared to just textbook examples
- Great prof. One of the best I have had here at Georgian.
- I believe that Bill is a very knowledgeable individual who truly cares about his students and will help in any way that he can to help his students succeed. Keep up the awesome teaching!!!
- He is knowledgeable, and experienced in his field of study and it makes learning the information more interesting because he is not simply reading the textbook to us.
- He is able to teach without the book in his hands, he is always well prepared and his information is always relevant to the class’s course schedule.
- Presents each topic with a great deal of experience; offering real world perspectives and alternative points of view.
- You are a really great instructor who provides more than just the text book for learning. Your personal experience and dedicated nature provide “real life” examples to the students which I believe is so important. It helps to visualize where you are going so you know that the real world works this way.
And Others Say
- Thank you for being my Mayor
- I had a problem with NVCA. Mayor French resolved it.
- I ran into red tape with a severance. Bill with his background on the Committee of Adjustment found a solution.
- French listens and then acts.
- French is not afraid to ruffle a few feathers to do what is right.
- I don’t always agree with his thinking, but I respect his integrity.
- I really appreciated French challenging the County on the backroom deal on population in Midhurst and mitigating the situation.
- His foresight in convincing developers to incorporate transitional lot fabric planning in new developments protects our established neighbourhoods.
- I like his Judge Judy style when chairing contentious meetings.
- He keeps us informed by his regular newspaper articles and radio updates.
- He always returns calls and will meet with you at any time.
- This man loves Springwater and will fight to retain its character.
- He loves the farmer and knows the importance of their sustainability.
- I have not seen a lot of Mayors show the deep interest in his community like Bill. He is everywhere.
- We need to keep French as Mayor as long as he will do it.
- As he told me, he is not out to win a popularity contest, but to do right for those that elected him.
- He reminds me of the old adage, “Talk is cheap but Action speaks”, and Action is what he does.
- He annoys a few as he does not suffer fools lightly