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Up Front: Newmarket Mayor John Taylor answers our questions

NewmarketToday launches Mayor John Taylor’s monthly candid column, Up Front, with a series of revealing personal questions
20190222 Newmarket Mayor John Taylor GK01
Newmarket Mayor John Taylor. Greg King for NewmarketToday

NewmarketToday launches Mayor John Taylor’s regular column, Up Front, with a series of revealing personal questions (with acknowledgment to Proust for inspiration) to help you better get to know the man who wears the Chain of Office. Moving forward, he will take his questions from you, our readers, and will personally write the responses in this candid monthly column.

Send your questions to [email protected]

  1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Sitting on a beach reading a good book.

  1. What is your greatest fear?

One of my children might become very sick.

  1. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

I sometimes bite my nails when I am deep in thought.

  1. What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Not listening to other points of view with an open mind.

  1. Which living person do you most admire?

I have a great deal of respect for Barak Obama. I most admire my father and mother.

  1. What is the best advice you have received?

Be patient.

  1. What is the best advice you have given?

Listen to everyone with an open mind – and accept that there can be two different opinions and one does not have to be wrong.

  1. What is your greatest extravagance?

Eating at a nice restaurant.

  1. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

Treating everyone the same.

  1. On what occasion do you lie?

Every new haircut my wife gets is – ‘outstanding’!

  1. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

‘Technically speaking’.

  1. When and where were you happiest?

I am often happiest when I am travelling. I love sitting in a quiet place drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. 

    13. Which talent would you most like to have?

Playing guitar.

  1. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I wish I needed less sleep.

  1. What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Completing my Ph.D.

  1. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?

Could I come back as Warren Buffett ?

  1. What is your most treasured possession?

My wedding ring – it reminds me of how darn lucky I am!

  1. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Experiencing the death of a child

  1. What is your most marked characteristic?

My height!

  1. What do you most value in your friends?

Ability to have fun and enjoy life’s moments.

  1. Who are your favorite writers?

Lawrence Hill, Michael Ondaatje, Ann-Marie MacDonald ……… 

  1. Which historical figure do you most identify with?

The Quakers – they helped establish Newmarket and prepare it to become a great town!

  1. Who are your heroes in real life?

My wife and my parents.

  1. What is your greatest regret?

I have none. Seriously. I wish I did a few things differently – I regret nothing. I don’t think regret is a useful way of thinking.

  1. What is your motto?

“Anything worth doing is worth doing well.” I say it every morning to my son. (I tell my daughter to ‘be awesome my girl!’)