"We are not creatures of circumstance; we are creators of circumstance." ~ Former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli
Mark MacKenzie has lived his life according to this adage, working tirelessly to improve the lives of others. Mark's inspiration is derived from his wife Kathy and their four children. Mark believes that building a better world begins with the desire to ensure his children have a viable planet in which to live and thrive in the decades to come.
If variety is the spice of life, then much of Mark's existence has been rife with delightful morsels. From his community-based businesses to his conscientious issue advocacy, championing sustainability as a Green Party candidate for public office, and recreational pursuits that are geared to physical and mental challenge, Mark has plied his skills, spirit, and focus to a number of worthwhile activities.
Mark is the Green Party of Ontario's nominated candidate in the riding of Ottawa West-Nepean. His candidacy is predicated on three desires - (1) to re-orient our society to confront the cancer epidemic that has afflicted many Ontario families; (2) to articulate and implement Green economic options that will take us where we need to go; (3) to assist people in re-claiming their democracy by demonstrating caring through active listening and encouraging community participation in our political life.
As an entrepreneur, Mark understands the challenges that confront many communities in Ontario. His passion for ensuring healthy practices extends throughout his business endeavours and into his ardent and effective issue advocacy.
Mark owns and operates several businesses including Appleseed Snow Blowing and Appleseed Organic Lawn Care where he developed unique turf systems for handling common weed and insect problems without using toxic pesticides. Mark is also an active member and contributor to the board of directors of Prevent Cancer Now, an organization dedicated to eradicating harmful causes of this most prevalent and vexing of diseases.
While President of the Organic Landscape Alliance, Mark's energies were directed at working with those who wished to develop local markets for organic horticulture. As an issue advocate, Mark has taken it upon himself to make a number of submissions to municipal councils in Ontario highlighting alternatives to synthetic chemical pesticides. He is a frequent speaker on the subject of soil quality.
Mark assists his wife Kathy in running a web-based business, Healthy Home Services, which provides environmentally sensitive and hypoallergenic products and information to people across North America. He is a successful franchiser in the service industry and Mark is also a board member of Wakefield Mill Developments.
His leisure activities include skiing, swimming, coaching T-Ball and playing bridge. In fact, Mark captained a Grand National Bridge Team ('C' division) in 2001 representing Eastern Canada, which won the North American Championship.
A passionate, collaborative, and creative force in the service of others, Mark leads a rewarding life that has emulated Disraeli's refrain. Creating for the common good is a hallmark of past endeavours and of things to come.
