How nice that there's a real choice for voters in Waterloo, who will select a new mayor this fall.

Brenda Halloran has stepped down. Two Daves have stepped up.

There's Schmoozer Dave, also known as Dave MacDonald. Folksy and affable, his is a face many older voters will remember. MacDonald was the TV weatherman on the local news for more than 40 years.

Then there's Dynamic Dave, also known as Dave Jaworsky, who is as plugged in as anyone can be to the business, research and technology communities here. A former executive at BlackBerry, formerly Research In Motion, he has lots of ideas about how to make Waterloo a more welcoming place for new talent.

Let's start with MacDonald. He was the Conservative candidate in the last provincial election two years ago. He did well, nearly beating the Liberal incumbent MPP in Kitchener Centre, John Milloy. Just 325 votes separated them.

But MacDonald also attracted attention during the campaign when he claimed "the jury is still out" on whether human activity is responsible for global warming. He was sharply criticized for this comment, which is in opposition to the beliefs of the vast majority of scientists.

But you've got to give him this: The man sticks to his story. Last September, MacDonald sent me a link to a story in the Daily Mail, a British paper that specializes in sensational stories and spicy celebrity gossip.

"And now it's global COOLING! Return of Arctic ice cap as it grows by 29% in a year!" the headline trumpeted.

MacDonald told me the article "shows that my statement made two years ago that 'the jury is still out' on the global warming issue was not incorrect after all."

Except that later versions of the story admitted that the figures used to calculate the size of the ice cap were grossly exaggerated. Another story in the Mail indicates that nine of the hottest 10 years on record were in the 21st century, as measured by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Twice, I asked MacDonald to talk about this, but he didn't respond.

MacDonald will play well with aging suburbanites in Waterloo who don't want to pay more taxes for the region's light rail transit project (MacDonald wants to kill the project).

Meanwhile, Dave Jaworsky is the well-connected former vice-chair of Communitech and Chamber of Commerce board member. At BlackBerry, he headed the company's government relations drive, and was also head of corporate social responsibility.

He wants to get more high-technology startup companies to stay in Waterloo. He thinks the city can help by forging closer connections with campus business incubators such as VeloCity at University of Waterloo.

Studies show Waterloo isn't considered as good a place to live as it is to start a business. So Jaworsky wants to improve quality of life in the city. That means a more vibrant cultural scene, building bridges with business leaders, and supporting light rail transit as it draws more people into the city's core.

Thirty years ago, only 50,000 people lived in Waterloo. Today there are over 100,000. "Where are we going to put the next 50,000?" Jaworsky asks. The city has no more empty land at its edge for new homes. It can either stagnate, or it can encourage growth in more dense housing developments near the core, he says.

Many people in their 20s and 30s, our young talent, don't live in the suburbs or even drive. Instead of mowing the lawn, they prefer to be out at a music festival. Jaworsky understands that comfortable, reliable and frequent transit is key to keeping them here.

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The two Daves couldn't be more different. We can look forward to the campaign.

- Waterloo mayoral election candidates disagree on light rail transit plan