I recently read a good opinion piece in The Meaford Independent, titled, The Challenge of Remaining Informed & Engaged in Municipal Governance in Our Busy Modern World, In it, editor Stephen Vance opines about the difficulties of engaging the public in municipal issues and government. It’s refreshing to see an
Continue readingTag: municipal elections
THE FIFTH COLUMN: An Open Message to Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe
The election is over and you can now free yourself from your election handlers. It is time to move your focus from getting elected to making Ottawa a better place to live. So what should your first priority be. During an election campaign it is obviously whatever the largest group
Continue readingScripturient: The Death of Local Democracy?
Thirty nine per cent. That was the risible turnout of voters for the local municipal election here in Collingwood. Significantly fewer than half of our eligible voters made the effort to participate in our democracy, even though they could vote in person or on the internet for three weeks. It
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Why Bother To Vote?
Brittlestar has the answer. Recommend this Post
Continue readingScripturient: Looking for Information
I am looking for information — and hopefully confirmation — about some local events that may have involved people who may be — or may wish to be — in “high places.” Some may also intend to put their name(s) forward for the 2022 municipal election. I believe that public
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Former city councillor and federal minister Amarjeet Sohi to announce bid to become Edmonton Mayor today
If a pipeline to tidewater is as important to Alberta as folks around here seem to think it is, Amarjeet Sohi has done far more to make one a reality than Premier Jason Kenney ever did. In 2018 and 2019, as natural resources minister in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Tuesday Afternoon Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – Rob Gillezeau discusses how public health measures offer better results even in sheer economic terms than allowing an excess of activity which causes community spread. Joan Greve reports on the CDC’s warning of another COVID wave if the U.S. gets careless while
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday #yqrvotes Links
Having previously posted on voters’ options, I’ll offer one more roundup of the latest on Regina’s municipal elections (for those who haven’t joined the crowds voting early). – The lead up to election day has seen the Regina Public School Board take some additional steps to protect students, including by
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On advance preparation
I’ve noted before that Scott Moe’s spring election posturing prevented Elections Saskatchewan from putting together a full postal balloting system for this fall’s provincial election. And I haven’t yet heard of any municipalities going to a full vote-by-mail balloting system for their subsequent votes (though I’d be interested to hear
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On stark choices
The advance polls are now open in Regina’s municipal election, while mail-in ballots have been available for some time. So I’ll take the opportunity to discuss voters’ options – beginning with the City Council races which make for perhaps the most interesting set of possibilities we’ve seen in decades. I’ve
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: THE FIFTH COLUMN 2018-10-13 19:17:00
On Democracy What a better way to restart The Fifth Column than by a treatise on how to make our democracy actually democratic. Hopefully this will be the first posting in a newly regenerated Fifth Column. I write this at a time when there are so many examples of democracy
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Assorted content to start your week. – Robert Reich examines how a concerted attack on organized labour has pushed the vast majority of American workers into living paycheque-to-paycheque (or worse) while income and wealth have become increasingly concentrated at the top end of the spectrum: Almost 80% of Americans say
Continue readingAlberta Politics: St. Albert inspection report points fingers at outrageous behaviour by some councillors, but fails to name names
PHOTOS: Consultant George Cuff, author of the City of St. Albert “inspection report,” at St. Albert City Hall after yesterday afternoon’s special council meeting. In the background, portraits of earlier, perhaps less fractious, St. Albert city councils. Below: Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Shaye Anderson and St. Albert Mayor Nolan Crouse.
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: #yqrvotes – Election Day Resources
While I haven’t written much about Regina’s municipal election (except for the column linked here), I’ll point out a few of the resources worth considering before casting ballots today. Again, Elections Regina’s official information is here. The Queen City Improvement Bureau’s blog offers an opportunity to hear some of the
Continue readingThe Liberal Scarf: Joe Horneck would be strong addition to Mississauga City Council
It was a great personal experience to serve as Alvin Tedjo’s campaign manager in Mississauga Ward 2 this fall, one that really made me think about the future of my hometown as it builds an independent identity for itself.
With that in mind, some interesting things have happened since the municipal election. Long-time City Councillor Frank Dale was elected as Peel Regional Chair, and as such, a by-election is happening in his former Ward 4.
While a number of candidates have put their name forward, I believe Joe Horneck is by far the best candidate for the future of Mississauga.
Joe has a strong, progressive and urban vision for Mississauga:
As co-chair of the western summit’s report, Unlocking Our Gridlock Together, A Citizens’ Report on Transit, Horneck has been an effective advocate for action on an issue that needs all the action it can get. He’s quite comfortable being dubbed “the transit candidate.”…
He’s an unabashed supporter of the Hurontario LRT and says an integrated hub at the Cooksville GO Station could be a catalyst that’s required for the economic stimulation of that corner of the ward.
“If we can get a mix of private and public sector investments coming together around the transit hubs, it spills into the neighbourhoods around it,” he says.
I encourage you to follow Joe on Twitter and get involved in his campaign.
The Liberal Scarf: Joe Horneck would be strong addition to Mississauga City Council
It was a great personal experience to serve as Alvin Tedjo’s campaign manager in Mississauga Ward 2 this fall, one that really made me think about the future of my hometown as it builds an independent identity for itself. With that in mind, some interesting things have happened since the
Continue readingThe Liberal Scarf: Joe Horneck would be strong addition to Mississauga City Council
It was a great personal experience to serve as Alvin Tedjo’s campaign manager in Mississauga Ward 2 this fall, one that really made me think about the future of my hometown as it builds an independent identity for itself. With that in mind, some interesting things have happened since the
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Ottawa attack, Municipal Election Day, LPCO weekend
That title pretty well sums up my post today. In order of title: I’ve waited for a few days before deciding to comment on the Ottawa attack where a shooter killed an unarmed Canadian solider and then stormed Parliament, wounding a security officer before he himself was killed by the
Continue readingTrashy's World: Ottawa City Council candidates worth voting for!
I have already endorsed some of these candidates in past posts, but being that it is only a few days till E Day, I thought I’d go over some of them again. Jean Cloutier will be a fine representative for Alta Vista on Council. Jean and I have worked together at
Continue readingThe Liberal Scarf: Why I’m supporting Alvin Tedjo for Mississauga Ward 2
I haven’t had too much opportunity to blog lately, but it certainly hasn’t been as a result of not being politically active – indeed, I’ve been working every day for the past month or so helping run the campaign of Alvin Tedjo, who is running for City …
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