Election Reform - Part 1

To contact us Click HERE
I promised Councillor Withey that I would prepare a submission to the Town on local election reform. First, let’s be clear this will be a written submission only and our readers will have the opportunity to read the final report at the same time that it is submitted to Council. I’m not going to get involved in a public pissing contest and I’m not going to provide public content for the Forester. They should make their own submission too, as a good corporate citizen of this community.

Councillor Tim Withey enjoys a java with Nancy Alcock

The blog format will allow me to look at various issues over a week or so and it will allow you to wade into the discussion, if you feel so inclined. The final submission will be a pared down document, kind of a Joe Friday approach.... "just the facts ma’am". Take it or leave it, no skin off my back if it is rejected.

First, I think this whole discussion has been framed incorrectly. It is being referred to a the ‘Ward Boundary Discussion’. This relates to the identified issue "Current representation of citizens of the Town of Huntsville under the Ward system is not balanced."

Re-drawing the ward boundaries is a definite non-starter. Even when the Federal Government and Elections Canada change boundaries they do not change municipal wards and the property legal descriptions. Can you imagine the mess that would be created trying to change your tax roll number and the lot & concession description. It is truly a non-starter.

So let’s consider re-branding this discussion to ‘Election Reform’ and with that do we even need reform? Is the workload encountered by the Councillor for Chaffey (39% of the voters) that much more than the workload encountered by the Councillor for Town Ward who represents 12% of the voters. What about the district councillors who can always defer complaints to the local ward councillor using the old ‘it’s not my job’ line? Councillor’s may have to be honest about how much time they really spend working for constituents directly as opposed to ‘at large’ representation.

The South/West to retain 2 council positions with one at District

Another thing that needs to be considered when we look at reforming representation is the idea of expansion and the elimination of duplication in our current two tier system. Right now neighbouring communities may not see amalgamation with Huntsville as being a positive thing but that could easily change at the next election. If you start to look at our Hospital catchment area you begin to see a logical political area of representation. Expansion to the east, north and northwest are all possible and we need a system that is both inclusive and also addresses the needs of satellite communities. Utterson-Port Sydney should act as a model for Novar, Dwight and Sprucedale. I will be recommending an at large election for the central urban/rural core with a mechanism to add satellite representation as required down the road. Tomorrow’s entry will involve the chicken test.
p.s another $9.00 earned for the Hospital yesterday.... check out those ads!