Comment 106976

By CharlesBall (registered) | Posted December 12, 2014 at 11:39:49 in reply to Comment 106950

I am intimately familiar with the Board of control having voted then and campaigned for former controllers at the time. (some of the controllers eventually were friends of mine.) The squabbling and lack of vision of a large council affecting long range planning was predicted by opponents of the change at the time.

Yes, there was an old boys club who pandered largely to major industries (which we had lots of at the time.) Hamilton was a big Union town then (still is I suppose) and there was a large "us and them" mentality going on. (Some also lined their pockets because they bought land in areas they knew were going to be developed.)

On a political science level, these are big questions. Direct representative democracy works in countries like Switzerland. But Switzerland has a unique historical and geo-politcal makeup. On a practical level, in a city the size of Hamilton, ward politics can undermine functionality. Look at Toronto. It has been mired in crap for nearly 20 years. Los Angeles reduced the number of voices on council to get things done.

I am not saying that the answers are easy. I am just saying that it is no surprise that Councillor Conely panders to his constituents.

We need two things that I know of. Strong, thoughtful and experienced council members and less of them. (I also think we need referendums on large projects.)

Comment edited by CharlesBall on 2014-12-12 11:45:26

No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be? George Orwell

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