date posted: 2010-06-07
This year, municipal elections will be held throughout Ontario on October 25th. Some people call the election run-up time the "silly season"; I call this time interesting to say the least.
Why is it interesting? Because as a sitting member of Council it is interesting to observe how Council reacts to certain matters as they are dealt with at our Council meetings. Meetings are generally longer as it seems even the most routine matters attract discussion and debate. And even more interesting is the appearance of various candidates or possible candidates who are attending Council meetings. These include single issue candidates who seem to think lecturing Council on their particular issue is a way to gain support; or individuals who have never attended a Council meeting previously now attending. There are others who are there seemingly to gesture and glare at Council.
The great thing about being an open and transparent Council consisting of nine duly elected officials is that we get to see and hear it all; sometimes the good things we do; often the bad (in the view of the presenter or the "observers"). And in the previous three years where have these candidates been? What have they done for their community and our Town? How have they contributed to making Richmond Hill a better place to live, work and play? These same questions should also be asked of the incumbent Councillors as well as those who seek office. This Council and the previous ones must have done some things right in the past - witness the Conference Board of Canada recent report which identifies Richmond Hill as one of the best places in all of Canada to live.
So as we proceed through the "silly season" be prepared to ask the candidates the questions above and then participate by voting this Fall in our municipal election.
Note: At this writing, Councillor Warner has not registered to run in the 2010 municipal election.