To those who say "in Opposition_ we've got to take what's given to us" that is misguided. It is time to put forth a clear model of who has what power and what responsibilities. It is time that when a candidate runs for municipal office to say whom he or she supports for the mayor's office. The election period is the time to make clear positions on programmes, policies and in what group or party you stand. It is time to have a clear statement of who is in Opposition and who is in Government.
This is not happening in Toronto. We no longer have a clear view of what city council (our city parliament) stands for and what powers it has.
We elect a strong, some say a mighty mayor. That office determines who sits on the elite Executive Committee or EC (that is, the mayor's cabinet) and who gets to control (chair) city committees (such as budget) or participate in the ABC's (agencies, boards, committees such as the TTC or TPS or Toronto Housing).
We also have a community council for each city district. While the mayor does not elect its chair, it is time for the chairs of these councils to sit on the EC. Members of the councils should do this and hopefully on a rotating annual basis. Being on the EC provides good training and awareness of broad city issues. So does being on some large budget ABCs. Maybe, we also need to have District Councillors who sit on the EC.
While council and committee votes are not always unanimously for the mayor's positions on issues and legislation, the mayor's office generally gets its way.
The best model might be for the Opposition to get representation based on a formula of number of councillors elected and let the Opposition work out/select who gets to sit where.
Yes, it's time to grow up, face the mature decisions and get party politics in Toronto.
See North York Mirror,
Councillor should find better way to criticize city administration
January 14, 2009 12:04 PM
http://www.insidetoronto.com/article/62198
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