Doug Ford shows his stupid side

Vincent J. Curtis

16 Aug 22

RE: Strong mayor powers to expand to more Ontario cities, Ford says.  A CP story by Allison Jones.  Published in the Hamilton Spectator 16 Aug 22.

Premier Doug Ford has proposed a “strong mayor” system of governance for some Ontario cities.  The strong mayor would have veto power over by-laws passed by city council, which veto could be overridden by a two-third majority of council.  The mayor would also prepare and table the city budget, instead of, as present, the council presenting it to itself.

How would that work for Hamilton?  With 16 councillors, 9 votes are a bare majority.  Two-thirds of 16 is 11, in whole numbers.  The difference between 9 and 11 is two.  Two votes more than a bare majority is veto-proof.  Big deal.  (In Toronto, with 24 councillors, the numbers are 13 and 16.)

Where is the mayor going to get the data to present a budget?  From the same sources that council gets it now, the only difference being who gets to present it.  Council still has to pass the budget and tax increases.  Giving presentation power to the mayor is only going to introduce rancor where none presently exists.

Eventually, there will arise cliques, those who support the mayor and others who oppose.  Party politics will insinuate itself where it doesn’t now exist, causing more rancor.

Conservatives don’t fix things that don’t need fixing.  Conservatives look before they leap.  But Ford can’t stop himself from experimenting with Ontario governance.  This is cats and dogs living together Ghostbuster stuff.  It’s not supposed to happen.

Enough ridicule now may save Ford from himself, and Ontario from him.

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