The Delegation That Should Have Been - April 16, 2024; Burlington City Council

Good Morning. I didn’t intend to delegate today but, apparently, it’s required in order to introduce our petition. We have over xxx signatures from local citizens requesting that the Mayor return those Strong Mayor powers that she can return, back to Council. I anticipate that one of your questions will be “how can we be sure that everyone who signed the petition is a local citizen”? We can’t. But the manner in which the petition was distributed – through email contacts of local activists, local media and local advocacy networks – provides some surety that the majority of those who signed are indeed your constituents.

We feel that the Strong Mayor powers introduced by the Provincial Government through the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, of September 2022 are corrosive to the foundations of our democratic form of government. No matter how well-intended, collaboratively executed or benevolently applied they are an afront to the principles of community voice and majority rule. They exist, theoretically, to leverage a worthy but narrow social goal, affordable housing. But their existence ignores all competing but equally valuable community objectives and tears a large hole in the fabric of local decision-making. They should be repealed in their entirety not just repatriated in part as is the request today. We realize that that is not within your mandate but please do what you can.

I am not prepared to answer questions until such time as your delegation protocols allow me the same courtesy. This is not an indication of any form of disrespect for you; it is a measure of my self-respect and respect for all those who delegate. There is a fundamental distinction between meaningful engagement and arbitrary cross examination. You have the petition before you and it is self-explanatory. Thank you for your time.