Reprinted from Letters to the Editor, Oshawa This Week
by Bill Longworth, VOTES CHAIR
The most common reason general vote supporters give in supporting that system is that they want a vote in determining all members of council. They say if there is dead wood somewhere, they want a vote to eliminate the dead wood. They also say they want a "say" in determining every city politician. This is faulty thinking.
When voting across the city for all candidates, they have a one in 30,000 "say" in promoting their choice so their chances of influencing the outcome are slight. Even though they know the politician is a poor choice, voter outcome is going to be determined by the vast majority of voters who do not know the individual personally but have only heard his/her name.
Job performance, job suitability, beliefs, platforms, ideas, service to the people, ethics, etc., all become irrelevant as there are too many candidates to make an informed choice. Voters make a choice based on "name recognition" only and the individual "general voter" has next to no influence in the result.
Democracy, where everyone has a choice, depends upon trusting the wisdom of society to make the right choices. If you know a candidate that is/is not deserving of your vote for some reason, chances are ward electors will get to know this and they will cast their vote the same way as you would have.
The more informed voters are, the better choices they make. Ward voters will be more informed about the candidates than could ever happen under a general vote. In addition, if 300 or 400 ward voters come to know the individual as you know him, this could make the crucial difference in leading to the victory or defeat of a candidate.
These 300 or 400 votes are a big proportion of the 3,000 votes cast for a winner in ward voting and so the strength of individual votes is amplified significantly.
Democracy relies on trust in your fellow citizens to make wise choices. As everyone has a vote, you want it to be an informed choice where the voter has a chance to get to know the candidate. An informed choice is the best choice and this is more likely with ward voting. Ward voting will produce the best leadership for the people. Ward voting compels the politicians to work for you.
Trust your neighbour to make good choices. This is the essence of democracy.
Showing posts with label councillors councillors councillors councillors councilors democracy general vote ballot local council municipal elections Oshawa politicians politics self-serving vote votes ward ward system now. Show all posts
Showing posts with label councillors councillors councillors councillors councilors democracy general vote ballot local council municipal elections Oshawa politicians politics self-serving vote votes ward ward system now. Show all posts
Monday, March 12, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
We Got Smarter City Council Than You Got---Da de da!
Dear Canadian Mayors:
Eat yer hart out Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria, Brandon, Winnipeg, Moncton, St. John, Yellowknife, Inuvik, Halifax, Barrie, Gravenhurst, Guelph, Hamilton, London, Kitchener, Kingston, Peterborough, St. Catherines, Sarnia, Thunder Bay, Stratford, Sudbury, Timmins, Windsor, Waterloo, Flin Flon, Charlottetown, Chicoutimi, Quebec City, Sherbrooke, Regina, Saskatoon, Whitehorse and my goodness, little South Algonquin, my favorite place, the location of my cottage. All yous guys still have da ward system cause yous guys not near progressive as our guys.
We soon gonna get somethem you not got…a general vote for de election of our local council. We gonna have somethem that is rarer than spare change at Oshawa tax time. But then we are bigger dan many of yous guys and so it makes sense that our council smarter too.
We so progressive, guess we de only guys to see the light. Good thing we got dem council guys lookin after us. We jus let dese guys go do what they think best for us.
We got Tweedle dee and Tweedle dumb. We even got Tweedle dumber lookin after us. Tweedle dee, he just throw out motion and Tweedle dumb and Tweedle dumber jump up and dance, “We support that!” Sometime they jump up so fast dat their little pointy hats fall off. Along with Councillor Joe, we call dem de gang a four.
Councillor Joe--he even a mind reader. He know which way he gonna vote even before he hear da motion.… He say, “I’m never gonna support motion from dat guy!” Bet you other guys wish you had guy this smart on your council! He know what he not support before he hear it.
Us guys in Oshawa, we glad to have set forward thunking leaders…imagine us in Oshawa treaden democratically where no one else dare to go. I guess we set pattern for all yous other guy in Canada to follow our lead.
Oh! I know dat dere is one guy, Longworth in town…a real disturber who wants to keep our election system dat all yous guys in Canada use and maybe he so busy debunking and debating our grate Oshawa leaders that maybe he don’t see the light. Maybe he should start using his energy to defend our smart guy on city council.
So eat your heart out Canada, and hope someday that yous get de smart guy wid the smart idea like we got.
If you want dese guys, I know they be free after next election and maybe come to help ya den.
Signed
“Proud” from Oshawa
Eat yer hart out Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria, Brandon, Winnipeg, Moncton, St. John, Yellowknife, Inuvik, Halifax, Barrie, Gravenhurst, Guelph, Hamilton, London, Kitchener, Kingston, Peterborough, St. Catherines, Sarnia, Thunder Bay, Stratford, Sudbury, Timmins, Windsor, Waterloo, Flin Flon, Charlottetown, Chicoutimi, Quebec City, Sherbrooke, Regina, Saskatoon, Whitehorse and my goodness, little South Algonquin, my favorite place, the location of my cottage. All yous guys still have da ward system cause yous guys not near progressive as our guys.
We soon gonna get somethem you not got…a general vote for de election of our local council. We gonna have somethem that is rarer than spare change at Oshawa tax time. But then we are bigger dan many of yous guys and so it makes sense that our council smarter too.
We so progressive, guess we de only guys to see the light. Good thing we got dem council guys lookin after us. We jus let dese guys go do what they think best for us.
We got Tweedle dee and Tweedle dumb. We even got Tweedle dumber lookin after us. Tweedle dee, he just throw out motion and Tweedle dumb and Tweedle dumber jump up and dance, “We support that!” Sometime they jump up so fast dat their little pointy hats fall off. Along with Councillor Joe, we call dem de gang a four.
Councillor Joe--he even a mind reader. He know which way he gonna vote even before he hear da motion.… He say, “I’m never gonna support motion from dat guy!” Bet you other guys wish you had guy this smart on your council! He know what he not support before he hear it.
Us guys in Oshawa, we glad to have set forward thunking leaders…imagine us in Oshawa treaden democratically where no one else dare to go. I guess we set pattern for all yous other guy in Canada to follow our lead.
Oh! I know dat dere is one guy, Longworth in town…a real disturber who wants to keep our election system dat all yous guys in Canada use and maybe he so busy debunking and debating our grate Oshawa leaders that maybe he don’t see the light. Maybe he should start using his energy to defend our smart guy on city council.
So eat your heart out Canada, and hope someday that yous get de smart guy wid the smart idea like we got.
If you want dese guys, I know they be free after next election and maybe come to help ya den.
Signed
“Proud” from Oshawa
Monday, February 26, 2007
Hey Council...How About These Plebiscite Questions?
The ward/general vote plebiscite came “out of the blue” from our politicians for some reason. We don’t know why when Oshawa seemed to flourish under the ward system and no public dissatisfaction was ever expressed with it.
Nester Pidwerbecki who introduced the motion gave as his rationale, "I think it is simply time to ask the public about this." He might just as well have thought it was about time to ask Oshawa people if they were in favour of renaming our city because that makes as much sense.
Council even gerrymandered the question so that they could get a result favourable to them...the people be damned!
So using Pidwerbecki's "I think it's about time we asked" rationale, I think it's about time we asked the public the following questions that I'm sure are of far more public interest in answering on any plebiscite posed by council.
In the interests of seeking public opinion, I challenge council to ask the following plebiscite questions...
1) Are you in favour of decreasing local politicians city and regional pay packages by 50%? --- Yes or No
2) Are you in favour of limiting council members to two terms on council so that we can guarantee fresh leadership and ideas arising from council members? --- Yes or No
3) Are you in favour of those elected to council working full time at the position in light of their handsome pay and requiring those elected to take leave of all other sources of income during their council tenure? --- Yes or No
4) Are you in favour of all city council members working at least 40 hours per week on city business and being responsible to keep time sheets accessible to the public for the purpose of documenting their hours? --- Yes or No
5) Are you in favour of public disclosure of all regional and local salaries plus all honoraria, expense, travel, and benefits costs including those monies accruing to them yearly toward their retirement and severance packages be a matter of public record published annually in the public media?---Yes or No
6) Are you in favour of public disclosure of all gifts, gratuities, and donations made by the development industry and others and a public record published at the same time of council member's votes in respect of all issues of interest to the donors? --- Yes or No
7) Are you in favour of having all pay increases for members of council being approved by the public by way of referendum?---Yes or No
8) Are you in favour of Oshawa politicians being compelled to keep a written record of all constituency problems they've received and statements of the resolution and that these documents should be a matter of public record?---Yes or No
Hopefully council will ask these questions and then implement the results. After all, they are interested in public input and equally interested in upholding plebiscite results in the name of democracy....aren't they?
Nester Pidwerbecki who introduced the motion gave as his rationale, "I think it is simply time to ask the public about this." He might just as well have thought it was about time to ask Oshawa people if they were in favour of renaming our city because that makes as much sense.
Council even gerrymandered the question so that they could get a result favourable to them...the people be damned!
So using Pidwerbecki's "I think it's about time we asked" rationale, I think it's about time we asked the public the following questions that I'm sure are of far more public interest in answering on any plebiscite posed by council.
In the interests of seeking public opinion, I challenge council to ask the following plebiscite questions...
1) Are you in favour of decreasing local politicians city and regional pay packages by 50%? --- Yes or No
2) Are you in favour of limiting council members to two terms on council so that we can guarantee fresh leadership and ideas arising from council members? --- Yes or No
3) Are you in favour of those elected to council working full time at the position in light of their handsome pay and requiring those elected to take leave of all other sources of income during their council tenure? --- Yes or No
4) Are you in favour of all city council members working at least 40 hours per week on city business and being responsible to keep time sheets accessible to the public for the purpose of documenting their hours? --- Yes or No
5) Are you in favour of public disclosure of all regional and local salaries plus all honoraria, expense, travel, and benefits costs including those monies accruing to them yearly toward their retirement and severance packages be a matter of public record published annually in the public media?---Yes or No
6) Are you in favour of public disclosure of all gifts, gratuities, and donations made by the development industry and others and a public record published at the same time of council member's votes in respect of all issues of interest to the donors? --- Yes or No
7) Are you in favour of having all pay increases for members of council being approved by the public by way of referendum?---Yes or No
8) Are you in favour of Oshawa politicians being compelled to keep a written record of all constituency problems they've received and statements of the resolution and that these documents should be a matter of public record?---Yes or No
Hopefully council will ask these questions and then implement the results. After all, they are interested in public input and equally interested in upholding plebiscite results in the name of democracy....aren't they?
Sunday, February 25, 2007
The Plebescite Question--Why?
Many people have asked this question. When Nester Pidwerbecki was asked, he simply said, "I think it was about time the question was asked." Ridiculous! It would be equally intelligent to ask the people whether Simcoe Street should be renamed!
It is clear though that Pidwerbecki had been working for some time behind the scenes to drum up interest in putting this question to the voters.
It is unfortunate that he was able to get enough support in the last council to get the question on the ballot and that he has been able to get consistent and unwavering support from the "Gang of Four"--himself, Kolodzie, Parkes, and Henry, on every vote on this council concerning implementing the general vote. But then...a move to the general vote is "self-serving" for the incumbent politicians!
Pidwerbecki has received intermittant support from Councillors Sholdra and Mariempietri and Mayor Gray for implementation of the general vote. Their support usually results in a 7-4 victory on many votes.
The present opponents of the general vote on most questions are Councillors Cullen, Nicholson, Neal, and Lutczyk who are usually outspoken opponents of the change. On one occasion, Councillor Cullen left the room thus avoiding a recorded vote on the issue.
Therefore two of the seven must be convinced to change their mind on the issue. I believe Mayor Gray and Councillors Sholdra and Mariempietri are possible converts but they need calls and letters from you.
While the real rationale for the plebescite question is unclear since none has been publicly expressed and no justification can be advanced by any knowledgeable person on this being the better system for electing a municipal council, we can only look to some of the reasons following, all of which have been advanced by those close to the action
1) Some councillors are getting too old to campaign in ward elections which requires a lot of door-to-door contact and also are getting too old to exert the energy required for demanding constituency work. Both of these could be avoided with the general vote.
2) The theory has been advanced that the prime "general" behind the move is an "agent" of a defeated prominent politician who feels chances of re-election under a general vote are excellent but are negligible under ward voting.
3) The idea has been expressed that some council members have outside alliances with past politicians who are still working to exert control and pull the council strings.
4) Petty politics among council members who believe that the general vote will engineer defeat for a present ward councillor who is a strong advocate for his community that the less effective general vote backers don't want on council.
5) Anger being expressed by a prime supporter of the general vote because of the competition he faced from a fellow council member in the last election.
6) One of the councillors got knocked on the head and has not been the same since the accident a few years ago....actually expressed and described to me!
7) Testosterone infighting on council for dominance!!!
8) Hatred and anger at not receiving some councillor's support for favourite projects and this is the payback.
9) Jealousy being expressed because some councillors are far more effective at getting things for their ward...and a need to get rid of this high achiever. Maybe council feels they all have to drop to the lowest common denominator!
10) Some council members want to go into semi-retirement and this is not possible under the demanding ward system.
11) Petty beefs and petty politics among council members.
12) Some members who have Mayoralty, Provincial or Federal ambitions want to test and promote their city-wide vote.
13) Some council members want their council work to be part-time and this is difficult under the ward system.
14) Probably any and all of the above
There are strange things done neath the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold...Many of these ideas seem strange to me but I have heard all of them from those close to the action.
Politics breeds strange bedfellows and oftentimes outlandish almost schizophrenic schemings. Believe Me!
It's unfortunate that some politicians will put the city in turmoil simply to satisfy their childish and churlish agendas...all at the expense of Oshawa's health.
It is clear though that Pidwerbecki had been working for some time behind the scenes to drum up interest in putting this question to the voters.
It is unfortunate that he was able to get enough support in the last council to get the question on the ballot and that he has been able to get consistent and unwavering support from the "Gang of Four"--himself, Kolodzie, Parkes, and Henry, on every vote on this council concerning implementing the general vote. But then...a move to the general vote is "self-serving" for the incumbent politicians!
Pidwerbecki has received intermittant support from Councillors Sholdra and Mariempietri and Mayor Gray for implementation of the general vote. Their support usually results in a 7-4 victory on many votes.
The present opponents of the general vote on most questions are Councillors Cullen, Nicholson, Neal, and Lutczyk who are usually outspoken opponents of the change. On one occasion, Councillor Cullen left the room thus avoiding a recorded vote on the issue.
Therefore two of the seven must be convinced to change their mind on the issue. I believe Mayor Gray and Councillors Sholdra and Mariempietri are possible converts but they need calls and letters from you.
While the real rationale for the plebescite question is unclear since none has been publicly expressed and no justification can be advanced by any knowledgeable person on this being the better system for electing a municipal council, we can only look to some of the reasons following, all of which have been advanced by those close to the action
1) Some councillors are getting too old to campaign in ward elections which requires a lot of door-to-door contact and also are getting too old to exert the energy required for demanding constituency work. Both of these could be avoided with the general vote.
2) The theory has been advanced that the prime "general" behind the move is an "agent" of a defeated prominent politician who feels chances of re-election under a general vote are excellent but are negligible under ward voting.
3) The idea has been expressed that some council members have outside alliances with past politicians who are still working to exert control and pull the council strings.
4) Petty politics among council members who believe that the general vote will engineer defeat for a present ward councillor who is a strong advocate for his community that the less effective general vote backers don't want on council.
5) Anger being expressed by a prime supporter of the general vote because of the competition he faced from a fellow council member in the last election.
6) One of the councillors got knocked on the head and has not been the same since the accident a few years ago....actually expressed and described to me!
7) Testosterone infighting on council for dominance!!!
8) Hatred and anger at not receiving some councillor's support for favourite projects and this is the payback.
9) Jealousy being expressed because some councillors are far more effective at getting things for their ward...and a need to get rid of this high achiever. Maybe council feels they all have to drop to the lowest common denominator!
10) Some council members want to go into semi-retirement and this is not possible under the demanding ward system.
11) Petty beefs and petty politics among council members.
12) Some members who have Mayoralty, Provincial or Federal ambitions want to test and promote their city-wide vote.
13) Some council members want their council work to be part-time and this is difficult under the ward system.
14) Probably any and all of the above
There are strange things done neath the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold...Many of these ideas seem strange to me but I have heard all of them from those close to the action.
Politics breeds strange bedfellows and oftentimes outlandish almost schizophrenic schemings. Believe Me!
It's unfortunate that some politicians will put the city in turmoil simply to satisfy their childish and churlish agendas...all at the expense of Oshawa's health.
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