By Pepper Parr
September 19th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
It is called connecting the dots.
Mayor Goldring determines that he is in trouble with his election campaign.
What has he done?
Mayor Goldring is Chair of an AMO committee (Association of Municipalities of Ontario)
He gets together with other Mayors, most of whom are east and north of Burlington.
He comes up with the idea of meeting with the Minister of Municipal Affairs asking him to ease up on the Places to Grow legislation which requires municipalities to create more housing and jobs.
The Mayor meets with the Minister of Municipal Affairs and some of his staff who, according to Mayor Goldring, had no objections to his suggestion that Burlington be permitted to annex parts of Waterdown.
Goldring doesn’t say how much of Waterdown he wants to annex.
Goldring doesn’t inform Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger
Fred Eisenberger – thinks the idea was a flyer crafted on the back of a napkin.
Eisenberger is not impressed. He calls the idea a flyer that was written on the back of a napkin.
While all this local nonsense is going on the Premier of the Province has made it very clear that he wants less local government and is ramming legislation through to get a bill passed that would let him reduce Toronto city council from 47 members to 25.
Holding a session of the Legislature at mid-night would qualify as ramming.
Premier Doug Ford has said he will use a section of the Constitution to impose his will on municipalities.
What will Doug Ford do with the idea of Burlington annexing part of Waterdown.
The province can order a municipal level of government to do anything he wishes
Watch for what Doug Ford does with the subject that Rick Goldring put on the table.
Doug Ford will order Burlington and Hamilton to merge and become one municipality.
Premier Harris forced the amalgamation of the Toronto suburbs into the mega city that is now Toronto.
The end of Burlington as you know it will have been brought about by Rick Goldring.
The sign might get an upgrade.
Pleased to offer more detail re amalgamation of Waterdown and Burlington.
Timing? Are not elections the time to discuss important issues – otherwise they become beauty contests? Its not political opportunism, but rather leadership to be willing to take on significant issues.
My brief response above was two fold: 1: The original article did not support the conclusion with either substantive argument or fact, in my humble opinion. 2: I also clearly indicated that this idea needs “further study”
Amalgamations are not a new idea. Burlington as we know it today is an amalgamation of the old Town of Burlington, the Township of Nelson, and the southern part of the Township of East Flamborough (Aldershot) formerly in the County of Wentworth. The City of Hamilton today is an amalgamation of the old City of Hamilton and all the Townships of the old County of Wentworth. In the Harris government period the number of municipalities in Ontarion was greatly reduced with amalgamations. The Steele Commission of the 60’s studied amalgamating, Hamilton, Wentworth and Grimsby – never happened. In the nineties Burlington did a considerable analysis and consultation regarding amalgamating East Flamborough east of No 6 Highway. Instead the Province amalgamated Hamilton and all the townships of the old County of Wentworth including East Flamborough. Indeed we live in the GTA today.
Is it the right thing to do in 2018 and beyond. My position in my original comment was that we need further study and, yes, more consultation.
That there is a community of interest between the Waterdown area and Burlington is a reality in the way people shop, use facilities, and interact, etc. There are financial and governance issues that require a further study in today’s world and environment. A decision would not be made lightly, but based on facts, finances, peoples’ opinions, but we can start the discussion now.
Pepper was this “editorial” sponsored by Marianne “Closer of TWO Schools” Meed-Ward? This was full of speculation and appears to only have a single goal of running down one candidate. Rick floated an idea aloud, so what? We’re a free society and should not be afraid to at least ponder ideas and foster creativity.
Rick has done a fine job as Mayor and hopefully will continue to do so after the election. Don’t let Marianne’s hollow promises fool you, she’d be one vote and virtually powerless to affect the change that she openly claims she could make over night, like the rest of us are idiots and don’t know what we’re doing. I really think it is insincere and condescending of her. I’ve heard a few of the existing Councilors said they wouldn’t be able to work with her, so she’s unlikely to be able to build the consensus and get her top priorities voted through Council. I’d also heard that they’ve said they could work with Rick.
I am not particularly opposed to the idea of annexing Waterdown. I would have to study the idea further to come to any conclusion on whether the idea is a good or bad one. What I do object to is the way this has been done. Mayor Goldring appears to have gone off on his own and approached the province without consulting the current council or putting the idea to a vote. This is not acceptable. If Mayor Goldring wishes to make annexing Waterdown part of his campaign platform that is fine but to just go ahead and start the process is not. This is a poorly conceived political move. It is also bad timing in that antagonizing Hamilton when the renewal of the LaSalle Park lease is coming up is not smart.
Excellent analysis I think. it’s shocking really the degree to which the current mayor’s political expediency over-rides any sense of conviction, direction or even consistency. This is a completely political move and should be exposed as such in all responsible media. One begins to wonder who Mr. Goldring’s advisors are and what they’re thinking. Then one remembers that his campaign manager is just out of grade school and untested in life let alone a campaign of this importance. But that too speaks to the current mayor’s judgement or lack of it. I trust that this move of desperation will be the death knell of his campaign.
These are strong words Pepper but I believe that they have the force of truth. I would add, however, that mayor Goldring has had an enabling cohort of accomplices in this – Councillors Craven, Dennison, Sharman, Lancaster and, the Dean of the cabal, Taylor. Without their support and compliance the ‘Places to Grow – Grow Bold’ connection would have been far less pervasive, far less destructive. I hope that the City erects a plaque to place in permanent public memory what these individuals have done to our home.
Totally disagree with your conclusion, it has no basis in logic or fact. We live in changing times. Mayor Goldring should be commended for realistically providing an excellent idea for further study.
Walter – what has happened to you? Timing in life is everything and the timing of Goldring’s little announcement absolutely smells. It smacks of political opportunism and arrogance. There was a time when you would have called this sort of thing out – clearly and decisively. Pity.
Why is it Walter that anytime a writer offers a divergent opinion from yours you diss them with a one sentence rebuff without explaining your perspective.
Please enlighten us. If you’re going to make assertions like “it has no basis in logic or fact” then do readers the courtesy of expounding on your reasons why. Comments like “We live in changing times” are disparaging. We all get the fact that we are living in changing times. We aren’t in the slow lane, contrary to what you may think, and we’re not Luddites.
The purpose of having an online forum is to engage in a meaningful and yes, sometimes spirited dialogue and exchange of ideas, not siting in the trees like a sniper lying in wait to pick off your prey.