City Council: 'They’ve mastered the art of looking busy while doing nothing, knowing most residents have tuned out — because council stopped listening a long time ago.'

By Gazette Staff

August 6th, 2025

BURLINGTON, ON

Talking about Food for Feedback: How’s this for Feedback

A Gazette reader commenting on an article about engaging the voters:

“it’s an apathetic situation but, the Burlington politicians have figured out that the apathy is their best asset — the fewer people paying attention, the easier it is to hide behind coffee shop photo ops and empty platitudes.

Real engagement? Real accountability? Forget it. They’ve mastered the art of looking busy while doing nothing, knowing full well that most residents have tuned out — not because they don’t care, but because council stopped listening a long time ago.

One politician giving another a medal: Former MP Pam Damoff on the left with Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward.

Residents don’t want filtered chats over coffee, or excuses or spins. They want timeliness and transparency.

MMW and Council should display some humility and listen without having their egos get in the way of progress.

Stop cherry picking cozy events. Don’t bury important decisions behind reports and consultants and committees.

Stop using social media as a broadcast channel. Start using it to listen.

And, importantly, if MMW or council members fail to attend meetings, ignore constituents, or dodge accountability, there should be visible consequences.

Ouch!