By Pepper Parr
September 12th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
If you offer free food – people will show up.
It was like that in the old days for media. If there was an open bar all those ink-stained wretches would arrive.
When the Mayor of the city gives the State of the City at the beginning of each year there is a table set up for media – it’s hard to find a seat at that table, media people you’ve never seen before are there for what is really a mediocre breakfast at best.
The city administration has found that people do show up, so they are having another Food for Feedback.
City of Burlington will be hosting Food for Feedback, a community engagement BBQ. Join us on Saturday September 17 from 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. at Brant Hills Park, 2300 Duncaster Dr, Burlington. Vegetarian and Halal options are available.
The last time an event like this was held the turnout was pretty good. This time a BBQ has been added – last time it was just food trucks.
Note: in case of inclement weather, the event will be held indoors at the Brant Hills Community Centre.
Attendees will receive a free lunch from a food truck, in exchange for providing feedback to the City on projects and initiatives. This is an opportunity to connect with city staff, become engaged in your community and provide your input.
Candidates are limited as to what they can do during an election cam[campaign. Lisa Kearns, councillor for ward 2 said she isn’t going to attend – none of the candidates should be attending.
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Food for Votes? I have spent the last few days posting on city social media and writing to the Clerk and City Manager about this event. The City should not be sponsoring and providing taxpayer-paid-for food for what will end up being an election campaign event for incumbents only in the heart of the election campaign period.
I very much respect the decision of Lisa Kearns to not attend. This should not be happening during the election period. The election is five weeks away. What a surprise – it’s in ward 3. Incumbents are able to attend but I was told not to worry because staff will be there to “intervene” if they campaign. Non-incumbents can attend but only as residents; they cannot identify themselves as candidates. I remember the current mayor and at least one current councillor complaining a lot in 2018 about unfair treatment of non-incumbents vs. incumbents. I complained with them. Such a different story when one is now on the other side.
I believe the event should be postponed five short weeks until after the election.
The optics are very bad. Whether it is technically allowed (I believe it shouldn’t be, and I also take issue with the fact that sitting council members have the power to write election rule by-laws for their own benefit), doesn’t matter. We want and expect more than the bare minimum. There is no reason why this event could not be closed to council members. The point is supposed to be that staff hears from residents. Well then, only staff is needed. Surely they can take the comments back to council. And it will be a council potentially with some new members to whom the comments should be taken.
People in the Ward 3 park will recognize two people, even without introductions or naming them: the Mayor who is all over media continually and their Ward 3 councillor. Nobody will recognize any non-incumbents. So it isn’t a level playing field at all. The election by-law states that it be a level playing field. And if the Mayor and Councillor are speaking with residents on the budget, or any other item, that, now, is campaigning. Their mere presence is campaigning at this point.
I stated that I will attend and I too will “intervene” if campaigning occurs. The City Manager told me he too will attend. Should be quite an interesting event. I urge the rest of council to practice what they preach about wanting fair elections and treating non-incumbents, already at a huge disadvantage, as fairly as possible. I will be very interested to see how this plays out. And if it rains, will Councillor Nisan go inside? He still refuses to attend council meetings in person with his mask.