By Pepper Parr
October 3rd, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
Word on the street is that there is an individual taking a hard look at running for Mayor of Burlington.
No details yet but the source is as good as they get.
Male – with a solid business background. No council experience, never been involved in politics at any level.
Just said to think that Burlington needs better political leadership.
There is a growing number of people who want to see a change in the political leadership of the current city council; many are unhappy with several members of this council including those who were aghast with the totally irresponsible video that Councillors Galbraith and Nisan let themselves get sucked into on the Alinea King Road development.
We don’t know if the developer asked the two to take part in the video; we don’t know if they saw the less than a minute long production before it was shown at a Bay Area Climate Change Council event – perhaps they volunteered thinking it would be a good idea to boost a development that is certainly going to make a difference to the Burlington that will exist a decade from now.
What Galbraith and Nisan didn’t appear to know is that there job is to oversee developments that go to Council and wait until all the facts are known. At this point the city has yet to see a development application.
Pretty interesting that the editor is suddenly okay with someone with no experience running for mayor or council. When I floated the idea of running to him last year his response was one of complete dis-encouragement. But now he thinks a guy with a business background and no experience is okay? What’s that about? Business background means nothing and I’d wager not better than my experience which is accountant turned doctor. I’m the perons who was able to gather a significant following last year, gather 3500 names in a month on a petition and encourage the biggest turnout of delegates in years. But meh, what do I know. If the person throwing his hat in is who I think it is, he went behind my back and scooped my online group out from under me when the site’s authentication system failed. But hey that’s a great start to his career as a politician, a natural.
The entire idea that you shouldn’t be running if you don’t have any experience is quite funny. We currently have an ex-journalist in the mayor’s seat and also as Deputy PM and Minister of Finance. The PM is a snowboarder who played at teaching drama and is only in office bc he rode in on daddy’s coattails. His biggest threat is a career politician, a being you don’t actually see that often. Bc most people don’t have family money to bank roll them into being a career politician.
That’s something most people don’t seem to recognize. Whether its to run as mayor or council, it takes at least some money. I think Meed spent about 24K last election. How many people are willing to drop that to compete?
Editor’s note: Did Wendy want me to tell her what I thought or did she want me to tell her what she wanted to hear?
But a dude without experience is all good according to you now. That’s the interesting part.But then again you were trying to mansplain how I should manage my petition too so.
To Jim, Anne and Dave – the current mayor’s qualifications (from linkedin) “Panellist on The Rumble segment of the Michael Coren Show, providing commentary on current events and issues from an alternative perspective.” Maybe the publisher of the Gazette is the businessman who is going to run.
Editor’s note: Don’t see that on my bucket list.
I never said anything about running for office. You’ve been consorting with politicians and reporting on their antics for years.
Editor’s note: Reporting yes – consorting? I beg your pardon
Following is a partial mind map of how council works. An issues comes before council who then direct staff for their input. If councillors are not problem solvers or lack critical thinking skills they accept the staff recommendations, even if it is not the best alternative, given staff were even “directed” to provide alternatives. Like it or not when politicians lean too far to the left the electorate dump them for a more right minded administration. Right now this council is listing port side.
It all depends on the taxpaying public’s expectations of what they want from their Mayor and Councillors, I want very little in the way of hand-holding and entertainment and am quite capable of amusing myself, I just need things to be run properly and legally and with limited expense to the taxpayer, just one of the things I would implement is a COB library of self-help videas on how to inspect and maintain your property with newsletters that are helpful in that regard, there are a lot of retired business people who still have gas in the tank to accomplish one last project and the only reward for that individual would be a thriving corporation with happy taxpayers.
Brilliant – public governance expectations that boil down to a “self-help library”. Perhaps we could also have ‘virtual snow removal’, ‘owner conducted building inspections’, ‘noon-to-four bylaw enforcement’ and a ‘self-enrolled honour system for heritage tax rebates’ (oops, that one would be redundant). I am pleased that residents such as yourself are self sufficient in terms of “hand-powered entertainment” but perhaps not all “wants” are as simple and easily satisfied. On one thing we do agree, there seem to alot “of retired business people who still have gas …” and show it through the quality of their commentary.
Sorry old boy, just not getting your banter; I was mentioning a self-help library of what-if information in case of (flooding) for example, I was following social media posts that day in real-time with residents asking for help in their understanding of the equipment in their homes, also the questions of what can be done by them, if anything to alleviate future catastrophe, I won’t list any here but in business it’s alwais cheaper to get out in front of something; reading into your comment I believe that you are in favour of a more business-like approach to the running of the city, just not me and definitely not my library idea, not to worry on both counts.
No, I would have absolutely no objection to you – don’t know you. However, I have great difficulty with the whole ethos of the superiority of “the venerable sector” when it comes to running a government enterprise. It isn’t, never was and will never be.
I like you, George, how about this idea, If I did become Mayor I could hire an actor for the role of Mayor, appearing at pomp and ceremonial obligations for the Mayor’s office such as flag-raising, ribbon-cutting, even shedding a tear and hugging affected taxpayers at local disaster locations, this would enable me to get much more work done, I would, of course, take the Mayor’s seat at council meetings where I could answer all questions from not only the councillors but also from delegates without costly referrals to staff.
Can’t wait for the next election! Goodbye Red Queen and groupies!!!!
After seeing the number of politicians with no business experience, the number of career politicians who do nothing except politics, and the abysmal performance of most of these ego-driven politicians, I’ve been thinking for a while that we need to stop electing such people and instead find those without a background in politics.
Jim is absolutely correct – last thing we need is people who believe that they can run stewardship programs as though they were just business lines. Government should be run as efficiently and effectively as a successful business but “a business” it is not. It is more exactly “an enterprise”. Quite simply we need good people with “relevant experience” who want to better the lives of those for whom they work – the citizens. We need people who will listen, take advice and know how to reach meaningful consensus. We need people who can unite a population because they understand its needs. This does not necessarily exclude “those without a background in politics”. Would you prefer the ex-CEO of Nortel to Stephen Lewis or Bill Davis?
Jim and George
I guess my point which wasn’t made well is that we need people who will be fiscally prudent, understand budgets and financial matters, be proven good leaders, and who are willing to see their job as one of public service rather than self-service. And from what I see today, politicians, especially career politicians, are sorely lacking. So if a candidate runs who isn’t a politician, to me that’s fine if he or she has the necessary qualifications and can check the ego.
If someone is seriously considering running, I hope we hear from that person soon.
A person who knows how to get the best out of each senior staff person and is not afraid to let them go when they prove their best is not good enough. A person who is respected in the community and has shown they care for their community. Preferably some one who is not starting out on a career path but has retired and sees the job as an interesting and rewarding challenge to turn public opinions we are reading and hearing about in terms of how we were overned and how we are now totally ignored as taxpayers.
I would hope there are candidates for ALL positions, we need a complete new team! The whole group has lost its direction. We need individuals who listen to the taxpayers, not people who tell us what they want done or what is on their nice to have plates which become what we must have plates.
That is the last thing we need a business man who has no clue how muncipality’s are supposed to work.
I hope someone dethrone the Major. Burlington use to be a get place to do business and to deal with City hall. Now it is a debacle. Cut off the head and her crownies will follow.
If the man considering running for mayor is who I think it is he would get my vote for sure! Please, Please, do it!
This government has been a total disappointment. We were led to believe that things would change from the Goldring era, but if anything, it has gotten worse. yes, we need change is several sectors, but in all honesty, were we not told by this group that things and transparent government was now here. I guess I just can’t see it. Maybe they can enlighten us….
Best news I’ve read about Burlington in ages!