By Pepper Parr
May 23rd, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
So – it isn’t going to be a slam dunk.
First term ward 2 Councillor Kearns has announced that she will seek the Liberal nomination for the next provincial election.
Reliable sources said today that Lisa Kearns would be seeking the nomination for the Burlington Provincial Liberal party when the nomination event is held and that a date has not yet been set.
The source added that “there is another candidate for this position”.
The source was not authorized to speak on behalf of the Provincial Liberal Association.
Kearns has been quite active in talking about her personal political plans – she has a virtual ward meeting later in the month – perhaps we will learn even more that that event.
Andrew Drummond, NDP candidate in the last provincial election, in conversation with Jane McKenna who won that election.
Andrew Drummond will be the candidate for the New Democrats. Jane McKenna is the Progressive Conservative sitting member.
Premier Doug Ford has been hammered heavily for the way his government has handled the pandemic and managed the response. Many prefer to use the word “mismanaged” when referring to the provincial vaccination program.
Early reports from Kearns-based sources had her being asked to run for the provincial seat rather than Mayor Meed Ward who was thought to have leadership aspirations at the provincial level.
In the event that Kearns is nominated and wins the election that would block a political growth path for Meed Ward.
Kearns is also reported to have chosen a colleague to groom for the ward 2 council seat.
I cannot figure out why anyone is upset or outraged that Councilor Kearns might be working to support an individual to run in her stead. I’m sure, having spoken to Councilir Kearns on the subject of her coming out in support of a candidate that “grooming” is the furthest thing from reality. Where does the descriptive “grooming” come from? The article’s author says “it is reported”. So it’s not first hand knowledge gained from the councilor, but a comment from an unattributed source. The author was just this week critical of the councilor for not herself getting out there and cutting the boulevard grass in the Village Square.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, should Councilor Kerns endorse a candidate running for Ward 2, which I don’t think she will, she is totally entitled to do so. Just as each and every voter has the right to accept or reject that endorsement and vote the way the wish.
So less of the upset and outrage for now, please. Wait to see what actually transpires.
The other person who has thrown her hat into the ring is Mariam Manaa, and she deserves to be mentioned here by name. I don’t know Ms. Manaa, but it’s not a secret that she’s seeking the nomination, so I trust she’ll receive equal media coverage. According to Manaa’s website, she has worked for Liberal MPs Karina Gould and Pam Damoff: mariammanaa.ca.
I don’t know if reports of Lisa Kearns grooming a colleague to replace her are true, but I agree with Penny Hersh that it would not at all her place to do so. Burlington City Council is a democratically elected body, not a family-run appliance business. Good grief!
My observations suggest Councillor Kearns feels she can effect change better at the provincial level than at the municipal level. The current Mayor’s ego is renowned and we all see she will continue to pull all gravity to herself, even if it is not deserved. We are all watching. it is no mystery. Let’s see who else will run for Mayor of this great city.
Like Penny says, whoever the local MPP is, they have to do and say what they are told.
That’s what we all saw Jane McKenna do all the time in the pandemic policy of the day promotion. What kind of leadership is this? Not something to aspire to for me.
I don’t know what Lisa Kearns is thinking. She will fill a back bench and can only dream she will do more for Burlington.
I don’t know if Mayor Meed Ward has provincial aspirations, but right now, as Mayor, she is “a somebody”, with some influence and power, but as the MPP, if that plays out, she will be “a nobody” who can’t even have her own mind and voice.
The Mayor can still do a lot of good as Mayor, if she chooses to try to get reelected, but she can also be a zero if she chooses to try to be an MPP – small fish in big pond?.
It’s too soon for the Mayor to try for MPP in my opinion and she had better be careful what she wishes for (if wishing for this exists).
Yes whether in federal or provincial politics, you had better follow the party whip. There is little if any room to publicly push your constituents agenda. Argue as much as you like in caucus in private for your constituents. But in public toe the line.
So I do not blame McKenna for her public positions. That is only what we should expect from our representative. But what bothers me about her is her almost complete failure to engage unscripted or unchoreographed with her constituents like Lisa Kerns does. McKenna’s virtual townhalls have a moderator (screener) who blocks the tough questions from getting through to her, but serves up the melon sized soft ball lob type of questions that are posed..
If Jane McKenna is running in the next election I doubt she will win. She has done nothing for Burlington. Except embarrass us at Queens Park. I don’t know Lisa Kearns but I’m not sure she has enough experience to be a MP only sitting on City Council for 1 term. And not sure the Liberal party has a chance. Memories of Kathleen Wynne have not been forgotten yet. I personally spoke to Andrew Drummond to great lengths 3 years ago. He impressed me. He might just have a chance this time around.
By the way does anyone know where Jane McKenna is hiding?
It is not Councillor Kearns place to “choose a colleague to groom for the ward 2 council seat”.
What happens if Councillor Kearns does not win the Liberal nomination? Does this mean that the “colleague steps away” or has Councillor Kearns decided that she has had enough of Municipal politics.
I find it interesting that Councillor Kearns feels she can “do more for Burlington” if she is elected to a Provincial seat. Does she not realize that she will have to vote the way she is told to?