By Staff
November 4th, 2022
BURLINGTON. ON
Now they are going to make it official.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward after being sworn in December 2018: it’s all in the body language isn’t it?
On November 15th, the re-elected council will troop out onto the stage at the Performing Arts Centre and prepare to be sworn in.
Details
Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022
Burlington Performing Arts Centre, 440 Locust St.
Time:
• 5:30 p.m. – doors open
• 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. – musical entertainment and refreshments
• 6:30 p.m. – meeting starts, with reception to follow
You are encouraged to get tickets for admission in advance from the Burlington Performing Arts Centre. Tickets will be available starting Nov. 4 at noon. To get your free ticket, contact the Burlington Performing Arts Centre Box Office:
• in person, Tuesday to Saturday, between noon and 4 p.m., including at the door on the day of the event
• by phone at 905-681-6000
• online at burlingtonpac.ca
The four-year term of office for the elected representatives is Nov. 15, 2022 to Nov. 14, 2026
This year 2022, 27.6 per cent of eligible voters in Burlington voted in the municipal election.
In the 2018 municipal election, 39.79 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot.
Mayor-Elect, Marianne Meed Ward claims she has “delivered on your priorities – and did so while supporting our residents and businesses through an unprecedented global pandemic and two-year State of Emergency.”
People can watch a livestream of City Council meetings online at burlington.ca/calendar.
An interesting thought> The voter turnout was significant in 2018 and the attendance at the Performing Arts Centre was respectful.
What if the turnout this time is as bad as the voter turnout. Awkward
“It’s worth considering that low voter turnout can result from something as simple as a satisfied electorate.” Ha ha! Good one, Hans!
The thing that is most “awkward” of all is the Gazette’s persistent negative attitude at a time when the public will celebrate that it has had an opportunity to exercise its right to choose its representatives.
It’s worth considering that low voter turnout can result from something as simple as a satisfied electorate.
What’s to celebrate?
We still have a toxic Mayor and a few councillors that sit on her lap like puppies.
As well Sharon, which Hans might also find acceptable; we also still have a website that is missing reams of important public governance information that went missing right after nominations opened that is the Clerk’s responsibility to keep secure and that candidates should have been able to use to make points with regard to this council’s performance. It was removed with the taking down of the old website and uploading of the new which the Clerk claims had the knowledge and support of the Council. Something that should never have occurred that close to an election. We will be looking to each councillor to confirm this. Tons of it still not back up. These documents were the means to check councillors’ individual performances and how much they received from donors and who they were etc. last election.
Also we still do not have a clue about the number of electorate who never got their voting cards as opposed to those that got double the cards preventing them voting on-line. When the Clerk eventually gives us this information which he has to we believe it will be a shocking number. No explanation as to why no voting cards that denied 10 members of Carey House, a Burlington Group Home for those with disabilities, access to a vote. We took two with walkers after we were contacted late morning October 24th who also were not on the voting list but did not have the ability to take 8 with wheelchairs, just one small example of electorate being prevented a vote. Municipal Election Act requires an election that is accessible to all those with disabilities!
The run up to the election handouts etc. from City Hall (e.g. note pads advertising the election) only had Vote 2022 no date on them what a waste they were. They had four staff at a tent giving these out in Veteran’s Square before Nominations closed – more flushed election dollars.
City pays for advertising in the Post that does not deliver as they used to, to all households. Every apartment building condo or rental now only gets 5 Posts but all the flyers. They need to terminate Post advertising and use these funds to properly inform the public not just those who get the Post. We had one woman who was so grateful to get Anne’s card on her door. Anne had three volunteers who did their best but obviously could not cover the whole city. This woman knew nothing about the current election. She does not have a TV and lives on her own and did not get a voter’s card as she usually did! When she went to vote she had a list of who she wanted to vote for after we helped her to know who the candidates were, but needed help filling out the ballot, after walking over to vote. We volunteered to take her to the poll but she wanted to go independently which we respected. She asked for help at the poll in filling out her ballot, got none so really does not think she cast a proper vote.
Is this democracy that honoured the sacrifices – we don’t think so! Then the Mayor has the cheek to claim support and trust the “OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF RESIDENTS HAVE PUT IN ME” in the Nov. 3, 2022 Post. Only MMW would have the nerve to make this statement with a less than 28% turnout of the electorate. Trust has to be earned and with a spin like that can’t see any foundation for trust of the other 72% eligible who did not vote! Residents need to be at the lectern with their opinions if we can get council etc. back to evenings so more people can engage and follow this council’s every move.