By Pepper Parr
January 17th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Is there a link between voter turnout and the how well constituents in a ward are informed?
A map produced by the city gives a graphical view of voter turnout in each of the six wards.
Turn out is high for those wards south of the QEW – except for ward 1 where residents have for some time complained that they don’t see enough of their ward Councillor.
One resident was told by the ward Councillor that he would not be getting any more information from the Councillor’s office.
When the constituent complained to the Mayor he was told there was nothing she could do.
That is what happens when discourse, conversation, engagement that includes transparency and accountability are part of social fabric.
The turnout in ward 1 was very poor.
The community has a service that provides information intended for seniors; the person responsible for the content will not include anything that is political; but does promote the need for supplies at the Food Bank. She then expects the Gazette to publish her posters. She was recognized in the Queen’s 70th Jubilee.
Informed people can make informed choices, but they do have to be informed.
The best Burlington seems to be able to do is be led by a city council that talks about being transparent and accountable and prepared to leave it at that.
The people of ward 1 didn’t know that the Integrity Commissioner hired by the city had advised the Councillor how to handle his conflicts of interest. The ward Councillor chose not to inform people in the ward – but was forced to do so by a diligent and persistent resident.
That was the resident who was told he would not be getting any information from the office of the Councillor.
And there wasn’t a peep from a single member of Council on the ethics of what the ward Councillor had done.
The poor voter turnout in the recent Municipal election is the result of very poor
communication on the part of the City, candidates and more specifically Councillors running for office. Living in Ward 4, I never saw any of the candidates unless I specifically wrote to them to find out their platform, and even then I never heard from some of the candidates.
“Pepper”/ I would love to know why you have turned this into what appears to be a personal vendetta against our councillor
It appears that you have overstepped the so called “power of the press” and are using your publication into a vehicle to express your personal frustrations?
I enjoy reading informative and subjective reporting, sadly your contributions contain neither!
Editor’s note: All we do is report. You may not lie the truth – but that doesn’t change the truth.
“And there wasn’t a peep from a single member of Council on the ethics of what the ward Councillor had done.”
Actually, if memory serves, several members of Council led by the Mayor sent a letter (to The Spectator?) supporting Galbraith in the Integrity Complaint. Given the fact that they probably already knew the outcome since the letter was only a day or two before the formal findings were released, one would have difficulty claiming it was an attempt to influence the investigation. However, it was a fairly clear indication that they felt that Galbraith’s actions were not only acceptable but could be a standard for their own behaviour.
Mr. Smith. The Integrity Commissioner cleared the Councilor cutting of having been at any time in conflict as no matters had been brought before council where the Councilor’s property ownership caused a conflict. The Councilor has agreed to recuse himself if and when a conflict arises. What more do you want?
His council colleagues were simply standing up to the shrill noise of the Gazette and Spectator which were both ignoring actual facts for their own self-interest reasons.