By Pepper Parr
October 10th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The Regional level of government is not something most people understand. It plays a pivotal role in the bigger picture: where is the growth going to take place and how do we get and pay for the infrastructure that will be needed ?
The four municipalities that make up the Regional government: the people that run the water supply system, move the waste and run the Medical Office of Health – a major accomplishment during the pandemic. They also fund the police service
Water, waste removal, police service, some of the roads, planning, social service, Medical Officer of Health – something we came to appreciate during the pandemic.
Were there to be a major health issue, or a level of civic unrest the decision making would come from the Region.
Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills all have representation on the Regional Council.
The Region Chair is elected by the voters in each of the municipalities.
In order to win an election to be Regional Chair a person has to have relatively high public recognition and access to a lot of money – campaigning region wide is expensive. Regional chairs usually come from the ranks of municipal politicians who has served on Regional Council.
Gary Carr has been the Regional Chair since 2006. Jane McKenna, the former MPP for Burlington announced she was running as Regional Chair, then Andrea Grebenc announced she was also running.
Carr then announced he was going to seek re-election.
Grebenc is busy electioneering.
McKenna has a sign in the back of a pickup truck that is being see throughout the Region
Carr and McKenna have been no shows all too often which moves Grebenc to ask: “If my opponents don’t bother to show up to ask for your vote, why would you expect them to show up when you need help?” She has shown up at the three more detail here and has said she “will continue to show up again and again for you when I am in office. I just need your vote.”
Andrea Grebenc serving as Chair of the Halton District School Board trustees
Andrea Grebenc was a Halton District School Board trustee and served as trustee on two occasions.
She ran for the provincial Liberal Nomination WHEN.She was not chosen.
As a school board trustee and Chair of the HDSB she became the go to person for media who wanted comments on the issues that prevailed during the worst of the pandemic.
She brought a change to the way the trustees worked with their constituents.
Recently there were three events that were held to focus on the race for Regional Chair
An event in Nassagaweya drew just over 80 people. Grebenc was the only candidate to show up. Carr sent regrets; McKenna did not respond to the invitation. Grebenc got to “chime in on every question”.
Andrea Grebenc: believes she can be a competent leader at the Regional level.
The Oakville ward 3 all-candidates debate at Oakville Trafalgar drew an audience of between 250 and 300 people. Grebenc got, who was on her own, had five minutes with the mic and then to answer audience questions. Gary sent regrets. Jane did not respond to the invitation.
Later in the same week the debate at the QEPCCC and organized by the Bronte village residents association using the Black Box theatre was standing room only and they added a video link to the rehearsal hall for overflow which was well used. There I had a 2-minute opening, then 3 questions were chosen from those submitted before the event and a 2-minute closing statement. I was not given the questions in advance. Gary sent regrets and Jane declined.
These are the only events so far at which Regional Chair candidates have been invited to speak/debate.
It wasn’t as if Carr and McKenna were not aware of the event. Carr did not show up at the QEPCCC (Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre) event 4 years ago. The Oakville Ward 3 event is a long-standing election cycle event that has been taking place since at least 2010..
Regional Chair incumbent Gary Carr on the campaign trail.
Gary Carr has a very high public profile – when it comes to name recognition – he wins hand down. He has served as an MP in Ottawa, just for one short term, prior to that he has wan MPP, and Speaker of the Legislature for some time.
In 2006 he ran for the Office of Regional Chair and has been there every since.
When it comes to how well Carr will serve the Region if he is re-elected would be a guess at this point.
Did he want the job or was he persuaded to take it rather than let McKenna win?
Jane McKenna at a Burlington event.
Many think chaos would rule were McKenna to be elected. Those same people think some of the excellent staff at the Region would move on rather than have to work with McKenna.
Grebenc could be a risk. Her work at the school board level was excellent. She put the HDSB on the map.
Having never done much at the Regional government level she would have to rely heavily on staff. She would be fortunate to have the regional talent available to her.
Grebenc is not a walking ego. She is attentive, listens and is the demographic that is going to lead the Region in to several decades of very hard decision making.
The electorate has a choice:
between an eager, intelligent younger person who doesn’t have much of the experience needed. However, it has to be noted that the school board is a regional operation so it is not as if Grebenc doesn’t know the lay of the land.
Or McKenna, a junior provincial Cabinet Minister with no hands on experience at the provincial level and a questionable reputation for delivering for the people of Burlington.
Jane McKenna chatting with a group of women at a Joseph Brant Hospital event.
A question as well as to why a sitting member of the provincial government would choose to give up the seat and take a chance at a different level of government when re-election to the legislature was all but assured.
There is a link between the McKenna decision to run for Regional Chair and the Carr decision to run for re-election.
Gary Carr has delivered in his time as Chair. Halton is a safe community and it has room to grow; where the growth takes place is the big question. It will call for a lot of work and there is the sense, at least to this reporter, that Gary Carr may not want to take on all that work at this point in his career. He recently moved from rural Milton to downtown Burlington.
The job of Regional Chair is an important one; think about who should be doing that job given the issues that are out there.
Relayed news background:
Why? Becaue they can, and some people will vote for them anyway.
Any candidate that dies not participate in the puff ball Q&A should be embarrassed. The events are very low risk. No really tough questions. In my opinion candidates should get back to “the hustings” type of campaign event. Like “in the good old days”. Candidates used to set up, give a speaker h about who they were, what they stand for, and then invite from the floor un-vetted questions. The candidate would have to be nimble and offer some firm of answer. The candidates often found they would be heckled and just had to deal with it.
Candidates mowadays insulate themselves from real debate and electorate interaction. e.g. McKenna, Marsden, Demoe. I challenge all three to hold an event where they take questions directly from the floor. Let’s see who has the courage.
Editor’s observation: What we would like to see is Mr. Barker finding the courage to put his hat in the ring.
“Editor’s observation: What we would like to see is Mr. Barker finding the courage to put his hat in the ring.”
Editor, no you wouldn’t.
As an entrepreneur in the private sector my entire working life I would be a round peg in a square hole in the rigid and confined piece of municipal “business” world. Like most entrepreneurs I’m not the best team player. Whilst I rose to a high level playing rugby, very much a team sport, the position I played put me in control. Also at the age of 70 the City does not want an old fart as mayor or as a councilor. It deserves younger people like Kearns, Stolte, MMW.
Voters should be wary of candidates who push their entreprenurialism as a qualification. In my opinion it is not. The same goes for those who have a resume loaded with consultancy positions. Consultants consult because the cannot do.
McKenna did nothing for Burlington as a MPP, why would anyone think she could be a Regional Chair. I’m sure Doug Ford was happy to see her go!
Why anyone would vote for McKenna let alone endorse her is beyond comprehension.
She as an MPP never met with her constituents, never participated in location debates. Never interacted with voters in any way. She is not only an embarrassment to the democratic system but she is an embarrassment to herself.
Candidate Marsden is pretty much following the same playback of not respo ding to voter questions put to her. As transparent as a concrete wall !!