Imagine London declares “the battle is over”
Wednesday, March 8, 2006 (London) - Imagine London is relieved but reserved after City Council's March 6th decision to refrain from further court appeals and to seek provincial legislation that will clarify ongoing issues over the City's electoral wards. The unanimous vote marks a victory for local democracy and the electorate, and an end to the continuing waste of funds on a groundless appeal.
"The ward battle is over and we can all start working on the election" said Imagine London applicant Bev Wagar. "We could have had this conclusion two months ago and saved the taxpayers a substantial amount of money," said Ward 6 candidate Stephen Turner who was also an applicant in the OMB case, “but this is a clear victory for voters."
Since the release of Justice McDermid’s decision on February 28th , dismissing the City of London’s Motion for Leave to Appeal thereby affirming 14 ward map ordered by the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), there has been an effort to muddy the waters suggesting that the decision means there could be a 33 member council after the next election. According to this argument, a second place finisher in the upcoming election could claim they are entitled to a seat on council unless special legislation is forthcoming from the province.
Since this speculation arose a few weeks ago, Imagine London has consistently taken the position that the argument was without merit, and was being used by some to create confusion and scare the public. Some elected officials have even gone so far as to allege that it has been Imagine London’s agenda all along to double the size of council.
Imagine London has been, and remains, strongly opposed to anything except a one-councillor-per-ward electoral system. "Imagine London was formed last spring for the express purpose of fulfilling the wishes of the electors in the last municipal election ," Turner said. "That is, to reduce the size of council and abolish the Board of Control. Our petition sought to reduce the size of council from 19 to 15 by eliminating the Board of Control and electing one councillor in each of 14 new wards."
Imagine London’s Sam Trosow said that “the decision from the OMB was explicit in its findings that there are to be 14 councillors elected one per each ward.” [see attached excerpts from Decision #3072 issued on November 22, 2005]. While Trosow agreed that there was no harm in asking the province for clarifying legislation, he said that the City has probably over-reacted by posting a statement on its website that “[a]t the present time, there are two councillors to be elected in each of the City's 14 wards…” Imagine London is concerned that by making this statement, the City is conceding the argument that the status-quo is now 28 councillors, with 2 to be elected from the 14 wards. “This is clearly not the result that is indicated in Gates’ decision,” Trosow said, “and that by posting this statement the City may have weakened their position.”
While it should have been unnecessary for the city to seek special legislation from the province prior to the March 6 council decision, Imagine London supports the city in its good faith efforts to implement the OMB decision by obtaining special legislation. Wagar added, "We took a principled position and our door was always open to discussion and compromise. Imagine London remains open to working with the city in developing an engaged and participative electorate."
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Excerpts from Decision (#3072) of November 22, 2005:
Respecting the second major issue, the number of Councillors per Ward, at the Prehearing the Board reserved its decision pending the outcome of this hearing. At this hearing the City took the position that 14 Councillors remains an appropriate number. The City introduced evidence of other similarly sized municipalities with the number of electors per Councillor set out for each. Similarly the Applicants did not challenge the number of Councillors at 14 at this hearing. The Applicants provided the Board with evidence that also supported the number of Councillors at 14. Based upon the forgoing and the evidence before the Board that London is a “single tier” municipality undergoing growth and renewal in its rural, suburban and urban areas, the Board finds that 14 Councillors are appropriate. (page 2)
The Board finds that London will be best served by an elected mayor at large, and Board of Control elected at large, and 14 Councillors representing smaller Wards. (page 18)
For reasons already highlighted in the testimony and repeated in this decision, the Board is satisfied that a larger community interest is served by changing to a one Councillor Ward system. (page 19)
http://www.altlondon.org/article.php?story=20060310093751366