Ron Hayter announced today that he will be seeking an eleventh term on city council. Most people should view this as good news. Hayter's difficult to pigeonhole: a fiscal hawk (vying with Karen Liebovici for second biggest such hawk after Mike Nickel), a proponent of rapid LRT extension, and experienced without being a spent force. Hayter claims on his website that the federal Liberals, Conservatives, and Canadian Alliance have all approached him to run as a candidate, which shows that he's not sitting in the pocket of a political party. The voters of ward 2 will almost certainly re-elect him, and that's likely a positive thing for the city - whatever quarrels you might have with him, and however little you might want to see a council composed of thirteen Ron Hayters, there's certainly room for one.
The Journal and the Sun are both reporting that Liebovici, Linda Sloan, Kim Krushell, Ed Gibbons, Jane Batty, and Dave Thiele are all also running for re-election. This strikes us as a little odd, since Krushell (to take one example) told us just last week that she'd be making her announcement in June or July. But absent any denial from any of these councillors, we'll be taking this at face value.
Update: Here is the text of Hayter's remarks.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Melnychuk not running again
As expected, ward 3 Councillor Janice Melnychuk announced today that she was leaving municipal politics after six years on city council. While she claims to be undecided as to her future, this does seem to lend credence to the rumours that she will be running for the provincial New Democrats during the next provincial election.
Tony Caterina, who finished third in the ward in 2004, has announced that he intends to run again. Caterina, who ran for the Alberta Alliance during the last provincial election, would be a significant change from the left-ish Melnychuk.
Tony Caterina, who finished third in the ward in 2004, has announced that he intends to run again. Caterina, who ran for the Alberta Alliance during the last provincial election, would be a significant change from the left-ish Melnychuk.
Idle Cars Are Council's Work - or Are They?
By now, everybody knows that Michael Phair's proposed anti-idling bylaw was defeated in a tie vote at the City's Transportation and Public Works Committee, with Phair and Janice Melnychuk in favour and Mike Nickel and Ron Hayter opposed. What's getting considerably less press is the fact that the motion was moved in two parts, divided, and dispensed with separately - a clause calling on the city administration to bring an proposed information campaign (and potential partners for the campaign) to the committee was carried by a three to one vote, with Hayter joining Phair and Melnychuk voting in favour.
This exposes the differences in Hayter's and Nickel's rationales for opposing the bylaw. Hayter felt that it was largely unenforceable (an allegation that was more or less conceded by the bylaw's proponents), but was fine with an information campaign, while Nickel felt that the whole thing was an unwarranted intrusion on Edmontonians' freedom of choice. Essentially, he argued that it wasn't Council's place to moralize, at least on this issue.
For that matter, even if there's a place for the state to engage in this sort of public awareness/advocacy, why is it the municipal level that should foot the bill? It seems to us that the Kyoto Accord was signed by a different level.
This exposes the differences in Hayter's and Nickel's rationales for opposing the bylaw. Hayter felt that it was largely unenforceable (an allegation that was more or less conceded by the bylaw's proponents), but was fine with an information campaign, while Nickel felt that the whole thing was an unwarranted intrusion on Edmontonians' freedom of choice. Essentially, he argued that it wasn't Council's place to moralize, at least on this issue.
For that matter, even if there's a place for the state to engage in this sort of public awareness/advocacy, why is it the municipal level that should foot the bill? It seems to us that the Kyoto Accord was signed by a different level.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Ward to Watch: Ward 6
Even before Terry Cavanagh announced his intention to retire, Ward 6 was shaping up to be 2007's most interesting race. In 2004, Cavanagh had trouble holding on against Chinwe Okelu, who finished fewer than a thousand votes behind him. Okelu is running again, as is 2004 fourth place finisher Amarjeet Sohi, a bus driver, union leader, and activist with Public Interest Alberta.
Based on the 2004 results, Okelu would have to be considered the favourite to replace Cavanagh, but Sohi has increased his profile markedly during the past three years, and is running in a ward that has elected Dave Thiele three times, and Sohi is perceived as occupying a similar spot on the political spectrum as Thiele. If nothing else, either would help city council look a little bit more like the city it runs - currently, all thirteen members are of European descent.
Of course, if Thiele decides not to seek re-election (he hasn't made an announcement yet), both of 2004's runners-up might find themselves on council.
Based on the 2004 results, Okelu would have to be considered the favourite to replace Cavanagh, but Sohi has increased his profile markedly during the past three years, and is running in a ward that has elected Dave Thiele three times, and Sohi is perceived as occupying a similar spot on the political spectrum as Thiele. If nothing else, either would help city council look a little bit more like the city it runs - currently, all thirteen members are of European descent.
Of course, if Thiele decides not to seek re-election (he hasn't made an announcement yet), both of 2004's runners-up might find themselves on council.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Man, the Blogosphere Just Wrecks All the Mayor's Great Ideas
(The above title is a pun. Keep looking at it until you figure it out.)
Here's a question: what demographic (loosely-defined) is the most likely to support a new NHL-calibre arena in Edmonton funded at least partially by the taxpayer?
You can be forgiven for answering "Oilers fans". One would think, after all, that they'd look at the government-supported arts and cultural industries and think "why aren't any of these tax dollars doing to support entertainment enterprises that I support?"
However, that's not actually the case. In fact, the most vociferous opposition to the use of tax dollars or other municipal participation in the construction of a new arena is eminating from the self-dubbed "oilogosphere". Andy Grabia, recently retired from (but still posting on) The Battle of Alberta has been writing on the subject with the fervour of a man possessed, with other members of the oilogosphere chiming in as well.
With Stephen Mandel already on the record as saying that taxpayers will have to bear part of the cost, it will be interesting to see whether this flares up as an issue in what's looking very much like a sleepy election.
Here's a question: what demographic (loosely-defined) is the most likely to support a new NHL-calibre arena in Edmonton funded at least partially by the taxpayer?
You can be forgiven for answering "Oilers fans". One would think, after all, that they'd look at the government-supported arts and cultural industries and think "why aren't any of these tax dollars doing to support entertainment enterprises that I support?"
However, that's not actually the case. In fact, the most vociferous opposition to the use of tax dollars or other municipal participation in the construction of a new arena is eminating from the self-dubbed "oilogosphere". Andy Grabia, recently retired from (but still posting on) The Battle of Alberta has been writing on the subject with the fervour of a man possessed, with other members of the oilogosphere chiming in as well.
With Stephen Mandel already on the record as saying that taxpayers will have to bear part of the cost, it will be interesting to see whether this flares up as an issue in what's looking very much like a sleepy election.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Cavanagh retires
The big news on the municipal front today is that Terry Cavanagh is retiring at the end of his term, after twenty-seven years on City Council (including two brief stints as mayor). Cavanagh joins long-time colleague Michael Phair in declining to seek an umpteenth term. With Bryan Anderson and Mike Nickel (and Stephen Mandel) having made their decisions to seek re-election public, this leaves eight Councillors who are not yet on the record about their intentions.
In Ward 1, neither Councillor has given any indication either way, but both are likely to seek re-election.
In Ward 2, Kim Krushell seems almost certain to run again, despite unfounded rumours that she may seek the provincial nomination for the Progressive Conservative Party in Edmonton Strathcona (why would she do a thing like that in a riding in which the P.C.s finished with less than a third of the votes that the N.D.P. got in 2004?). Ron Hayter's a little iffier - he retired from City Council once before, and has been back for six years.
In Ward 3, Janice Melnychuk is expected to forego a re-election bid in favour of seeking provincial office, as NDP candidate for Edmonton Manning. No word yet on Ed Gibbons.
In Ward 4, Jane Batty is expected to seek re-election, having commented late last month that she was "leaning in that direction".
In Ward 6, Dave Thiele hasn't yet announced his intentions. He was courted to run for the NDP federally in Edmonton Millwoods Beaumont in 2006, and declined, but was it because he wanted to stick with municipal politics or for some other reason?
In Ward 1, neither Councillor has given any indication either way, but both are likely to seek re-election.
In Ward 2, Kim Krushell seems almost certain to run again, despite unfounded rumours that she may seek the provincial nomination for the Progressive Conservative Party in Edmonton Strathcona (why would she do a thing like that in a riding in which the P.C.s finished with less than a third of the votes that the N.D.P. got in 2004?). Ron Hayter's a little iffier - he retired from City Council once before, and has been back for six years.
In Ward 3, Janice Melnychuk is expected to forego a re-election bid in favour of seeking provincial office, as NDP candidate for Edmonton Manning. No word yet on Ed Gibbons.
In Ward 4, Jane Batty is expected to seek re-election, having commented late last month that she was "leaning in that direction".
In Ward 6, Dave Thiele hasn't yet announced his intentions. He was courted to run for the NDP federally in Edmonton Millwoods Beaumont in 2006, and declined, but was it because he wanted to stick with municipal politics or for some other reason?
Welcome!
It's easy to find information about provincial and federal politics. The major political parties all have active webspaces, and goings on receive extensive media coverage - much of it posted online.
The same isn't true of municipal politics: stories will receive superficial coverage in local newspapers (often said coverage won't be posted online), and if a citizen really wants to be informed he has little choice but to sift through primary documentation himself. And yet, municipal politics can the most interesting of levels - with all members of a city council free to vote as independents, key decisions are more likely to hinge on individual thinking than at the much more inert and more constitutionally sovereign levels. Besides that, when it comes time to cast a ballot, citizens must do so on the basis of their local candidates, without the helpful labels and colour schemes that drive so much voting at other levels.
Our hope, then, is that this site will evolve into a major source of municipal news, rumour, and analysis. Or maybe it will just go silent after the novelty wears off and we find out we're all busy in "real life".
Either way: welcome.
The same isn't true of municipal politics: stories will receive superficial coverage in local newspapers (often said coverage won't be posted online), and if a citizen really wants to be informed he has little choice but to sift through primary documentation himself. And yet, municipal politics can the most interesting of levels - with all members of a city council free to vote as independents, key decisions are more likely to hinge on individual thinking than at the much more inert and more constitutionally sovereign levels. Besides that, when it comes time to cast a ballot, citizens must do so on the basis of their local candidates, without the helpful labels and colour schemes that drive so much voting at other levels.
Our hope, then, is that this site will evolve into a major source of municipal news, rumour, and analysis. Or maybe it will just go silent after the novelty wears off and we find out we're all busy in "real life".
Either way: welcome.
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