Barriers to reform often self-imposed

The ongoing struggle with ward boundaries, self-interest and municipal elections

The Canadian Oxford dictionary defines gerrymandering as “manipulating the boundaries of a constituency so as to give undue influence to some party or class to gain advantage.”

From my perspective that’s exactly what often happens when councils themselves redraw ward boundaries, like Hamilton did. Also known as turf protection. What incumbent wants to lose areas of strong support?

Councils face that issue periodically as populations shift. The Hamilton debacle has cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. There were speeches — “amalgamation still leaves a bad taste, so don’t rock the boat,” “just give overloaded councillors an extra assistant,” “you can’t divide communities,” etc.

Few addressed the real issue — the huge disparity in ward populations. Mayor Fred Eisenberger and councillors Jason Farr, Matthew Green and Aidan Johnson supported the city’s highly respected consultant, who recommended two options — a tweaked 15-ward option, or 16 wards. They supported 16 wards. The majority opted for a council-drawn version, which the consultants stated they couldn’t defend at an OMB hearing. Boundaries haven’t changed since 1985 — 32 years, although amalgamation occurred in 2001.

Hamilton taxpayers paid $270,000 for the original consultants, and are now paying for outside lawyers at the board for a week starting Oct. 19, plus for last week’s pre-hearing. OMB chair Dr. Bruce Krushelnicki will preside, assisted by Paula Boutis. He has excellent credentials. Burlington’s planning director for 11 years until 2015, he left to become chair of the Environment and Land Tribunals (which includes the board and the Environmental Review Tribunal). No nonsense, he plans the decision in time for 2018’s election.

An OMB hearing officer for 13 years, in 2003 he wrote “A Practical Guide to the Ontario Municipal Board.” He will chair a bear-pit session on proposed OMB changes at an October planners’ conference. No lightweight, he.

London received a citizens’ petition in 2005, failed to act, and the board imposed boundaries. Hamilton, too, received a citizens’ petition in 2012. A council must respond within 90 days. It agreed to review boundaries during the next term, for the 2018 election. Citizens accepted that.

All councils struggle with boundary changes. Burlington did in 2005, with some councillors adamantly opposed, even with one ward outlandishly out of whack (like Hamilton), but finally common sense prevailed. After councillors fiddled with numbers, much as Hamilton did, and put some crazy scenarios on the table, then-mayor Rob MacIsaac persuaded them to act.

They turned it over to an ad hoc committee of citizens, and while council had dithered for months, this committee, in a very few weeks, provided an excellent option, which even the most cynical agreed was very good. The problem is keeping wards reasonably close in population, (15 per cent is often used as a guideline) and not splitting up neighbourhoods that “belong” together. Borders should make sense, like major roads, rail lines, hydro lines, or physical barriers. The Burlington committee achieved all that, and at no extra cost. The city clerk had district populations available, and the committee worked from those numbers and its wide knowledge of city neighbourhoods.

That was 12 years ago, so the time may be right to review Burlington’s wards again, although it’s too late now for 2018. A project for 2022? But the bigger Burlington council issue is its size — only seven — a mayor and one councillor per ward. That means on contentious items a majority of only four prevails. And there are often four-three votes.

A slightly larger council would ensure more input into decisions, and serve democracy better. The old excuse was that Burlington’s council size depends on its Halton representation, which could change. But Halton’s council size has now been fixed, with seven seats for Burlington, likely for at least a decade, so why not address local council size now?

In Halton, Oakville has a council of 13, Halton Hills 11, and Milton nine. And Hamilton currently has 16. The barrier is that the incumbents like their exclusive club.

Freelance columnist Joan Little is a former Burlington alderperson and Halton councillor. Reach her at specjoan@cogeco.ca.