Local elections getting lost in the sound and fury

Between Doug Ford’s unprecedented antics at Queen’s Park, Donald Trump’s daily bombastic proclamations and NAFTA negotiations, it’s little wonder local elections — in Hamilton and across Ontario — are being drowned out. But it’s time for that to change.

Our municipal governments have more impact on our day-to-day lives than their more senior brethren. Yes, they’re at the bottom of the food chain — as Ford has so brazenly demonstrated — but they deliver front-line services. Our sidewalks and roads, our safe water supply, public transit, recreational centres and parks, waste disposal, libraries, animal control, tax collection — these and a host of other services and costs flow directly from city hall.

And every four years, we have a chance to pass judgment on the current city council. We can endorse them, collectively or individually. We can change out people we’re not happy with. We can clean house if that’s appropriate (even though we get to vote only for our respective ward councillor, mayor and school trustees).

So while Ford and Trump may be more dramatic (and melodramatic), it behooves us to pay attention to what’s coming up on Monday, Oct. 22. The Spectator has already begun to do that, and we plan to ramp up our coverage beginning this week.

For a complete list of candidates, go to thespec.com/hamontvotes. On that landing page you will also find an archive of election stories published to date, by The Spectator and by our community newspaper affiliates. There are also interactive maps. And riding profiles will be published in the days to come to give voters a chance to zero in on their own neighbourhoods and priorities.

In addition, beginning today, we invite all candidates who want to to submit a 750-word essay on why they’re running and their vision. Considering there are nearly 70 candidates for council alone, and less than 35 publishing days, we can’t feature these in our print edition, but look for them online, on the same election page.

Another perennial sign of municipal elections are Cable 14’s televised debates. The opening mayoral debate was live Tuesday night, with all candidates participating, and will be broadcast repeatedly. Check Cable 14 for programming details.

This week, The Spectator will begin a series of features on election issues. It will touch on matters like roads and street safety, LRT and transit, housing and homelessness and development.

The way this campaign is shaping up now, LRT and transit will be central themes. Incumbent mayor Fred Eisenberger is a longtime LRT proponent, while his key challenger, Vito Sgro, is against the project. The LRT question was posed to all the council candidates contacted by The Spec, and, with varying degrees of clarity, most responded. Those comments and others about candidate priorities can be found in the candidate listing mentioned earlier.

Don’t forget about school board trustees. Their campaigns may be low profile but they are no less important, especially when the province is backing teachers into a corner on sex education and other issues.

Bottom line: If you live here, pay taxes, raise kids, retire, and you’re an engaged citizen, these elections matter. Don’t miss the opportunity to get involved in local democracy.

This week, The Spec begins a series on election issues. It will touch on matters like roads and street safety, LRT and transit, housing and homelessness and development.