NDP pushes for regional chair election
MPP Jeff Burch points to problems in council chambers
Jeff Burch said Niagara residents are “outraged” by the decision to cancel regional chair elections this fall and in the legislature Tuesday asked the Ford government to reverse its course.
“As the minister should know, people in Niagara have serious concerns about their regional representatives,” said Burch, the Niagara Centre NDP MPP, addressing Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark in Queen’s Park.
“The Ombudsman and the Auditor General have both been involved with investigations of their activities and another complaint has been filed recently. Now more than ever, Niagara residents are looking to bring more democracy and accountability to our regional council.”
Burch’s remarks came the day after St. Catharines MPP Jennie Stevens blasted the government in the legislature for last Friday’s announced planned cancellation of the Oct. 22 regional chair vote.
Niagara Region will still have a regional chair, but he or she will continue to be chosen from regional councillors by regional councillors rather than by the public at large.
“This year for the first time ever, the people of Niagara were going to be able to elect their Niagara regional chair, but since the premier started cooking up backroom deals with his friends
to meddle in municipal elections, he has removed their democratic power,” Burch said in the legislature.
He asked if the minister would reverse the “short-sighted decision” and allow the people of Niagara to elect their chair.
Burch didn’t receive a response that addressed his question due to a controversy in the legislature Tuesday.
The government house leader said the Conservatives would not answer any questions from the official opposition until they received an apology, alleging an NDP member had mocked the accent of a Tory member.
Burch pushed on, however, saying people in Niagara are “outraged by the decision” and are tired of a “lack of transparency and accountability” at Niagara Region.
“The action taken by this (provincial) government is a slap in the face to the people of Niagara,” he said.
“Just in the last few weeks, the Niagara regional chair tried to influence an Ombudsman’s investigation by using outside council.
“Mr. Speaker, cancelling the election of the chair will only allow these problems to persist.
“Does the minister intend to prop up unelected, unaccountable politicians, or will he reverse this decision and give the power back to the people to elect their regional chair?”