Niagara voters will have a new say in 2018
For the first time, Niagara’s regional chair will be directly elected; who has what it takes to win the job?
Who’s running?
It’s the big question.
When Niagara voters head to the polls Oct. 22, they will elect a regional chair for the first time.
At this point, nobody has tossed his or her hat into the ring.
Most insiders figure current chairman Alan Caslin will run.
As it stands, Caslin will be the last chair of the Niagara Region, which was established in 1970, who wasn’t directly elected but chosen by his peers on regional council.
Caslin said he hasn’t decided if he will run. It will be a decision made by his family.
“We are all aware of what a huge undertaking this election is going to be, and the time dedication that is going to be required definitely requires family buy- in,” he said.
“In the coming year, I look forward to continuing the important work this council has accomplished to date this term — keeping taxes low for residents, creating an economic environment to support job creation, and leading in a way that results in shared successes with local partners including daily GO train service, the 2021 Canada Summer Games, and privatesector investments like GE Canada.”
Other names bandied about for the head of regional council include former mayors and sitting MPs. All are experienced politicians with a well- established brand.
The race won’t be a place for a political neophyte with 12 widely spread municipalities and more than 325,000 electors on the rolls. The campaign will likely be a battle of attrition financially and physically.
Debbie Zimmerman served as regional chair from 1997 to 2003 after being elected to represent Grimsby as a regional councillor. Asked if she would consider running regionwide for the chair’s position, she offered some thoughts on political leadership.
“There in no time in the Region’s history when we have needed more civic engagement than right here, right now,” she said. “I’m going to be crass about it, but people are yearning for a leader. And that is a result of what has been going on at the Region in the last three years.”
Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn has been mentioned as a possible candidate, but he parried the question.
“We have so many great things going on here in Pelham with the opening of the new community centre and the development that’s already underway,” he said. “That’s what I am focused on.”
Former St. Catharines mayor Brian McMullan’s name has also come up.
McMullan left public life in 2014 for the private sector. He said he is more than content with that decision.
“You can tell people I am happy with my return to the private sector,” he said recently. “I never planned to stay in public life, but with politics, I’ve learned never to say never.”
Niagara Falls’ Bob Gale is in his first term on regional council and has made his presence felt in the chamber and as chairman of the police services board.
“Why would I want to?” Gale said when asked if he is running for the chair’s position. “The people passing around these rumours see me as having too much power and want to knock me down.
“I haven’t even decided if I’m going to run for regional government next year, period. I’m not happy with the whole political situation, and people can interpret that any way they want.
“Of course, you can’t put anything past me. That’s what I said the last time when people kept telling me they heard I was running for mayor. I can tell you I don’t have any plans to run for regional chair right now.”
Vance Badawey, Niagara Centre’s Liberal MP, is a former Port Colborne mayor who was also a strong voice on regional council.
He has been busy making an impression on Parliament Hill.
He left no doubt where he sees his future.
“The answer is no — absolutely not,” he said emphatically when asked if he would consider leaving Ottawa for a run at the regional chair’s office.
“With the files I’m on up here, and the things that I’m doing and bringing back to the riding impact the entire region, I’m not about to give that up. We are getting too much done up here on this level. That was the reason I ran in the first place.”
Another MP, Conservative Rob Nicholson of Niagara Falls, has a distinguished political resume in the House of Commons. He was a trusted member of former prime minister Stephen Harper’s cabinet and served as minister of foreign affairs, national defence, justice and attorney general. He was also leader of the government in the House.
Having moved with the rest of his party to the opposition benches, he is now the justice critic in Andrew Scheer’s shadow cabinet.
Nicholson is familiar with regional council. He was elected to it in 1997 and re- elected in 2000 and 2003.
He was one of the front- runners to become regional chairman in 2003. Former St. Catharines regional councillor Peter Partington was voted into the position by his fellow councillors.
“It’s interesting because I’ve had a number of people mention that to me, but my plans, for now, are to continue as a member of Parliament,” Nicholson said.
“I did enjoy my years on regional council. I was at the Region for about six- and- a- half, seven years, and I certainly enjoyed the issues. But, to be quite frank, I like the way that they used to have it by having the chair- elect among regional councillors themselves.
“I preferred that because whoever now runs for this has to run an election in 12 different municipalities, and my guess is it would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“One of the great things, I think, about our political system is no matter which level you run, at this point money is not a factor. If I run federally, they raise money, but there are limits, and you’ve got to come up with a few thousand bucks if you’re going to run for regional or municipal councils. Nobody has ever said to me, in any of the roles I’ve had, well you’re going to have to come up with $ 300,000 or $ 400,000. It’s going to be a challenge, but we’ll see how that goes.”
The spending limit for the regional chair’s position will be in the $ 285,000 range based on the rules set by the province ($ 7,500 plus 85 cents per elector).
The final number won’t be available until Sept. 15 when the final list of electors is compiled. Any change would be minor.
The nomination period opens May 1 and closes July 27.
Raising enough money to run a campaign with all the bells and whistles won’t be easy.
There is a donation limit of $ 750, and it must come from an identifiable individual. Corporations and unions can no longer make donations.
New provisions also negate some of the advantages of a well- heeled candidate. Under the old rules, a candidate could finance his or her entire campaign. Now, there is a limit of $ 25,000 the candidate, or their spouse, can contribute. Thirdparty advertisers must register, can’t be directed by candidates, and must file financial statements.