#munipoli Matters - ISSUE 34 - Is Mississauga bracing itself for massive sign war?
Also, a vibrant mayoral contest takes shape up North...and what the hell happened in this So-Cal city?
Welcome to another issue of #munipoil Matters, where you can find the latest updates on what’s happening in the often underreported area of municipal elections, politics and governance happening in the local councils spread across Canada and beyond.
I’ll try to “keep it short” this week as we just concluded a month long provincial election in Ontario, but here’s a few interesting stories that popped up for me.
A heavily contested race in “the Soo”
With Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Christian Provenzano not seeking another term, three contenders who all have experience around council have emerged to vie for the job: Ward 3 Councillors Matthew Shoemaker and Donna Hilsinger, as well as former councillor Ozzie Grandinetti.
Grandinetti, a 49 year old father of two, is running on a theme targeting ‘wasteful spending and lack of transparency’. “We’re spending money on things that we don’t need, and not on the things that we do need, and that taxpayers want their money spent on,” the former councillor from 2006-2010 told the Sault Star.
For example, Grandinetti raises is that the city can better spend money on fixing Sault Ste. Marie’s existing crumbling roads, rather than building a whole new road. Meanwhile, Hilsinger cites her experience in business and on council as assets to her potential mayoralty.
Shoemaker’s website says he is developing his platform as he is ‘engaging in more conversations’ with Soo residents, but he does offer some views on specifics, such as raising concerns over costs associated with a proposed plaza project.
A fourth candidate for mayor, Tobin Kern, is also going to be on the ballot.
Is Mississauga ready for a sign war?
Just when we’ve finished with one election, Canada’s seventh largest city is about to see a whole lot more election signs coming this fall.
Mississauga City Council has rescinded a bylaw passed in February that was meant to limit private residences from placing more than one election sign for a candidate during a campaign period. City staff said the rules were unenforceable and were a drain on their resources.
There’s now no limit on the number of signs that can be placed on private lawns, so long as they don’t violate other aspects of the city’s bylaw, including not obstructing pedestrian or vehicular traffic and being within 50 metres of a polling station. Residents in multiple-dwelling units, including condos buildings, remain allowed to post multiple signs.
Here’s what some councillors had to say during the May 18 council meeting:
“It’s very time consuming and expensive for our staff and everybody is going to ignore it anyway,” Ward 5 Councillor Carolyn Parrish said. “So I think you just go back to what we had before, which was a bit of a free for all on private property.”
“There’s just madness out there,” said Ward 4 Councillor John Kovac, referring to several instances he says he’s seen of election signs going where they shouldn’t, including on city property. “If we cannot effectively enforce, and it seems to me that we will really struggle to do so, then it makes sense to be a bit more, if you want to use the word, flexible,” he said.
I wonder how “flexible” will things become later this year as we see a municipal election campaign unfold?
Southern California mayor abruptly resigns
Now for a slight detour down to our neighbours in the south. Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu (pictured below) has resigned his office in the face of a federal investigation alleging that the mayor was involved in political corruption over the sale of Angel Stadium, the host stadium for the Los Angeles Angels baseball team.
Sidhu served on the City Council before getting elected mayor in 2018, as the first person of colour and the first Sikh to serve as mayor. He only won his seat with 32% of the vote in a crowded field and was facing reelection this year.
“Mayor (Harry) Sidhu has always, as his foremost priority, acted in the best interests of the City of Anaheim, and he does so today. In order to continue to act in the best interests of Anaheim and allow this great City to move forward without distraction, Harry Sidhu has resigned from his post as Mayor effective May 24, 2022,” Sidhu’s lawyer said in a statement.
An affidavit alleges that Sidhu attempted to destroy documents pertaining to the sale, as well as solicit campaign donations from the Angels to the tune of $1 million. The now former mayor was handed a search warrant but not charged. Even so, Sidhu had been asked by Anaheim City Council to resign.
Councilman Trevor O’Neil took over as interim Mayor.
In other news
Cornwall, ON: Mayor Glen Grant is planning to run for a full term as mayor, after being appointed to the role following his predecessor Bernadette Clement’s appointment to the Canadian Senate. Other candidates for mayor include current Councillor Justin Towndale and candidate James Leroux.
Delta, BC: Mayor George Harvie, who was first elected in 2018 after serving 17 years as the municipality’s CAO, is running for a second term. Harvie announced his full slate of candidates, running under the banner of “Achieving for Delta”. An incumbent councillor running under the banner called the slate “the most diverse and qualified team in our city’s history.”
Haliburton County, ON: Two of the county’s communities will see new mayors elected in October, as Algonquin Highlands Mayor Carol Moffatt and Minden Hills Mayor Brent Devolin aren’t running again.
Langley Township, BC: Former council candidate Michael Pratt is making a second run for a seat on the Township of Langley Council. In 2018 Pratt narrowly missed winning a seat, finishing in 10th place with 271 votes behind 9th place incumbent councillor Angle Quaale and Margaret Kunst.
Lincoln, ON: Mayor Sandra Easton is making a bid for a third term as head of this Niagara Region town which consists of areas such as Beamsville and Vineland.
Norfolk County, ON: First term Councillor Amy Martin has registered to run for mayor, although incumbent Kristal Chopp hasn’t made her intentions known yet. And just as of May 30 (Monday), Ward 5 Councillor Ian Rabbits has also filed to run.
Vancouver, BC: Councillor Sarah Kirby-Young is not only running for reelection, but also running for the board of directors of the swanky Vancouver Club, established in 1889 that caters to “the successful lifestyle”. The club only started allowing female membership in 1994.
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