Opinion
February 4th, 2025. This post was updated with the verbatim responses that were received on Tuesday February 4th to the questions posed of Mayor Marianne Meed Ward with all of Council copied. An analysis of the responses will be provided here shortly and will also be sent to the mayor and council for their review and subsequent input.
Feeling in a particularly prankish mood, I thought that it would be interesting to challenge our mayor, Marianne Meed Ward, to an informal debate. So, I accessed the “Invite the Mayor” request form on the city’s website and proceeded to fill it in.
It was never my intent to actually engage the mayor in this fashion but I just wanted to see what the response would be and in what form. There were enough clues in the request to indicate that it was probably not serious; the title of the event being “The Truth Will Out”, the date being April 1st, the venue being the BPAC and the expected audience being over 1000.
The purpose was boldly stated as “To challenge the mayor to an informal debate regarding quite contrary views of the performance and achievements of her administration”. I received an automated response almost immediately that summarized my request and informed me that I would receive an assessment within five business days. And then it came …. or more exactly, failed to arrive.
Although it was much as I expected, I was a little disappointed. Part of me – the part that always gets me into trouble – actually wanted the mayor to accept my challenge. The better part of me, however, was relieved. Although I personally believe that Marianne Meed Ward is a bad mayor and administrator, I have great respect for her skill in addressing criticism. When she is at her best, which due to necessity is often, she can deflect, twist and spin like few others I know. In debate, she would be a formidable opponent. She would probably leave me in the verbal dust. But, I would like to provide an overview of how I would have structured my side of the debate.
I had intended to ask our mayor a series of questions that might expose the reality hidden within or behind an ocean of favourable photo-ops and social media posts. They are direct and challenging – not the sort that she customarily receives when attending local news events. But they are fair – speaking to both her performance as mayor and known particulars of her time in office.
- Did you have the opportunity to reject Strong Mayor powers for the City of Burlington? If no, why not when other mayors appear to have done so?
The city’s response:
This issue has already been addressed on the Mayor’s webpage, per below.
https://mariannemeedward.ca/statement-from-burlington-mayor-meed-ward-on-
province-expanding-strong-mayor-powers-to-additional-municipalities/
https://mariannemeedward.ca/strong-mayor-powers-and-the-mayors-budget/
For further information, the City’s Legal division has provided the following response: The Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022 came into effect on November 23, 2022. That Act amended the Municipal Act, 2001 to include new sections 284.2 to 284.17 dealing with ‘Strong Mayor’ powers. Regulations 530/22 and 580/22 were also enacted at that time. O.Reg 530/22 lists the municipalities that have ‘Strong Mayor’ powers. Upon enactment, only the City of Ottawa was identified as having these powers. The City of Toronto derives its powers from the City of Toronto Act, not the Municipal Act, 2001. In March 2023, City of Burlington Council approved a resolution regarding Burlington’s Housing Pledge and sent confirmation of same to the Province. In June 2023, the
Province announced that ‘Strong Mayor’ powers would be expanded to 26 additional municipalities that had already committed to a housing pledge for their respective municipalities. Burlington had made a housing pledge and as such was included in the list of municipalities that were granted these powers. The City, along with the other 25 municipalities added to the O.Reg 530/22, did not have to ‘opt in’ to ‘Strong Mayor’ powers.
There was no option to refuse the powers.
The municipalities were simply added to the Regulation by the Province by virtue of the fact that they had made a housing pledge. O.Reg 530/22 was amended to include these additional municipalities, effective July 1, 2023.
This can be contrasted with the Province’s announcement in August 2023, where it was announced that ‘Strong Mayor’ powers would be extended to 21 additional municipalities provided that their Heads of Council ‘opted in’ by committing to a municipal housing target for their respective municipalities. On October 31, 2023, O.Reg 530/22 was amended to add an additional 18 municipalities to the list of those that have ‘Strong Mayor’ powers. Three municipalities that were offered the powers at that time declined to identify a housing target and ‘opt in’.
2. Don’t the Deputy Mayor portfolios that you have created add an additional dimension of complexity to a job that is already very complex – some would say too complex – with the existing ward and regional responsibilities?
The city’s response:
The creation and rationale for the Deputy Mayor portfolios have already been addressed on the Mayor’s website per below:
https://mariannemeedward.ca/burlington-council-unanimously-approves-new-deputy-
mayor-portfolios-initiative-appointments-to-committees-boards/
To summarize, this is a unique model at the municipal level and will leverage the skills of this Council to work as a team on the issues and needs important to our city. The model was unanimously supported by council. See council minutes here:
Regarding complexity of the role, this past December, Burlington Council reviewed its composition and was given the opportunity to vote on expanding the size of Council to, among other considerations, address workloads and responsibilities. Council voted unanimously to maintain its current size.
See council minutes here:
3. Why do you believe that citizens who delegate to council should not be allowed to pose questions of staff or council? Is a two-way exchange not a superior engagement model?
Procedure for council meetings, including the procedure for delegations, is set by the procedure bylaw, which has been in place for many years, dating before the Mayor’s time on council. The Procedure Bylaw is approved by all of Council. For reference, the bylaw is available here. The bylaw follows Roberts Rules of Order and the Westminster system where two-way exchange in formal Committee and Council meetings is available to staff and elected
members of the council. The purpose of delegations to Committee and Council meetings is for Council to listen
and hear input directly from the public before they begin deliberations on a matter before them.
There are many avenues for two-way exchange between members of the public and elected representatives including drops ins, town halls, meetings, and emailing your representative as you have done.
4. You have instituted an array of things that offer recognition and respect to the indigenous community and you participate in indigenous ceremonies, often using Spencer Smith Park as the venue. This is totally commendable but could you provide an idea of the size of the indigenous community in Burlington or Halton generally and could you identify measures or programs that you have initiated that actually improve the lives of this community?
The city’s response:
Measures related to supporting indigenous residents, as well as the census data for the indigenous population, have already been addressed on the Mayor’s website.
Initiatives:
https://mariannemeedward.ca/indigenous-community-in-burlington/
Population:
https://mariannemeedward.ca/burlington-has-largest-indigenous-population-in-halton-
region-2021-census/
For additional reference, the Mayor instituted the Indigenous Talking Circle to consult with indigenous residents about city measures and programs including but not limited to recognition, community space, programming and park development. Many of these are documented in the links. As additional initiatives unfold, please check
the Mayor’s website and social media for updates.
5. LaSalle Park – the City of Burlington actually leases this land from the City of Hamilton. That lease has expired. What have you done to get ownership transferred to Burlington and why is this not a first priority of your administration? Additionally why, very early in your first term in office, would you agree to fund a wave break for the private LaSalle Marina and take $4 million from the city’s hydro reserves to do so?
The city’s response:
Staff from Burlington’s Realty Services are discussing LaSalle Park ownership with city staff from Hamilton, and when there is an update, it will be shared with the community. Regarding the marina, Council voted to cover the upfront $4 million cost of the wavebreak, with the LaSalle Marina repaying $2.1 million to the city over time in annual licensing fees. The Mayor’s perspective on this community asset and support for a city contribution for half of the total amount of the wavebreak has already been shared publicly on her website per below:
6. Robert Bateman High School – would you agree that there was little actual public engagement prior to the purchase of this facility? Given the fact that the purchase and renovation/remediation cost estimates have more than doubled, from $50 million to over $100 million, that you have turned scarce green space into a parking lot and that the quantum of actual new space for the city is relatively small, do you still believe that this is a wise and fiscally responsible initiative?
The city’s response:
Staff from the city’s Communications department have provided the following detail regarding communications and engagement for the Robert Bateman Community Centre. Communication to the public began in June 2021, more than one year before the purchase of the building. The City’s engagement methods included:
Get Involved Burlington webpage
4 media releases
11 public information sessions and workshops
8 reports and Council updates
*Please see Appendix A for the full engagement list.
The staff report presented to Council and shared with the public in December 2022 provides cost projections and other project details. As noted on the table in the report, tenant revenue will be significant, as well as upper-level government funding. The new Robert Bateman Centre directly aligns with strategic priorities of the City:
Increase economic prosperity and community responsive City growth;
Support sustainable infrastructure and a resilient environment; and
Building more citizen engagement, community health and culture.
The Mayor’s perspective on Robert Bateman and support for this new community centre plus tenants has been shared on her website in multiple postings including:
7. Do all city staff have performance contracts? If not, how do you measure performance, drive business priorities and incent appropriate behaviours? In the absence of a talent management process, how are incentives determined and corrective measures applied when necessary?
The Chief Administrative Officer has provided the following response:
The city has a robust performance evaluation process in place for 2025, providing all eligible non-union employees with individual performance reviews. Merit based increases are based on achieving goals set as a part of annual performance reviews.
8. In 2019 the Ford government decided to perform a regional operations review with the objective of consolidating programs and services at the regional level. This amalgamation was abandoned and the report has never been published. In 2024, the Ford government turned 180 degrees and is now talking about dissolving regional governments – returning consolidated programs and services to municipalities. This has already happened with Planning. You are in support of this direction. Could you please say why it is important for each municipality to have discreet and separate common services like I&IT, websites, customer interfaces (Service Burlington), transit, policing, fire-fighting, purchasing, fleet management etc., etc.?
The City of Burlington provides services for the responsibilities it is mandated to in the Municipal Act. This includes planning, fire, transit, and transportation, such as roads. Supportive functions, such as websites, Service Burlington, or IT simply facilitate these legislated services. Please note police is a Regional service. The City of Burlington does not have its own police service. The City has joined buying collectives with the Region or other municipalities where it makes sense, including for example for electric buses. There have also been conversations at the Region about whether or not to make transit a regional service. Conversations about who does what are constantly evolving and changing, as they should. This includes some of the recent changes that have been made by the province that were, in many cases, requested or supported by municipalities. The Mayor’s perspective on Regional review and delivery of services, supported by majority votes of council, has been previously publicly addressed on her website including below:
https://mariannemeedward.ca/burlington-mayor-councillors-delegate-at-provinces-
standing-committee-for-regional-governance-review/
9. Here’s a sticky one – you have instituted strict procedures and policies to ensure that council and staff are treated respectfully during engagements with the public. You reinforce these ‘rules’ at every formal meeting with citizens, warning that unacceptable behaviour will be treated with immediate censure and potential long-term consequences. Why were these measures and warnings not needed before you took office?
There has been a longstanding commitment to respectful engagement with council, staff and the public that pre-dates the Mayor’s time on council, and has been advanced throughout her time as a councillor and now as Mayor.
The city’s Procedure Bylaw, approved by council as a whole, includes measures to encourage respectful dialogue. The link to the Procedure Bylaw is above. The bylaw predates the Mayor’s time on council and has been updated and amended by various councils. These expectations for respectful treatment are shared with the community at
the beginning of public meetings. The Council Code of Good Governance, instituted by the previous council in 2015, also includes provisions for respectful treatment of council and staff. Read more here:
https://mariannemeedward.ca/code-of-conduct-for-councillors-one-step-closer/
The Mayor introduced Commenting Guidelines as a councillor in 2016 to foster respectful dialogue on her social platforms and more broadly with her office and at public meetings. Read those here:
https://mariannemeedward.ca/mayor-meed-ward-online-community-commenting-
guidelines/
A key campaign commitment in 2018 was to ensure civil discourse and that continues to be a commitment.
Respectful, civil discourse has been made all the more difficult by the global rise in hateful rhetoric, uncivil discourse, misinformation and across social media platforms locally and around the world in some cases. This has sometimes escalated to threats of physical violence against elected officials generally and the Mayor in particular.
Elected officials across the country and here in Halton are leaving elected office due to toxic behaviour, online abuse, and/or threats of physical violence. Locally, MP Pam Damoff is one example but not the only one.
Against this local and global tide of misinformation, violent threats and incivility, the Mayor will continue to raise her voice for respectful dialogue and behaviour in service of democracy.
10. Do you think that the people of Burlington are better off today than they were six years ago when you took office? How have you improved their lives?
Please see the Mayor’s monthly newsletter, digital channels or annual State of the City addresses for the progress we have made together as council, staff and the community. Because of our work together, Burlington consistently ranks as a top city in Ontario and Canada to live. These achievements are not the work of one person, but rather an entire council team, staff, and the community. We have made great progress together, and will continue to do so.
So, my brainchild of a debate is stillborn and the questions remain unanswered – for the moment. I believe that my queries are reasonable, perhaps even important, and deserve a considered response, if not in the push/pull of engaged conversation then certainly in the much safer forum of the COB Communications regimen. Accordingly, I shall take the key to fortress Meed Ward that has been offered, request # 2025-01-12-003, and contact the mayor’s office directly.
All playful nudges and pokes aside, it is time that this mayor and this council be asked probing questions as a preliminary to the municipal election of 2026. The citizens of Burlington deserve as complete a perspective as possible on these seven individuals and their performance over two terms in office. If people believe that they merit another four years then it should be on something more substantive than name recognition.
Blair Smith is a lifelong resident of Burlington and was a member of Mayor Marianne Meed Ward’s campaign team in 2018.
The Bay Observer recently published this article https://bayobserver.ca/2024-year-in-review-strong-mayor-powers-divide-both-hamilton-and-burlington-councils/
Since the Strong Mayor Powers came into effect, the city had lost City Manager Tim Commisso, The City Treasurer announced her retirement, The City Clerk had left, and the head of Corporate Communications and Government Relations had been replaced. The triggering event for the council revolt came when it was learned that two senior female Executive Directors were no longer with the city. The split between the mayor and her council became more pronounced at year’s end over the 2025 Burlington budget. By a vote of 6 to 4 Burlington councillors refused to endorse the 2025 city operating budget, which passed anyway under strong mayor powers, and a motion to endorse the capital budget lost on a 3-3 tie. While both votes are largely symbolic given the passage of the budget is the purview of the mayor under Doug Ford’s strong mayor legislation, they underlined tensions between councillors and the mayor that have been simmering since the last term of council.
This is kind of a primer on How Not To Answer Questions. Start off every answer with “We already told you that.” At this point, you can also add a little huffiness: “You should have known that we already told you that.” Move on to “It’s completely out of our hands. There are rules we have to follow. Oh and p.s., you should have known that and never asked us for an explanation.” That can be accompanied by “It’s someone else’s fault” — a real standby for the seasoned non-answerer. Next, you must not neglect to include a whole bunch of links to blogs and articles that are only nominally related to the actual questions asked. Use meaningless phrases such as “this will leverage our skills.” Parenthetically, do remember to include phrases such as “the bottom line,” “going forward,” etc.; you know the list but a quick google search will net many excellent useless meaningless fluff to pad your “responses” with. Continue on in the same vein for as many paragraphs as you think will look really competent just by volume alone, as well as completely clouding all issues, and then — and this is fairly new in the lexicon of How Not To Answer Questions — accuse all questioners of malicious and dangerous intent. That should do it. Fait accompli!!