An Ottawa city councilor says he was blindsided by news that Premier Doug Ford is considering giving “strong mayoral” powers to the city’s top elected official, a move one expert says would reduce the rest of council to a group of backup singers.
The premier suggested Wednesday that he plans to move forward with introducing a strong mayoral system in both Ottawa and Toronto ahead of municipal elections in October.
The exact details of what those powers will include are still unclear, but Ford told Global News outside Queen’s Park that they will include the option to veto council proposals. It is likely that two-thirds of councilors will then be able to override the mayor’s veto, he added.
“Honestly [I’m] blindsided,” said River Ward Rep. Riley Brockington.
Additional mayoral powers are not something Ottawa or its councilors ever wanted, he said.
WATCH | Councilors are against giving mayors more powers:
‘My voice has effectively been eliminated’: Councilors oppose giving mayors more power
Councilors Riley Brockington and Catherine McKenney say they oppose a provincial plan to give mayors more power, worrying the move would be a blow to municipal democracy.
“If you allow one council member to have a veto or the power to override that of the council, that means my voice is effectively eliminated on behalf of my residents,” Brockington said.
The Toronto Star first reported Tuesday that Ford is considering legislation that would give greater powers to the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa as part of an effort to build more new housing in those cities.
Mayor Jim Watson is not running for re-election. His office said he was unavailable for comment Wednesday. The city said it will not release a statement until the municipal law is changed.
Toronto Mayor John Tory has signaled that he would support the granting of expanded powers by the province.
Ottawa Morning10:22 Doug Ford wants to strengthen mayoral powers only in Ottawa and Toronto
Reporter Robert Benzie explains the change Premier Ford will try to make to the cities acts that will dilute the influence of other councilors
It’s a “radical change,” according to Stéphane Emard-Chabo, who teaches municipal law at the University of Ottawa and was once a city councillor.
“To me, it impoverishes our democracy at the local level,” he said, adding that it was a very American way of doing things.
A CEO-like role
A “strong mayor” system is typically characterized by centralization of executive power with the mayor having control over the appointments of department heads and controlling budgets.
This is a system common in the United States, with the role of mayors being similar to that of a chief executive who works alongside the council but also independently of it.
WATCH | Under the provinces’ proposal, mayors would become “presidents of the city,” says the professor:
Under the provinces’ proposal, mayors would become “presidents of the city,” says the professor
Stéphane Emard-Chabo, who teaches municipal law at the University of Ottawa, said the proposed change would “dilute democracy” by giving mayors more power and reducing the influence of councillors.
Emard-Chabo said moving to the system would be problematic in several ways, including the loss of a number of council votes and the risk that a mayor elected with a small fraction of the vote would end up wielding too much power.
“The more you concentrate power, the more you increase the risk of corruption,” he said.
He said it’s unfortunate the premier announced the change with an election around the corner, and said if the goal is to move files like housing faster, the province can sit down with cities and find ways to streamline the process.
“There are ways to … change the role of the mayor without turning councilors into a secondary, back-up singing group.”
Mayoral candidate called the system “anti-democratic”
Somerset councilor and mayoral candidate Catherine McKenney tweeted that she thought the system was “anti-democratic”.
“If anything, we need stronger cities, not stronger mayors, if we’re going to build the types of communities people are looking for,” they said in an interview Wednesday.
At the end of the day, we collectively make decisions and it works.- Coun. Riley Brockington
Instead of a strong mayor, residents want thoughtful representatives who discuss issues and have an equal voice, McKenney said.
“I don’t believe anyone knows what’s best for the entire city, including me.
Mark Sutcliffe, who is also running for mayor, tweeted that he would work collaboratively with the council and that he was willing to “build consensus” using the current system.
“No one in Ottawa wanted this,” he said in an interview Wednesday.
“And my goal and my run for mayor was to work within the current system with a democratically elected council representing the entire city.”
Asked whether he would use the proposed powers, Sutcliffe said he would seek to build consensus “regardless of what the rules are”.
As Mayor, my top priority will be to work collaboratively with all Council members to make life safe, secure and accessible for everyone in Ottawa. I am willing to work within the current system to build the consensus our city needs. #ottpoli
—@_MarkSutcliffe
Mike Maguire, another candidate, said the city would benefit from the change.
“My understanding is that the urgency the prime minister felt about this was to encourage housing and housing development,” he told the CBC. “There’s definitely a problem with city council and Ottawa in general with bylaws and planning.”
Maguire said he believed the proposed powers could streamline the process.
Candidate Bob Chiarelli released a statement acknowledging that many of the details surrounding the powers are still unknown.
“[M]The first priority on important issues has always been to find or build consensus and facilitate important decisions,” the statement said. “This is my story. That’s my brand.”
Like Maguire, Chiarelli said in a statement that he believes Ford’s plan “is designed to enable the mayor to initiate and complete important projects or files more quickly at his discretion.”
Brockington said his objection boils down to one question – what problem is the prime minister trying to solve?
So far, the councilor said there is no answer.
“Yes, contentious issues are sometimes complex and challenging and take a long time to get through, but at the end of the day we collectively make decisions and it works.”
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