Have Meed Ward's political instincts deserted her?

News 100 redBy Pepper Parr

November 7th, 2016

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Everyone appears to still be in the dark as to just what is going on at the Seniors’ Centre.

One source said “I went on the Centre web site there was only a notice of what has happened and the Board would be meeting in November and the results of that meeting would be posted on that site, so like everyone else I am in the dark.

“There is a general notice at the Centre of what has happened issued by the city you could call and pick one up they are on the front counter.”

The Board seems to be hiding behind their web site.

The city has just moved in and taken over – so much for citizen participation.

The Seniors will get angry and at some point elect a new board.

meed-ward-at-council

Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward serves as the city representative on the Seniors Advisory Council.

The city council representative on the Seniors Advisory Board, Marianne Meed Ward has said she “was hoping the discussions the city and board were having over the past year would lead toward a new MOU that would benefit both parties.”

At the same time she said: “The BSCI now has an opportunity to chart a new role for itself serving seniors in Burlington, and I have committed to stay on the board to assist them in this transition for as long as they would like.”

This is very unlike Meed Ward. Every battle she has taken on – the Pier, the different developments during her six years as a city councillor, the sale of waterfront property – you name it – she has been at the front of the parade.

The Beachway was not in her ward and it drives Councillor Craven crazy when she involves herself in that issue. There has never been anything shy about Marianne Meed Ward in the past – so why the backing away now?

This was the organization with the potential to be a large part of what was going to propel her into the Office of the Mayor.

To say that the BSCI “now has an opportunity to chart a new role for itself” is so completely disingenuous.

It would appear that she too has left them to their own devices and with the leadership the BCSI has at the moment it is going to be slim pickings for the over 55 set.

For the first time in a very long time Meed Ward’s political instincts appear to have deserted her.

Everyone loses.graphic02

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7 comments to Have Meed Ward’s political instincts deserted her?

  • Tom Muir

    Councillors cannot be all things to all people. These days of social media take that to a practical infinity of opinions and demands. It’s impossible.

    This includes Marianne of course, who has had a much higher public profile of issues on her plate, than anyone I observe.

    I think she tries to do the right thing, but trying to do that implies there is a public and Council consensus on what “the right thing” really is.

    Of course, this is an ethical and value laden concept, so predictably -just look to the US election – there is no agreement, even compromise, never mind consensus about what the right thing is.

    So, trying to “do something” about everything, for everyone, runs up against the impossibility of meeting all the exponentially increasing load and velocity of expectations.

    It can’t be done. So if you keep trying, you get not so much personal burnout I venture, but expectation delivery burnout.

    The political machinery cannot keep up, divisions dominate, so the political process is what burns out.

    That is what I think we see. Political overload and conflicting, divisive agendas just create their own inertia.

  • Stephen White

    Sadly I think what may be happening to Marianne Meed Ward, as well as several other Councillors, is that they are completely burned out. While I don’t excuse or condone her response the fact is that this Council, like City officials, are grappling with a myriad of issues, problems and concerns, and they may just be overwhelmed with the sheer magnitude. Many employees start to plateau after several years in the same job. Perhaps politicians are the same.

    All the more reason why we need to have a substantive “changing of the guard” at City Hall in 2018. It’s probably time to re-consider the issue of term limits to ensure we get some new blood and fresh perspectives.

    • JQ Public

      Your observance about burn out may indeed be true. Being a councillor is not an easy job, nor is it a 9 -5 job. But these people choose it, so they should know that going in.

      As other commenters have stated, delegating is often a thankless task. Well, you might get thanked. But often you get no questions. And this is as far as dialogue with the whole council goes in municipalities. You get 5 – 10 minutes to speak. If there are no questions, you sit back down, deflated.

      You have no right to ask questions yourself and councillors are actually forbidden to debate an issue with you. They can only debate (ie. question and answer) among themselves. Once you cast your vote every four years, you immediately lose any right to debate at council. They debate for you (or in many cases, against you). Citizens have no right to debate council as a whole. Citizens do have a right to debate councillors one on one, but only at the discretion of the councillor. He/she can choose not to debate it he/she wishes. Isn’t democracy great?

  • John

    Sorry, it should be “know”
    No comment on council!

  • John

    Is this the seniors getting thrown under the bus, pardon the transit pun, or is this creating a crises so someone can emerge as their savior and get themselves elected.
    Seniors are smart enough to no the difference.

    • C Jester

      Slip of the tongue or are seniors really just seeing the “no” difference and no deference for what it really is at this council.

  • Phillip Wooster

    I really believe that this mayor and council, including Meed Ward, have made seniors a very low priority. Not only is the Seniors Centre symptomatic of this, but seniors should note how the City Hall elites have put public transit on the backburner. Most telling is the email I received from the Mayor publicizing the Todarian PR Event on November the 14–all kinds of committees were listed–except……you guessed it–SENIORS. We all need to remember this in 2018.