By Pepper Parr
January 16th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
When a significant change in government takes place the new leader has a very short period of time to get a firm grip on the levers of power and put their stamp in the direction they want to take.
Burlington has a tradition of the Mayor giving an address to the business elite at a Chamber of Commerce event in January of each year. They are usually well attended.
The Mayor will be speaking to the business community which in the past has not always been the sector from which Meed Ward draws her support. Growth is the rallying cry from the Chamber of Commerce set. Growth for sure Mayor Meed Ward will say and add that the growth has to be responsible and responsive and not serve the interests of just on part of the population.
It will be interesting to see what tack Mayor Meed Ward takes as she addresses the Chamber crowd at the end of the month. She will not be speaking to the converted.
She will be listened to very closely.
During the past eight years the Gazette has published seven of the State of the City addresses given by former Mayor Rick Goldring who was politely heard. They are all on line.
The standing ovations were usually given to someone else who was recognized.
One can assume that Mayor Meed Ward has at least a first draft of what she wants to say to the business/commercial community.
The members of the Chamber of Commerce will be listening raptly to what Meed Ward has to say. Her supporters think they know what she is all about. They have some surprises coming their way. The Gazette is beginning to learn more about the process Mayor Meed Ward used to staff her office; some hearts were broken along the way.
The business community looks at things quite a bit differently. Meed Ward is going to have to convince them that she understands their language and can communicate with them effectively and meet their needs as well.
Marianne Meed Ward: The reward for ten years of serving and campaigning – an election victory.
Meed Ward refers to her 22 years as a journalist whenever she is outlining the road she has travelled. It is more correct to say that she has spent 22 years in media which is not the same thing as what journalists do.
We will all learn more about how she will actually operate and how she will handle the issues that land on her desk.
This will be her biggest selling job ever since she had that Chain of Office placed around her neck.
Salt with Pepper is the musing, opinions and reflections of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette.
