There are limits to what a Mayor is supposed to do internationally; three trips abroad is not what she was elected to do.

SwP thumbnail graphicBy Pepper Parr

January 23rd, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

How many times does the Mayor have to travel abroad to represent the city?

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward is the Mayor of a mid-sized city.

She is not yet the Premier of the province nor is she representing Burlington at a federal level.

MMW-with-Rohmer-in-France-June-2019

Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward with Richard Rohmer, Honorary Lieutenant General Richard Heath Rohmer OC CMM OOnt DFC CD QC), during the D-Day celebrations.

The trip to Normandy to celebrate the D-Day landings had merit.

Commisso-and-Mayor-in-Japan

Burlington’s Mayor leading a parade in Itabashi Japan.

The trip to Japan to celebrate the xx year relationship with the city of Itabashi was a little excessive; the trip to Apeldoorn in May is one of those “nice to have’s” the Mayor complained about when she was a citizen banging on the doors of the council chamber to be let in.

Being a Mayor with provincial pretensions calls for an ability to judge the difference between personal ambitions and the needs of the city you lead.

The plans for a side trip to France while she is in Holland can’t be justified no matter how hard you try.

Our Mayor is not listening to the genuine concerns of a lot of people.

She could be in the process of losing the connection she has to her base.

In October of 2018 Marianne Meed Ward was the best choice of what was available for the job of Mayor – her “tribe” expects her to grow into the job.

Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.

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7 comments to There are limits to what a Mayor is supposed to do internationally; three trips abroad is not what she was elected to do.

  • Elan

    I love our Mayor. But lobbying to extend her own brand to France at the expense of matters ‘back home’ is nuts. Especially given the massively aggressive mandate (hello? OP? Hub redesignation?) and schedule she and the Councillors put forward for the rest of 2020. Not sure the Mayor’s motives here. More for her, or for Burlington? I trust our Mayor and Council have their hearts in the right place. But on this? Help me out. I am confused. I dont care about MUNDULIZING with France.

  • “In October of 2018 Marianne Meed Ward was the best choice of what was available for the job of Mayor – her “tribe” expects her to grow into the job.”

    So true, Mr. Parr. And should the mayor ignore this, she will do so at her peril.

  • Joe Gaetan

    How does this square with our climate emergency?

    • Steve Holman

      This is a good question Joe. I have wanted to have a discussion about the climate emergency, not sure what the word “Emergency” means at the city level. My first thought would be an emergency takes precedence over all other things, like the snow emergency in St Johns, where they have curtailed commerce, travel, a large number of things. So does this climate emergency mean we should stop filling potholes and replacing burnt out street lights, stop plowing roads, maintaining infrastructure, and apply the savings to climate change efforts?
      OR is this emergency just the usual virtue signalling of a progressive Mayor and council meaning it really means nothing?

  • Steve Holman

    These behaviours are at the core of what globalists and progressives believe is right. Better get used to it.

    • RobN

      Steve,

      your blanket statement is unfair and prejudiced.

      I consider myself to be progressive, yet do not condone the globetrotting of the mayor.
      Her priorities should be in Burlington.
      No need for trips to Japan (nice, but not necessary).
      France, what was the purpose?

      There is more to gain on attracting new business to the city, dealing with traffic issues, downtown development and pushing back against Provincial down loading.

      That is what we need to get used to.