Last month’s federal election prompted renewed speculation in some quarters that party-politics could be coming to Ottawa city hall. While such suppositions seem to be unfounded, or at least premature, they provide us with a reason to pause and appreciate our excellent system of party-free municipal politics.
Political parties that field candidates in every riding during both federal and provincial elections historically have stayed away from municipal politics. That is not to say that councillors and candidates don’t have party allegiances or sympathies. It is well known, for example, that councillors such as Diane Holmes and Clive Doucet have identified themselves as NDP supporters while Mayor Bob Chiarelli has always been known as a Liberal. But there is a significant difference between identifying with a party and running under that party’s banner, policies and priorities.
As politicians, it’s expected that councillors have a stake in provincial and federal partisan politics; however, turning city hall into a mini-legislature with a government and opposition benches, is absurd and fails to appreciate the importance of unaligned councillors.
Without a party whip to dictate how they must vote, councillors are currently given free reign to vote how city residents and their conscience direct them. A councillor must take responsibility for his or her actions and is forced to understand each issue as it arises.
Without a pre-determined party platform to adhere to, our councillors can listen to advisory committees with an open mind and make the best policy decision based on the evidence and case at hand. It would be unacceptable for council to form decisions on purely local issues such as business rezoning based on national policies.
Likewise, candidate-centred elections force citizens to engage in the process and find out what exactly prospective councillors stand for rather than marking an “X” next to their usual party of choice. Candidates are forced to stand on their own merits and record without prefabricated party lines and party-supporters to rely on.
Of all levels of government it is the municipal level that has the most impact on our everyday lives: the water we drink, the electricity we consume, the garbage that we set by the curb, are just three examples.
Polls have shown that Canadians are increasingly dissatisfied with our federal party system, replete with its elite brokerage, shadowy deals and lucrative floor-crossings. Keeping party-politics out of city hall means keeping politics cleaner — at very least in the eyes of the voter, which is where it matters the most.
There are those who argue party-politics are effectively here. But compare a parliamentary committee meeting with a city committee meeting and, topic of discussion aside, the difference is striking. The freedom of councillors to speak their mind and be convinced by ordinary folk stands in direct opposition to the inflexibility of party control over MPs. Let’s keep municipal politics open, participatory and effective by continuing our tradition of non-partisan politics.
—Anne McEwen