Four More Years

I cannot believe that the Premier is serious about adding an extra year to the length of a Municipal Council term. He wants the length to be four years instead of three, starting in November's elections. Here are his comments:

• "First, we're proposing a move to four-year terms for council members and school trustees, which could start with this fall's elections.
  
  This is something AMO has asked the province to do -- and we agree.
  
  As I see it, it's a matter of respect.
  
  We have fixed four-year terms at the provincial level -- and federal terms can run a maximum of five years. Why should you be any different?
  
  It's also a matter of efficiency.
  
  Three years is too short.
  
  A four-year term is the ideal period of time for a council to forge an agenda, implement it and then seek the people's judgement."

I cannot think of anything sillier than to extend the term. At least at the Federal and Provincial levels there is an opposition that can confront the Government Party and keep them on their toes. Question Period can destroy a Government even if they have a large majority.

But who is the watchdog of a full-time Mayor? It is not the the part-time Councillors. We do not have a Question Period at Council. In fact, Councillor questions of Administration may never be answered for years! Why wasn't it just recently, that old Questions were to be purged from the List?

Do you think that is a phony matter? Then consider this story in the Star the other day about Ken Lewnza Jr and the taxi strike:

• "A city councillor with ties to the labour movement says the city won't be putting trained taxi drivers on the road as long as the Veteran Cab strike continues.
  
  "I've been told very specifically they won't be driving cab," Coun. Ken Lewenza Jr. said Saturday during a barbecue held for striking cab drivers at the CAW Local 195 hall.
  
  Lewenza, a CAW national representative, said he has been assured by officials at city hall that drivers enrolled in the city-mandated training program will be allowed to complete their program, but they won't be certified and licensed to drive a cab."

Frankly, and no disrespect to the Councillor, I am very troubled by this story if he was quoted properly. The Licensing Commission hearing was to take place yesterday I believe. Can you imagine the demands for Lewenza to resign if he was a Cabinet minister and spoke to someone involved in a quasi-judicial process, especially to a decision-maker who has to decide an issue. After all, it involves his employer!

He claims: "Lewenza said he does not want to undermine the collective bargaining process and has stayed out of the dispute." But didn't he do that just did by making the statement.

If this were Queens Park or Ottawa, this might be big news for days in Question Period, in the media and could result in his resignation as a Cabinet minister. But how is this handled municipally? Who asks him the question? How does it get on the agenda to allow a citizen to raise the matter because of the Procedural By-law? There may be a potential remedy but that would cost a citizen money and who is going to do it?

Three years is bad enough but to extend to four now..............?

One advantage of the shorter term was stated in an Edmonton study:

• "given that accountability to the electorate is a principle of democracy, and given that elections are the main opportunity for voters to express their opinion of the performance of elected representatives, elections every three years provide more opportunities for the public to hold their elected officials accountable for their performance."

The City of Toronto did a study on extended terms. If we are to have one, I like this idea:

• Electors can maintain closer control over their elected representatives as an ineffective council can be more quickly voted out of office. Some jurisdictions with four year terms of office provide for a recall mechanism should an elected representative no longer have the support of his or her constituents.

Can you think of anyone on Council that you would recall?