10.4. SR 06-03-2019 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

the perpetually expanDing terM Up until 1956, Toronto held mu- nicipal elections each year. A series of referendums asked voters if they supported a longer term for Council and almost every time, the answer was ‘No’. Eventually, the term changed to two years, then three. The most recent change, however, happened without any referendum at all. At the request of Councillors and Mayors from across the Ontario, the provincial government changed the term to four years, with no consultation or debate. In fact, the change was buried as a minor note in a budget bill. It seems wrong that politicians are able to change their office terms without consulting their true employers: us. At the local level in particular, four years is very long. Unlike mi- nority governments at the provincial and federal levels, a City Council government can never fall on a con- fidence vote – even if their public support has plummeted. Despite the often-heard argument that three years “isn’t enough time to plan anything”, we know that City Coun- cillors built the Yonge Street subway, the Bloor Street Viaduct, our sewage system, and the R.C. Harris water plant – all with single year terms. Longer terms mean one thing: less accountability. And the trend we’ve seen in the last five decades is unsettling: Fun FacT! in 2006, councillor Michael Walker put forward a motion at city council against the introduction of the four year term, and requested a public referendum instead. the motion was seconded by ten councillors, including then-councillor rob Ford and six members of his current inner circle: David shiner, cesar palacio, Michael thompson, karen stintz, Mike Del grande and Doug holyday. “Should we extend the term of City Council from one year, to two?” this referendum was held eight times in the city of toronto: yEs no Jan 1, 1912 6,764 23,854 Jan 1 1940 29,978 74,053 Jan 1, 1941 28,189 58,527 Jan 1, 1947 48,547 51,403 Jan 1, 1949 50,440 73,250 Dec 4, 1950 63,863 104,109 Dec 1, 1952 50,278 69,320 Dec 5, 1955 47,958 33,742 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 THEN WHAT?TODAY1834 ? Municipal elections per DecaDe