East Gwillimbury council split on electing regional chair

Yorkregion.com
Jan. 29, 2016
By Simon Martin

East Gwillimbury council supports a move to elect York Region’s next chair, according to a resolution passed by council and sent to the region.

Opinions expressed by members of council were nearly split on the issue, but the resolution passed 3-2.

The chair, arguably the region’s most powerful political position, is now selected at the beginning of each term by a majority of 20 regional councillors.

“I think that residents must have an opportunity to choose,” Councillor Marlene Johnston said. “It becomes a popularity contest where residents truly have no choice.”

She supported the motion, along with councillors James Young and Tara Roy-DiClemente.

“I want residents of York Region to make the decision,” added Young.

Just because we have always done something one way doesn’t make it right, Roy-DiClemente said. “This is the very heart of democracy. We elect representatives to speak for us,” she said.

While Mayor Virginia Hackson said she understands the democratic argument, she said an elected chair wouldn’t serve the interests of East Gwillimbury.

“When electing the chair, it is important to recognize that it is based on the population in the south. As such, there will never be a chair from the north if a direct election is put in place,” she said. Of more concern for Hackson is representation at the region, particularly those municipalities that have only one representative at the table. The smaller four municipalities are under represented, she said, and should have a minimum of two for each municipality.

Councillor Joe Persechini said the current system works well and believes regional council collaborates effectively on important issues.

The issue will come back to regional council Feb. 18, along with a staff report on the chair selection process in other regions.

Chairs in Durham, Halton and Waterloo are elected by voters.

Staff will also submit a report about undertaking a comprehensive review of governance in the region, along with proposed terms of reference for a study.

The review could include looking at the number of regional councillors in each municipality. At the moment, Markham has five, Vaughan has four, Richmond Hill has three, Newmarket and Georgina each have two and East Gwillimbury, Aurora, Whitchurch-Stouffville and King each have one.

It could also look at whether or not regional councillors should be directly elected. Now, they sit on both regional and local councils.

In 2012, East Gwillimbury council voted to keep the current system of appointing the regional chair.

It may not matter what happens at regional council.

Newmarket-Aurora MPP Chris Ballard has introduced a private member’s bill, which has passed second reading, to make the job an elected position.

He said last year, the days of an appointed regional chair are numbered. “There are two ways to deal with this. If I were a regional councillor, I would be saying, ‘We could develop a made-in-York Region solution or we could have Queen’s Park impose a made-in-Queen’s Park solution’,” he said, adding residents seem to favour an elected chair.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s coming down the pike and do you want to drive the car or do you want to be a passenger?”