Scrapping York Region chair election 'highly undemocratic,' candidate says

Current chair Wayne Emmerson back in running day after he withdrew

Yorkregion.com
July 27, 2018
Lisa Queen,

Thanks to Premier Doug Ford, York Region chair Wayne Emmerson is looking to keep his job, after all.

A day after he said he was dropping out of the election race for the region’s top political job in this fall’s municipal election, Emmerson said July 27 he will seek another term through appointment.

Emmerson’s about-face comes after Ford dropped a bombshell in municipal government circles July 27.

Ford announced he is scrapping open general elections for regional chairs in York, Peel, Niagara and Muskoka.

Instead, the chairs in the four regions will continue to be appointed by their councils, although chairs in other areas such as Waterloo, Halton and Durham region will continue to be elected.

Emmerson said he’s pleased with Ford’s decision.

“I think it’s a good move on the part of Premier Ford,” he said.

Emmerson dismissed a suggestion he bowed out of the election race because he wouldn’t win.

“Not so much that I didn’t have a chance but that’s an awful big election to run,” he said, although he acknowledged the scope of running a campaign for elected regional chair has been clear for some time.

“I love the job and I want to be able to do what I can for the region of York and the residents of the region of York. I’ve been thinking about it more and I’m going to go back in. I’ve changed my mind and I’m going to run for regional chair (appointment).”

Emmerson said he wants to focus on key issues such as extending the Yonge subway to Richmond Hill, the Upper York Sewage Solution and affordable housing.

Ford said the election of chairs in the four communities is on “pause,” explaining the province will be conducting a broader review of regional government.

Emmerson said he welcomes the chance to work with the province to help determine the role of regional governments in the future.

Ford is also slashing the size of Toronto city council by almost half, from the 47 seats there would have been following the Oct. 22 municipal election down to 25.

Last year, the previous Liberal government passed legislation requiring York and the other three affected regions to have voters directly elect regional chairs in the upcoming Oct. 22 municipal election.

Over the years, York Region council had repeatedly argued against a directly-elected chair, saying elected mayors and regional councillors select the candidate they feel is best for the job.

But critics contend the region’s top politician should be directly accountable to the region’s 1.2 million residents, not just the 20 mayors and regional councillors.

Markham Coun. Joe Li has criticized the appointed system because candidates had to work behind the scenes to secure the job.

“In order for the chairman to get his position, he has to make deals,” he has said.

Following Emmerson’s withdrawal, the two remaining candidates in the race were former Vaughan MPP Steven Del Duca and former Thornhill MPP Mario Racco.

Del Duca could not be immediately reached for comment following Ford's announcement.

But in a July 3 press release, he said he had raised $250,000 towards his $1 million campaign goal.

“I am committed to working as hard I can in order to earn the support of the residents of York Region,” he said in the release.

“The support that we are receiving is a clear indication that residents of York Region expect us to keep making the right investments in what matters most to families - spending less time on the road and more time with their loved ones.”

Racco called Ford’s decision to kill the election of regional chairs “highly undemocratic,” especially since voters in other regions will be electing their chairs.

There are no efficiencies in scrapping elected chairs because taxpayers will still have to pay for an appointed chair, he said.

Racco said he has been campaigning for the job and has support from many voters.