York Region leadership up for grabs - but residents don’t get a vote

The region’s MPPs are pushing to make the job of regional chair an elected position in time for the 2018 election.

Thestar.com
Dec. 11, 2014
By Noor Javed

The most powerful position in York Region is up for grabs Thursday, but residents won’t have a say in who will be chosen for the job.

Taxpayers in Markham and Newmarket could, however, be on the hook for more than $250,000 for a byelection if either of the sitting regional councillors who recently announced their candidacy for the position of chair of York Region is selected.

Officially, no one has filed nomination forms with the York Region clerk’s office. But three people have indicated their interest through the media: former Whitchurch-Stouffville mayor Wayne Emmerson, Markham regional councillor Jim Jones and Newmarket regional councillor John Taylor.

The latter two decided to go for the chairmanship after being re-elected in the October municipal election.
York and Peel are the only two regions in the GTA where the chair is decided by fellow councillors and not the public. The regional council will also decide at the meeting Thursday evening if the vote will be an open, recorded vote or a secret ballot.

“The system is less than ideal,” said Taylor. “There is no cut-off date to announce that you are running, there’s no way to know who is running, how many people are running, and you don’t even know who the voters are,” he said.

Councillors can announce their bid to run at the meeting, and simply need a nomination form signed by two members of council. Thus, you could have 19 voters, or half that number.

“It gives people very little ability to plan in advance,” said Taylor, explaining why he entered the race so late.

The current York Region chair, Bill Fisch, is retiring after 17 years.

Residents of Peel Region vented on social media Thursday after Mississauga Councillor Frank Dale was selected as the new chair for Peel by his fellow councillors. His predecessor, Emil Kolb, had been in the position since 1991.

Many said Dale, who won in a tight race against five opponents, should have announced his bid prior to his re-election as a ward councillor on Oct. 27.

“I like Frank Dale but $$$ on by-elxn is not ok. Should've asked him 2 stand down last elxn if he was needed 4 the job,” tweeted Albs Truong.

“What about the $500k incurred by #misspoli for not voting in @JohnSandersonCA?” asked Fazal Khan.

Mississauga council now has the option of calling a byelection for the vacancy or making an appointment within 60 days of calling the seat vacant on Dec. 17. A byelection would take place in the spring and would cost around $500,000, said City of Missisisauga spokeswoman Keisha McIntosh-Siung.

A byelection for the regional councillor position in Newmarket would cost $200,000 to $250,000, according to the city. In Markham, a byelection for the regional councillor seat would cost about $560,000.

While the system is flawed, Taylor says, it would be “foolish” to make a decision about the next regional chair based on the expense of a byelection.

“Elections and byelections happen all the time, at all levels of government,” said Taylor. “That’s the price of democracy.”

That’s why it’s time for reform, said Chris Ballard, MPP for Newmarket-Aurora. For years, York Region MPPs have been pushing to have the municipal act amended to make the regional chair’s position directly elected.

On Thursday, Ballard’s private member’s bill received all-party support and passed second reading. He’s optimistic the bill will be passed before the municipal election in 2018.

“Here is the most important position in York Region...and we don’t have a direct say in who this person is, and we don’t know what their policies are,” said Ballard. “I think everyone concerned knows this is coming, and this is fundamental democracy.

“It’s going to happen one way or another.”