York Region chairperson selection dynamics in spotlight

YorkRegion.com
Dec. 3, 2014
Lisa Queen

Four years ago, with his sights set on taking over York Region’s top political job if regional chairperson Bill Fisch retired, Wayne Emmerson announced he wouldn’t seek re-election as Whitchurch-Stouffville mayor beyond October 2014.

Conversely, his declared opponents for the regional chairperson’s post, Newmarket Regional Councillor John Taylor and Markham Regional Councillor Jim Jones, were re-elected in their municipalities less than two months ago.

If either of them is appointed regional chairperson Dec. 11, their municipality, under provincial legislation, would have to appoint a replacement or hold a byelection to fill the vacancy.

In fact, there is a possibility of two byelections if a ward councillor ran and won the regional councillor’s job and then a byelection was held to replace the ward councillor.

Since this is the first time regional council has selected a new chairperson since Fisch was appointed to the job in 1997 and since there is a strong chance the chairperson will be elected by voters across the region beginning in 2018 if provincial legislation is changed, the dynamics of selecting a regional chairperson for this term are in the spotlight, York University political science professor Robert MacDermid said.

Not only could the selection of the winning candidate set off a domino effect of appointments or byelections, but it highlights how undemocratic the system of choosing the most powerful political position in the region is, he said.

Candidates don’t have to present a political platform to residents. Instead, they lobby other regional councillors behind the scenes and voters have no idea what discussions have taken place, MacDermid said.

Candidates will only make a short speech to council Dec. 11 before the vote is taken, he said.

“It’s an incredibly powerful position and the fact it isn’t elected seems kind of strange. Ultimately, the regional chairperson is responsible to regional politicians, not residents,” he said.

Not surprisingly, Emmerson has a different opinion than Taylor and Jones about whether or not a candidate for regional chairperson should have run for re-election in the municipal elections held about six weeks before appointment of the regional chairperson.

“I’ve been up front with the people,” Emmerson said.

“I’m not going for two jobs, I’m going for one…I’ve tried to be as fair as I possibly can.”

Emmerson said he wouldn’t have felt right running for mayor, only to turn around a few weeks later and seek the regional chairperson’s job.

“I put all my eggs in my basket and (said) I’m going for regional chair,” he said, adding Richmond Hill Mayor Dave Barrow will nominate him and Georgina Regional Councillor Danny Wheeler will second the motion.

“I can’t go to my (campaign) workers and my supporters and say I want to be mayor and six weeks later say I want to be regional chair. I think a lot of people would be upset. ‘Why did you say you wanted to be mayor if you want to be regional chair?’”

Taylor understands the concern, but said he is working within the confines of the existing frustrating system.

That system could be changed in time for the 2018 municipal election if a private member’s bill, introduced by Newmarket-Aurora MPP Chris Ballard, to make the regional chairperson’s job an elected position is passed at Queen’s Park.

Taylor said he ran for re-election because he is “passionate” about continuing to represent communities.

Discounting candidates for the chairperson’s job because that could trigger a byelection would be “comparable to a company looking for a CEO, but refusing to spend the necessary money to advertise for the best person,” Taylor said.

Jones blasted the existing system of choosing a regional chairperson, saying frontrunners are canvassing and lobbying regional councillors behind the scenes for months.

Because he only decided after the municipal election to enter the race, he said he is at a disadvantage.

“I’m in the position of coming in very late, so I’m swimming up Niagara Falls,” he said, stressing his goal in running is to ensure the region introduces an ambitious new direction on public transit and transportation.

If Taylor becomes regional chairperson, Newmarket council would declare his regional council seat vacant at the Dec. 15 town council meeting, clerk, Andrew Brouwer, said.

Under provincial legislation, the town would then be required to fill the position by appointment or through a byelection. In either case, any eligible Newmarket voter can hold office.

If council chooses to appoint someone, that would happen within 60 days, likely at the scheduled Feb. 9 council meeting.

If there is a byelection, there would be a 60-day nomination period for candidates beginning Feb. 9 and ending April 10.

Forty five days later, the byelection would be held..

The same time frame would then apply if a ward councillor won the regional council seat and their local seat was declared vacant.

It is possible for council to appoint a ward councillor to the regional council seat and then hold a byelection for the ward seat, Brouwer said.

He pegged the cost of a townwide byelection for regional councillor at between $200,000 and $250,000, while the cost for a ward byelection would be $35,000 to $40,000.

The process would be similar in Markham, although the costs would be higher due to the city’s larger size and population.

An estimated cost of byelections in Markham could not be obtained from the city by press time.

If Taylor is successful in becoming regional chairperson, his opponent in the October municipal election, Darryl Wolk, said he wants to replace him as Newmarket’s regional councillor.

“In the event John is selected regional chair, it is my position that the runner up should be appointed or a byelection should be called,” he said in an email, adding he thinks the regional chairperson should be elected.

“Appointing another candidate who did not run in the last election would be undemocratic cronyism. I am still interested in the position I ran for in the election six weeks ago.”