2 wards, 2 ways: Fyfe Millar appointed in Ward 13 while Ward 6 goes to committee

In a close vote that followed a fraught debate, London city council appointed John Fyfe Millar to fill the vacancy in Ward 13 in a process some councillors said failed to follow anything that resembles a democratic process. 

Fyfe Millar's appointment at Tuesday's council meeting passed by a 7-6 vote. He replaces Arielle Kayabaga, who won a federal seat representing London West in September's federal election. 

Meanwhile, council voted to follow a different process to fill a vacancy in Ward 6. In that case, anyone interested can provide a written submission and must also state whether or not they intend to run in the next full municipal election, now less than a year away. 

"This is not a good example of democracy," Coun. Stephen Turner posted on Twitter shortly after the vote to appoint Fyfe Millar, who finished second in the 2018 Ward 13 race to Kaybaga. "Removal of any opportunity to even have a discussion about how to fill the seat or consider other candidates should be offensive to Londoners." 

Councillors voting to appoint Fyfe Millar included Mayor Ed Holder and councillors Michael van Holst, Paul Van Meerbergen, Josh Morgan, Steven Hillier, Steve Lehman and Shawn Lewis. 

Councillors Anna Hopkins, Elizabeth Peloza, Jesse Helmer, Maureen Cassidy, Mo Salih and Turner voted against. 

An earlier motion to delay the Ward 13 appointment so that both wards could follow an identical open process failed by a 6-7 vote that split councillors in the same way. 

Tuesday's council vote ratifies Fyfe Millar's appointment at Corporate Services Committee by a 3-2 vote on Oct. 12.

The Ward 6 appointee will be chosen at a special meeting.  Each member of council will vote on names from the applicants who've expressed interest in serving in the north London ward. Mike Bloxam, who finished second in the ward in 2018, has submitted his name as has former councillor Nancy Branscombe and others. 

Some of the councillors who backed Fyfe Millar's appointment said his second-place finish in the 2018 ranked-ballot election legitimized his appointment. 

Holder said the 2018 result "allows us to avail ourselves of the best remaining source of constituent input that we have." 

But those voting against the appointment said the 2018 vote doesn't amount to a mandate and that the appointment process didn't give an opportunity for council to consider other candidates in a key ward that includes London's downtown core. Opponents argued it would give Fyfe Millar an unfair edge should he decide to run again. Fyfe Millar didn't give a definitive answer when asked on CBC's London Morning whether he intends to run in 2022. 

"I am saying in the strongest possible terms that this is the wrong way for Mr. Fyfe Millar to come on council," said Helmer. "I've never been so disappointed, honestly. I said when I left the deputy mayor's chair that the best is yet to come for our council, I was wrong. This is a bad decision." 

However Lewis said Fyfe Millar's fill-in appointment doesn't amount to "invincibility" and that he'll still have a record to present to voters should he seek re-election.