Changes to Thunder Bay's council size, makeup are on hold — for now
CBC
A long-standing debate at city hall in Thunder Bay, Ont., will be put on pause after council voted to allow the clerk's office until 2023 before starting consultation on how to change the composition of council.
Council voted down a Notice of Motion - put forward by Coun. You Peng You on Monday, which would have reversed the decision council made a year ago, to have administration look into the composition of council.
You wanted to change the decision. If his motion passed, he would have then take the question to voters to see if they were in favour of an 8-member council, all at-large seats, with one mayor.
Councillors contacted by CBC News after the vote stated they wanted the public to weigh in before they made a decision.
Coun. Kristen Oliver, who brought foward the resolution passed a year ago, said she thinks there's an appetite for change.
"I believe that what I was bringing forward would fundamentally provide the best outcome, in the sense that we could have that discussion with the community on what we want their electorate to look like, what their council should look like, what ward boundaries should look like."
"I think those are really important issues that the community needs to chime in on."
Mayor Bill Mauro, who voted in favour of You's proposal, said he was in favour of examining the composition of council a year ago and he still is now.
"I supported moving ahead with the process then, which would have had a significant community consultation attached to it, and would have put council in the position of changing the composition of council, for sure, in 2022," he said. "Last night's motion that I supported was me being consistent with the position that I look fully one year ago."
Mauro said he wants to see some sort of change on council, at least examining the boundaries of the municipal wards, based on municipal growth.
"I do believe that most councillors believe some change will be seriously considered," he said. "We're all on the same page in wanting the community consultation to occur. If we made the decision to go ahead in November 2020, we would've had a year to do that, and get a vote to elect people differently in 2022."
Coun. Shelby Ch'ng, who voted against the motion Monday, said public consultation is key but so is accessibility. For example, running for council, particularly an at-large seat, can be expensive.
"I'd hate to see people excluded because of funds, and I think you need representation from all walks of life and socioeconomic background to be on council."
"I'd like a system that can set up for a bit of a succession plan. I find that when it comes to council members, I like the idea that the ward system is a little bit easier to chew off if you're a new council member. That's how I got on council. And then, you're able to almost move on to running for a mayor, or an at-large seat, or another level of the government."
A holiday event that began in 2020 during the pandemic with three floats on pickup trucks has now become one of Kelowna’s big winter events, drawing thousands to the city’s downtown core.
WARNING: This story details allegations of child abuse.
It’s been hard to keep track of how many legal challenges and active court proceedings the United Conservative government has tried to quash or pre-emptively block in the last six weeks, but let’s try to tally:
Margaret Walker, the emcee of a Waterloo vigil commemorating the victims of the Montreal massacre, doesn't feel enough is being done to reflect on the killings and address gender-based violence.
The P.E.I. Humane Society says it is doing far more fundraising than it used to, and rising expenses — including the cost of animal medications — are a big reason why.
Ottawa is staring down a court-ordered deadline to submit a new plan to reform the on-reserve child welfare system, as a group of First Nations leaders and children’s advocates prepare a competing proposal.
An underpass revitalization project that was meant to pay tribute to the people of Parkdale has instead deteriorated into “a garbage dump,” according to nearby residents.
A young man has been charged with criminal negligence causing bodily harm after a fire at a frat party near Western University that injured five sorority sisters, including two seriously, late Tuesday night.
The massive deal to combine one of Hollywood's oldest studios with a streaming giant hasn't even been approved yet, but it's already riling multiple related industries and politicians concerned about monopolies and media concentration.
Mi'kmaq chiefs and a former Nova Scotia justice minister are criticizing the provincial government for directing police to crack down on illegal cannabis, saying the order undermines relations with Indigenous Peoples.
For years, there has been “glaring inequity” in the way the province has allocated the millions of dollars in its county roads budget, according to Department of Transportation Minister Chuck Chiasson.
Six months after passing a law aimed at making it easier for new grocery stores to open, Manitoba's premier says lower grocery bills could be on the horizon.
Timothy Smith was acting in self-defence when he punched Landon Waddell, and shouldn't be found guilty of manslaughter, his lawyer says.