10 Tough Questions with Brian Henley

Brian Henley, local historian, engaged citizen and Hamiltonian, provides his answers to 10 Tough questions.

1. You are known as an expert in Hamilton's history. Who would you say was the most effective Hamilton politician and what made him/her so effective?

Nora Frances Henderson was a strong, principled individual, particularly as a champion of the rights of those on relief. She conducted herself with courage, intelligence, compassion and dignity, especially when she took a controversial stance in the ‘46 Stelco strike in the face of loud, and hostile opposition. During her years as a Hamilton municipal politician, she won the respect and love of the community generally, as her 16 successive elections to Hamilton City Council (including the Board of Control) attest.

2. You've made some very pointed remarks about the conduct of our current city council. Have things gotten any better and what's your sense as to whether they might?

There has indeed been some improvement but that’s not saying much given the depths of misbehavior that has been manifested again and again by more than one individual among that sorry lot. Unless and until, there is an Integrity Officer in place, I’d say things are about as “good” as they will get. I do believe that the Integrity Office should not just deal with things like improper campaign donations, councilors using their positions to further their own financial interests etc. But the Integrity Office should be a place where citizens can go if they have been abused by an elected official, .i.e. the use of a City Hall computer and e-mail service to insult and curse those who disagree with the councillor’s views or behaviours during his or her conduct of civic business.

3. If you were looking at Hamilton as a prospective investor, what would bethe attraction(s) and what would be our vulnerabilities.

The positive attractions of Hamilton as a place to locate business are really numerous. The obvious one is location, (major land, air and water transportation hub, close to U.S. border etc.) – no matter what the local politicians of the day may do, that can’t be changed. Another attraction is the large amount of already serviced properties (whether large brown fields or older commercial areas/residential neighbourhoods) which could be easily adapted for present day profitable use. Another attraction for businesses would have to be the livability of Hamilton which should attract good employees. Vulnerabilities ? Perhaps the inaccurate (and way out of date) image of Hamilton as being severely polluted, over-industrialized, and a haven for organized crime is a liability.. The business and property tax levels could be made more competitive – progress has been and is being made on the former, more to come hopefully.

4. Switching your focus from a historical lens to a futuristic one, what changes are needed in order to position Hamilton to be a stronger city?

A modern, efficient rapid transit system, (in the lower city, to and on the mountain AND with seamless connections to farther flung suburban areas) would be a major step. Other areas to focus on would be continued clean up of the Hamilton Harbour, creation of a major ecopark in the Dundas Valley, (from Coote’s Paradise west to the end of the valley), protection and enhancement of farmlands, increased promotion of, and investment in, heritage sites (such as, but not limited to, Dundurn Park, Battlefield Park, Westfield Heritage Village). Continued emphasis on the efforts at poverty reduction is very important. There should be increased support for the arts community generally, and a follow though on many of the public art initiatives that are being proposed.

5. What advice might you have for Mayor Eisenberger and city council?

For Mayor Eisenberger? I would encourage him to stay the course on his campaign promises – despite his having to deal with a markedly dysfunctional council. Generally I very much admire Mayor Eisenberger personally and as a mayor.

For City Council? I am a critic of this council, not counting the mayor. I have been observing Hamilton City Councils closely for more than 35 years and never, ever, has there been a motley collection of poor performers such as is the case today. I only wish that there was some sort of board of control so that the plethora of ward heelers, bumbling incompetents and shameless media mongers could not be so successful in derailing important city wide initiatives.

Abuse of city staff by elected individuals is totally unacceptable in my opinion – a first in my experience is a memo from a department head to council defending a staff member after a ridiculously unnecessary and inappropriate bout of criticism from a couple of councilors, in open council session no less. And council should look carefully at the decision not to sanction the councilor accused of invading a city workplace and threatening a city employee with dismissal. That decision put this council in a disastrous public relations hole which it has never got out of.


6. Who is the most effective city councilor and why have you picked him or her?

I can only name a few of the current city council contingent whom I would rate positively – they would be Councillors McHattie, Pasuta, and Whitehead. Councillor Duvall is rapidly improving, Councillor Powers is generally okay. But the rest? Very poor. Having to choose just one – my choice would be Brian McHattie. He has superior intelligence, shows consistent good manners and sense of decorum on the council floor, has an environmental perspective, has as strong knowledge of both ward and city wide issues, and he works very hard.

7. What is the best decision this current council has made, what is the worst decision they've made and why?

I would think that the pursuit of the Pan Am Games bid, and the selected location of the stadium would be the best. A close second would the approval of the Farmers’ Market/ Central Library revamp. The worst? As mentioned above, the unwillingness to censure the councilor in the licensing matter was totally wrong-headed.

8. Restoring City hall and the approach- good move or bad move? Why?

A mistake was made in the late 1950’s to move the location of Hamilton’s City Hall to the block facing on Main street, from Park to Bay, and south to Hunter. The proper location for Hamilton’s City Hall had rightly been on James Street North and that should not have been changed.

Mayor Jackson had suggested that the 1890 City Hall be retained and renovated as the ceremonial seat of municipal government. At the same time, the Lister Building across the street would be purchased for office space for city employees with an overhead walkway to connect the two buildings. A great idea.

As regards the present building, I like it architecturally. Personally, I also have a wealth of memories associated with it in terms of the many board and committee meetings I attended there over a 30 year time period. I also liked the fact that it was such a great place to encounter elected officials, city staff, as well as fellow volunteer board and committee members…all that is lost at the moment.

So, I agree with the decision to rebuild/renew the building –but I strongly lament the lack of public consultation on the renovation plans for the building itself and for the grounds around it. The political leadership on that front has been abysmal.

9. If you had the ability to have the undivided attention of all Hamiltonians for 1 minute, what would you say to them in terms of how they could help to improve our circumstances?

A minute is not long enough! But I would strongly encourage citizens to pay closer attention during municipal elections – ask questions, read candidate’s literature and their web sites, get out and vote, and not just vote blindly for a familiar name. A competent council could help the city’s circumstances greatly. And if I still had a few seconds left - I would strongly encourage people to volunteer some of their time and efforts on community matters. There are so many opportunities to do so, such as sitting on civic boards or committees, or volunteering in community clean ups or food drives, or serving with charitable efforts like Out of the Cold. Those are just a few, and there are many more. Generally we all should being thankful to be living in such a great place and I would encourage everyone to visit and get to know all parts of Hamilton – the old city and all its neighbourhoods, the places which retain their community names and spirits, like Waterdown, Ancaster, Mount Hope, Stoney Creek and others, the rural areas of such beauty and character, and the remarkable natural areas that we are blessed with.

10. Will history repeat itself? Will we return to being a powerhouse city?

I’m not sure exactly what “powerhouse’ means? If it means a major industrial driver of the national economy, probably not. But in terms of medical research, environmental initiatives and as a strong seat of education, Hamilton is already moving well in those areas and there is more good to come on those fronts.

I also think that a considered preservation of farm lands and enhancement of opportunities for those who farm will be major parts in making Hamilton a model community to live in. (Certainly our, relatively, good climate is a factor in this.) The strong support of the Hamilton Conservation Authority and the Royal Botanical Gardens as stewards of the gorgeous and significant natural areas under their jurisdiction is needed now, and will be in the future as they are key assets in making Hamilton such a remarkable city. Finally, a word for Hamilton’s heritage – it is strong part of our collective character and will be even more so in the future as time passes on. Whether it is the city operated historic sites like Whitehern, the Museum of Steam and Technology among the many others, or the architectural resources around the area, or the major local history section of the public library –the city’s heritage as reflected, preserved and communicated in those and many other ways is very important in Hamilton remaining such a great and distinctive city.

Special thanks to Brian for his contribution to "The Hamiltonian" , for his service to the city, and for his interest in our city.

Brian Henley's photo courtesy of Larry Stung  Visit Larry Strung's Photography



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