N.H. Hell?

Gary Bettman,  NHL Commissioner has said that there is nothing that Mr. Balsillie can do to join the NHL ever. With that degree of entrenchment, and with the propsect of appeals and further lengthy court challenges, should Hamilton re-assess its arrangement with Mr. Balisillie?

 

No doubt that Mr. Balisillie has the staying power to see this through, if he chooses to do so, but is this still our best bet at getting a NHL team, or is this destined for prolonged litigation that will only paralyse or otherwise harm our future chances?

Update: Balisillie has increased his offer by 30 million dollars. Do you think it will make a difference, or is this a case of, as Lennon and McCartney wrote, "Money Can't Buy me Love"?

What's New?

Scott Thompson of CHML was kind enough to interview me on air tonight and to profile The Hamiltonian blog.

I also spoke to Mayor Fred tonight who tells me he is very much looking forward to being a future guest.

Thanks to both Scott and Mayor Fred for their interest.

Don't forget to spread the word about this blog. Let's see if we can get to 5000 hits very soon. Post your views. There are a lot of eyes on this blog.

10 Tough Questions with Clr. Terry Whitehead

Councilor Whitehead doesn't strike me as the type who would back away from tough questions. I was not disappointed.

1. You recently voted in favour of asking the province to grant cities the right to ban corporate and union campaign donations. What influenced your vote and why did you support it?

This is a debate that needs to take place. There are pros and cons on both sides of this issue and I believe that it is important to understand all aspects before making a final decision. At this time my position is not necessarily supporting a ban, as I believe it is a slippery slope in seeing the creation of a party system at the municipal level. I do not believe that the general public will have the stomach to support partisan politics at the municipal level. I do have concerns that only the wealthy or individuals that associate with certain fringe groups or organizations would be advantaged by the elimination by corporate and union donations. The maximum donation at the municipal level is $750.00.

Surely no reasonable person would believe that  $750.00 would influence a municipal Politician in any decision and or access thereby jeopardizing their credibility, integrity and future. Unions are well known to provide assistance if not through financial donation through providing full time staff in campaigns and therefore banning union donations would not change any perception of their influence.

The better way to go would be to create tax incentives for all individuals that provide contributions to Municipal campaigns currently something that only exists at the Provincial and Federal level. I believe it is important  when a Councillor is running in a large ward that they have the ability  to raise enough funds to ensure that the voters are well informed on who they are and what they stand for. Limiting their ability to raise funds could jeopardize the ability of the voters to know or be well informed about the candidates running in their Ward.

Lastly, it is important to remain open minded about this discussion and understand all aspects and the implications. I support the continuance of this debate by supporting the resolution and I hope
to arrive at a informed decision.

2. Is it uncomfortable or otherwise troubling watching as someof your colleagues were under investigation for code of conduct violations? How does this affect the dynamics within council?

It is always concerning to see any colleague run afoul with the code of conduct. The nature of the violation may determine the dynamics within Council. If it is an honest mistake, it would obviously have little impact on the relationships with Council.

If it is a blatant violation then as a role of Council we need to support the code of conduct and support the findings of the Integrity Commissioner and support any sanctions that are recommended.

The reality is that every Councillor still has a vote on issues that affect the taxpayers of the City of Hamilton. It is important to maintain professionalism and rise above these issues and continue to work in collaboration to move the City forward. Ultimately, I believe that the dynamics at Council does not change.

3. I note that you own a vehicle that is wrapped in the City of Waterfalls advertisements. Can you tell us about how that came to be and your thoughts about the Waterfalls campaign?

I am actually glad that you have asked this question. It gives me an opportunity to recognize the wonderful work of true Hamilton booster and philanthropist Chris Ecklund. He has started something with the promotion of the waterfalls and the City of Hamilton that have seen tens of thousands of people locally, nationally and internationally that have taken an interest in the little known secret that Hamilton is the Waterfall Capital of the World. My family and I have joined many walks with Chris and many individuals from far and wide to explore the natural beauty that is provided by the waterfalls within our community.

The fact is that there is still a perception amongst many across this country and beyond that Hamilton is an industrial wasteland. I believe this branding exercise has opened the eyes of many. Chris and his team continue to promote the City in a way that directly addresses people unfounded perceptions of Hamilton.

As a Councillor, I have attended a number of conferences across the country with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and I have introduced myself as the Councillor from the City of Waterfalls Hamilton Ontario. It has opened up many positive discussions and the realization that Hamilton has unique geography that provides many majestic views and in fact has more green space per capita that any other City in Canada. This is a story that needs to be told and I am proud of doing my part in telling it. My Wife and I bought into the promotion and therefore had my car wrapped so that I could be part of the team in selling the City as the Waterfall Capital of the World.

4.What was the most useful criticism you have received as a politician and how did that change you?

As a Councillor for the last two terms, I have sat on many boards and committees; in fact the largest number compared to my colleagues. One of the criticisms is that I have spread myself too thin and as a result may not be as affective in championing issues that are important. I have consciously turned down and will continue to purge the number of committees that I sit on until I find the right balance.

Until that time I will be very selective of any additional boards or committees. I have had "some" indicate that I could be a bit more economic with my comments and should consider not repeating points that I have already made. I believe this to be constructive criticism. I will continue to work on streamlining comments during future debates. In the heat of debate I am very passionate and I acknowledge that it is an area that I need to work on.

5. If you had to step outside of your role, and make a clinical assessment of how council functions, would you say that everyone is basically on the same team, or is it better described as every person for themselves with some pockets of alignment? To the extent that there is a need for improvement in teamwork, what is the missing element(s) that would lead to a greater degree of alignment?

Paraphrasing Churchill, democracy is the worst form of government however all of the others have been tried. The reality is; each Councillor is elected by their Constituents. Many of the Wards have diverse social, economic, cultural and even religious backgrounds. Often, those perspectives are reflected in the representation around the Council Chambers. I believe this to be a strength not a weakness. As we move forward as a City we have a responsibility to be sure that no one is left behind. We also have representatives on Council that have keen environmental interests, economic interests and quality of life interest. I have said this in the past and I will say it again "Thank God we are not homogenized" and there is a diversity of views. I do not subscribe to the premise that we have a dysfunctional council.

We have achieved much in challenging time and we continue to slow tax increases relative to other municipalities. There has been many studies in magazines such Canadian Business Magazine and Foreign Direct Investment Magazine etc. that Hamilton is one of the best places to invest and to do business. On many of the comparative studies we are consistently in the middle of the pack and consistently rank higher in the quality of life. What most people see is Council meetings which is only a very small piece of what we do, most of the work is done at sub committees and standing committees. I have been fortunate as I have had the experience of living in other communities and seeing their councils in action and I have yet to find one that does not have many of the same challenges that we do.

6. Some say that people are most effective when they play to their strengths. What would you identify as being your greatest strength and how do you bring it to the table?

Hard work and experience! I have worked in all levels of government which has provided me the opportunity as a Councillor to take that knowledge and apply it to some of the challenges that we face as a City. As an example, we have lost many jobs in the manufacturing sector in southern Ontario and more specifically in Hamilton in recent years. Five years ago, I started a campaign to create the Southern Ontario Economic Development agency and received endorsements from Council , local and Ontario Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

This recently resulted in an announcement by the Federal Government of the creation of the Southern Ontario Economic Development Agency with a 1 Billion Dollar fund for the next five years. That is a result of my experience and knowledge at the federal level. From my experience at the Provincial level, I recognized that we could do much better in attracting the film industry to Hamilton. My involvement resulted in the City of Hamilton developing a film policy that has one stop shopping for film site locators, updated digitized library and our staff attending film trade shows. This has resulted in a significant increase in filming in the City of Hamilton.

7. From watching the coverage of council meetings on cable 14, it is sometimes evident that there is an element of strain between yourself and Mayor Eisenberger. Is that a fair observation or is that reading too much into it? Has that situation improved?

Lets be clear; my relationship with Fred Eisenberger precedes him being elected as Mayor for the City of Hamilton. Our relationship was always cordial and friendly and one of mutual respect. What people observe in the context of Council is more about style than about substance. The Mayor and I have had a good discussion and I know that moving forward with the changes that the Mayor has initiated with the governance of Council that any concerns that I have had in the past have in fact been addressed.

8. What are the biggest challenges facing your ward, what are you doing about it, and how are you reconciling those interests against the broader interests of the city.

We are as I previously stated a diverse mix of individuals with varying economic, social and religious backgrounds. We need to understand and educate ourselves so we are better able to relate with one another. Through the development of grassroots neighbourhood groups we are making great strides within our Ward. We are bringing excitement to our neighbourhoods with community festivals and movie nights which is drawing crowds in excess of 500 to each event. These events generate conversation and a sense of community pride where there was none. People are once again coming out of their homes and socializing with their neighbours. I believe these type of activities are directly
transferable to the rest of the city and help create a sense of pride one neighbourhood at at time.

9. If you could change one decision that council has made during this term, what would that decision be and why would you change it?

The renovation of CITY HALL. I feel we should have built a new City Hall. If we are truly thinking of the long term efficiency of City Hall. Then surely it does not make sense to renovate a building that is limited in size and will only accommodate 30% of our employees. We have 1500 staff and only 450 staff will be able to move into City Hall.

That means that for 70% of our staff, will be required to be housed in various locations throughout the downtown core as a result we will be paying rent and have to deal with lease negotiations and unpredictable lease rates for the fore seeable future. A number of these staff will have to travel between their off site offices and City Hall for meetings. Time will be lost and no work will be done while they are in transit to come to City Hall. How efficient is that? I believe that the tax payers of this community got shortchanged with this decision.

10. What is the most frustrating part of your job as councilor ? How do you deal with it? What is the most rewarding part of the job?

Of all the municipalities that I have lived in I find long term residents of Hamilton to be the most critical of their own community. Most often, they do not celebrate and take pride in what Hamilton has to offer. Many newcomers to Hamilton have a very positive outlook and comment on how lucky we are to have some many amenities, miles of walking trails and lot of services that do not exist in the communities they have come from.

Council has to do a better job of communicating many of the achievements and milestones and reestablish a senses of pride in our community To quote Trevor Cole of the Globe and Mail this morning on the radio, Winnipeg has less to offer it citizens and yet there is a real sense of pride. Hamiltonians are much more critical. I believe this a failure of council and we must lay out clearly the vision for the city of Hamilton and promote the positives.

Most rewarding part of the job is knowing that we continue to move the yard sticks forward in improving the lives for many residents of this community.

Special thanks to Clr. Whitehead for his contribution to "The Hamiltonian" and for his service to our city.
Visit him at http://www.terrywhitehead.ca/


Blog Policy Note: Bad language, name calling or other inappropriate posts will not be tolerated. Posts of this nature will not be edited. Rather, they will not be posted. Please keep your comments respectful

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



Blog Policy Note: Bad language, name calling or other inappropriate posts will not be tolerated. Posts of this nature will not be edited. Rather, they will not be posted. Please keep your comments respectful

Hamilton's Dead...or is it?

In Report on Business Magazine, as found in the Globe & Mail, Trevor Cole recently wrote about our city, in an article entitled Hamilton's Dead. Or is it?

The article is found here Hamilton's Dead. Or is it?

Here's some small excerpts, but please read the entire article to get the whole context for it.  "The image of Hamilton as a grime-covered palooka destined for defeat has now hardened into something self-perpetuating."

"Stop mourning the death of Steeltown, and start fostering the birth of something new."


What do you think of the article? Fair? Balanced? What part of it do you agree or disagree with and why.


(Thanks to a friend for the tip about this article ;-))