Our readers may have noticed that recently, The Hamiltonian has published a number of articles that are highly critical of the city, particularly highlighting the apparent lack of formality and rigor when it comes to delivering results on behalf of Hamiltonians.
We anticipated a chilly reception from those at City Hall, and we suspect that’s what we’ve received. However, in line with our motto, “Sometimes Tough; Always Fair,” we’ve remained just that. In our coverage, we’ve suggested that Hamilton would benefit from a media presence that takes a more critical look at what happens at City Hall — perhaps more so than usual.
We were pleased to read Scott Radley’s recent piece in today’s Hamilton Spectator. Using the TD Coliseum renovation and its ticking countdown clock as a metaphor, Radley didn’t pull any punches.
In our view, it’s vital that a mainstream journalist in Hamilton breaks from the polite script and voices what residents are already saying at coffee shops, bus stops, and council chambers: why can the private sector get things done, while City Hall can’t even finish a washroom?
Rather than describe Radley’s piece in detail, it’s best that you read it yourself in today’s Spectator. Better still, subscribe to The Spec (note: The Hamiltonian offers this recommendation with no affiliation to The Spec).
What made this column stand out wasn’t the critique itself — Hamiltonians are already well aware of it — but the fact that someone in the mainstream spoke the truth, without varnish. The tone was direct. The frustration was genuine.
The reporter’s challenge was clear: learn from the private sector’s discipline. Embrace urgency, pride, and accountability. Understand that public trust erodes when projects drag on endlessly and taxpayers are treated as an open wallet.
Accountability isn’t just a slogan — it’s a culture. And cultures don’t change through strategic plans, spin or communications strategies. They change when the people inside the system decide that failure is no longer acceptable.
The Hamiltonian believes Hamilton deserves this kind of culture shift — one built on urgency, pride, and ownership of outcomes.
When a mainstream journalist has the courage to speak truth to civic power, it reminds us that journalism still matters — not as a megaphone for bureaucracy, but as a conscience for the community.
The Hamiltonian
