Lots of good news. We have an old council but a new direction. Six incumbents promised not to increase taxes beyond the rate of inflation. We will hold Hill, Neault, Heidt, Wyant, Penner and Dubois to that promise! I guess the follow up question should have been "What about infrastructure levies?"
The party machines did not succeed, but should be brought out of the closet anyway. A good day for independents.
There are lessons to be learned from this election. Mr. Hill's arrogant comment ". . . I never had an opponent" "It was a lot of hype" makes me question his tactics and comments about his opponent during the campaign if he believed that to be true. What a classy guy. Lesson for Carol Reynolds - Queensbury Rules do not apply when your in a street fight.
Pat Lorje seems to have gotten the message. "This is a wake-up call" "The fact that so many votes were cast against the major - especially in this time of economic buoyancy - says people don't want (council) to do the same old things the same old way." Do we hear the beginnings of the 2012 mayoralty campaign?
Apparently Atch did not receive the same wake-up call. He said "The people of Saskatoon believe we are going in the right direction, that the city is doing fine the way it is."
Nor did Gord Wyant's alarm go off:"There's a lot of people in the city comfortable with the direction of city council." Gord, remember your promise - no tax increase beyond the rate of inflation.
Bad news. I lost $20.00.
The task ahead, hold them to their promises.
Congratulations to the successors and special thanks for those who tried. Your efforts are appreciated.
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Thank you Civic Mistress for acknowledging all those who ran. Although I was not in a contested race this time - I certainly understand the time, anxiety and stress that go into a election run (as well as the impact on one's family). Everyone who had the courage to put their name forward should be congratulated.
ReplyDeleteHill may have won the election, but his mendacity has been exposed to the electorate. There's only so far you can get away with skriting electioneering rules by saying "I didn't know" or blaming "over-zealous volunteers" for actions by his campaign. People won't be so forgettable next time around.
ReplyDeleteAnd I won't get into details about slanderous comments I had heard about Reynolds' beliefs or "phobias" during the campaign. Not from Hill himself or from his campaign, of course, but the rumours were out there still. Whoever was spreading those rumours ought to be ashamed of themselves (if they have the ability to feel shame, that is).
Not that I absolve Reynolds in her tactics. She refused to define both Hill as being an inadequate (to say the least) representative of the ward, and herself as a viable alternative. She simply relied on good ol' fashioned hard work and "talking to residents" as being the backbone of the campaign. Against someone like Hill, you need more than that. She had no plan to win, and it showed.
Ward 1 residents deserved far better. Hopefully, someone did learn a lesson in this.
The biggest lesson to be learned is that everyone of us must make a concerted effort to encourage higher voter turnout. We cant leave it to our leaders or our media to press the importance of voter participation.
ReplyDeleteIts appalling that approximately only 1 in 4 voters came out. What does that do to the perception of having legitimate Governments??
I agree,we must all do our part to encourage voter turnout. Speaking to our friends and neighbours about the importance of participating in the democratic process & stressing how their voices can impact decision making would be a simple but effective start!
ReplyDeleteOne issue that came up numerous times this election was that of candidate residency. Should we not have the same residency requirements for candidates that we do for voters. I must live in the ward I vote in...so should it not follow that I must live in the ward I run in?? I, for one, would prefer my candidate had to drive over the same potholes, drink the same lead laden water, experience the same sewer problems & garbage collection issues that I do. Unless you live with these issues, you are less likely to fully comprehend the impact they have on your electorate.
ReplyDeleteSo is everyone now in recovery mode. No comments about the voters decisions. It was a status qua vote although we did see some narrow wins. As for sour grapes I prefer my grapes crushed and fermented. So I just want to thank everyone who ran. No wonder there were so many acclamations 27% is pathetic. We should be ashamed. Wait no those that didn't vote should be ashamed. Janice Mann should be fired!!
ReplyDeleteHi everyone
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree on ward residency for our councillors. Let's make this our goal. I'm going to start checking into the legislation and find out how this can be accomplished. Incumbents will have the next three years to re-locate.
With respect to Mr. Hill I received this morning a letter that was circulated on election eve. It belies his comments last night about the campaign being hype. I sometimes feel that Mr. Hill is pathological in separating truth from fiction.
Yes, lets do something about it. Let us know who to lobby to change candidates residency rules.
ReplyDeleteLike many others, I am concerned about the fact we elected our leaders with only 27% of the vote. Perhaps we need to build community advocay groups in our respective areas to promote more local input?? If we start early enough we may get more people engaged and involved come next election.
Speaking of inappropriate comments - Myles Heidt and Don Atchison should be ashamed of themselves for their arrogant behaviour last night. Atch almost refused to shake Lenore's hand last night and, only at the last minute when he realized there was a television camera present, did he distainfully touch her for two seconds.
ReplyDeleteMyles Heidt's comments to the media about that his re-election is now "payback time" for those who campaigned against him (his words not mine) were absolutely appalling.
Those two could learn some lessons about grace and class.
Ive been following the FSIN elections this morning. There are a 2 very intellegent & energetic young men running for Chief who are in the lead on the 1st ballot... Guy Lonechild & Sheldon Wuttunnee.
ReplyDeleteI am thinking we have much to learn from our First Nations friends when it comes to getting out the vote. They have very high voter turnout!!
I envy the enthusiasm and high voter participation for the FSIN elections over what we experienced in the civic elections this year.
"Myles Heidt's comments to the media about that his re-election is now "payback time" for those who campaigned against him (his words not mine) were absolutely appalling."
ReplyDeleteHeidt suffered from some heavily negative attacks during the campaign that verged on libel, which is likely what he was referring to. A seasoned political veteran, he wouldn't be using those "appalling" words if he simply meant that the payback was for those who "campaigned against him".
It does go to show, however, the need for political candidates to temper their actions during a campaign. We are all residents of the same city and share the same space, and there is no need for vicious campaigning (as opposed to 'negative' campaigning) in this day and age.
Shaw burned a more than few bridges over the past few months.
To: "I am thinking we have much to learn from our First Nations friends when it comes to getting the vote out"
ReplyDeleteIf you're talking about vote buying forging memberships and a convention of politicians voting for an organization that does very little for their people. NO THANKS! If they truly could get out the vote Doreen Day-Wapass would have got more than a measly 489 votes.
Is there a need for your stereotypical racist comments anon? Id suggest we have had our fair share of corruption in the non First Nations political world as well!!
ReplyDeleteHeidt suffered nothing. Some individuals seem to think that they can toss dirt on others but that they should be treated extremely nice. Carol Reynolds was pure hype and the numbers show it.
ReplyDelete"stereotypical racist comments" come one.
ReplyDeleteAll I did was point out that your comment implied First Nations do a better job which is not true. You held them out as an example and I was only pointing out that they ALSO have problems. I never said that the system we have was perfect but can you really trust an organization that elects Dutch Larat? But I've learned long ago the SFIN is an "old boys" club but maybe with some young blood they can get out of that mentality.
Mr. Shaw ran a clean campaign and spent his time focusing on what voters wanted to see done differently. So not sure what "negative attacks" your referring to.
ReplyDeleteIt was Mr. Heidt who resorted to gutter politics in the last two weeks by using a very negative message on the doorstep - not even trying to campaign on what he would do if re-elected. On top of that his campaign was caught stealing Mr. Shaw's material from mailboxes on election day. In the end, a longterm incumbent resorted to rolling though the gutter to retain his seat by 200 votes.
Interesting I have seen some of the flyers that Shaw's supporters were dropping in mailboxes - I think they could be described as gutter politics. I also have heard about some folks that Shaw's team were phoning and questioning why they were supporting the incumbent and implying that everything wrong was Heidt's fault. not classy at all
ReplyDeleteI'm sure any challenge to Heidts record is seen as "gutter politics". If the flyer was so bad why not post the contents of it? Instead of saying you heard things why not provide some evidence?
ReplyDeleteElaine, Is this your attempt to re-start your failed civic career?
ReplyDeleteAfter much research and numerous communications with many of your past colleagues I have come to the conclusion that you were a lack-lustre school board trustee and a one-term has-been city councillor!
It appears that you are jealous of other people’s success in the public sector.
Run again – or shut up!
I'd love to see these flyers and brochures from the Shaw campaign. I noticed he has a few PDFs posted on his site - where is the gutter politics in those?
ReplyDeleteYou throw out accusations but no proof - real nice.
I have no interest in seeking political office but I do have an interest in politics. And I intend to continue this blog to satisfy my interest and connect with those who share the same interest. For those are offended by this blog - hit the exit button. Bye!
ReplyDeleteThat might because you were sent packing only after one term?
ReplyDelete