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Cambridge City Council Election Discussion
#1
Cambridge City Council Election Discussion
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#2
Word is that former provincial transport minister Kathryn McGarry intends to run for Mayor of Cambridge.

Edit: it's official.  https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener...62?cmp=rss
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#3
With McGarry's first policy comments being a "made in Cambridge" solution for overdoses and Safe Injection Sites, I'm not very confident. As a former Liberal, I have hope, but the "made-in-" solutions politicians talk about always seem to feel more like "we know how we can solve this problem, we just value (something) more than (something many would consider more important). Yes, there will always be consultations, there will always be local input, but being in Cambridge doesn't change whether or not SIS' work, or whether they need to be near the problem in order to solve it. If someone said "move the fire stations all to the airport, so no one has to hear sirens", I would hope we would all say that's asinine, but we do similar choices for small personal issues over much larger ones we don't feel attachment to, and we do it so very often.
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#4
(07-19-2018, 11:13 AM)Chicopee Wrote: I'd be interested to know what the fine people of Cambridge think about Doug Craig. It's been interesting to see his stance over the years on things such as ION, GO, the sports multiplex, safe injection sites, etc.

They keep re-electing him, so presumably they're content.
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#5
(07-20-2018, 08:37 AM)greybird Wrote:
(07-19-2018, 11:13 AM)Chicopee Wrote: I'd be interested to know what the fine people of Cambridge think about Doug Craig. It's been interesting to see his stance over the years on things such as ION, GO, the sports multiplex, safe injection sites, etc.

They keep re-electing him, so presumably they're content.

Actually, under first-past-the-post, that is not a valid inference. Looking at the actual results, however:

https://www.cambridge.ca/en/learn-about/...story.aspx

We see that he garnered a substantial majority of the votes, so the conclusion is sound.

Also I note that Cambridge is evaluating ranked balloting for the 2022 election. I hope that goes ahead - every municipality should be adopting that option. The only reason I can see for opposing it is if one is unpopular and is only likely to be elected under first-past-the-post.

https://www.cambridge.ca/en/learn-about/...oting.aspx
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#6
(07-20-2018, 08:59 AM)ijmorlan Wrote: Also I note that Cambridge is evaluating ranked balloting for the 2022 election. I hope that goes ahead - every municipality should be adopting that option. The only reason I can see for opposing it is if one is unpopular and is only likely to be elected under first-past-the-post.

https://www.cambridge.ca/en/learn-about/...oting.aspx

Sadly, this referendum is pretty much dead in the water. For it to be binding, the voter turnout in Cambridge needs to be higher than 50 percent, AND it must receive a majority of the referendum votes cast. In 2014 the voter turnout in Cambridge was around 30%.

More information here:
http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page18734.aspx#questions
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#7
(08-05-2018, 02:15 AM)fakepnijjar Wrote:
(07-20-2018, 08:59 AM)ijmorlan Wrote: Also I note that Cambridge is evaluating ranked balloting for the 2022 election. I hope that goes ahead - every municipality should be adopting that option. The only reason I can see for opposing it is if one is unpopular and is only likely to be elected under first-past-the-post.

https://www.cambridge.ca/en/learn-about/...oting.aspx

Sadly, this referendum is pretty much dead in the water. For it to be binding, the voter turnout in Cambridge needs to be higher than 50 percent, AND it must receive a majority of the referendum votes cast. In 2014 the voter turnout in Cambridge was around 30%.

More information here:
http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page18734.aspx#questions

That is sobering.  Were Kitchener and Waterloo any better?
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#8
(08-05-2018, 09:27 AM)panamaniac Wrote:
(08-05-2018, 02:15 AM)fakepnijjar Wrote: Sadly, this referendum is pretty much dead in the water. For it to be binding, the voter turnout in Cambridge needs to be higher than 50 percent, AND it must receive a majority of the referendum votes cast. In 2014 the voter turnout in Cambridge was around 30%.

More information here:
http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page18734.aspx#questions

That is sobering.  Were Kitchener and Waterloo any better?

Not by much: 36% in Waterloo and 31% in Kitchener. Municipal and regional elections rarely get a good turnout.

However, 50% is only required to make it binding. If 70% (for example) of the voters support it but turnout is low, it will be an advisory vote only (like Brexit!) but the council can still choose to follow its direction.
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#9
(08-05-2018, 10:16 AM)tomh009 Wrote:
(08-05-2018, 09:27 AM)panamaniac Wrote: That is sobering.  Were Kitchener and Waterloo any better?

Not by much: 36% in Waterloo and 31% in Kitchener. Municipal and regional elections rarely get a good turnout.

However, 50% is only required to make it binding. If 70% (for example) of the voters support it but turnout is low, it will be an advisory vote only (like Brexit!) but the council can still choose to follow its direction.

The CBC published a breakdown of voter turnout by area municipality in 2014: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-...-1.2815625 . In the region, the highest was Wilmot, with 40.6 percent turnout.

You are correct that if Cambridge does not get over 50% voter turnout then the referendum is not binding and that council still could take it into consideration. However, through personal communication with one of the City staff, it definitely sounds as if this will not be the case.
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#10
Similar questions by CBC to the Cambridge Mayor candidates.
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.
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#11
Luisa D'Amato: Cambridge must choose between honey and vinegar
https://www.therecord.com/opinion-story/...d-vinegar/
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#12
Craig seems to embody Cambridge, but he's got a fight on his hands
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#13
Louisa D'amato Wrote:If you want to keep Cambridge far away from amalgamation in case it is robbed and pillaged by Kitchener-Waterloo, Craig is your voice.

I am fairly ignorant of Cambridge concerns. Can anyone shed light on this statement (from the article Tom linked)? It's not a concern about amalgamation I've heard expressed before and I don't understand it. What are we going to steal? Tax money for Regional projects that don't help Cambridge?
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#14
(10-09-2018, 11:39 AM)robdrimmie Wrote:
Louisa D\amato Wrote:If you want to keep Cambridge far away from amalgamation in case it is robbed and pillaged by Kitchener-Waterloo, Craig is your voice.

I am fairly ignorant of Cambridge concerns. Can anyone shed light on this statement (from the article Tom linked)? It's not a concern about amalgamation I've heard expressed before and I don't understand it. What are we going to steal? Tax money for Regional projects that don't help Cambridge?

It's just verbiage from d'Amato.   I guess a reference to the lingering, and apparently incorrect, view that Cambridge does not get more from the Region than it puts in.
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#15
I think it also connects to the idea of some people in Cambridge, and maybe Craig himself, that if amalgamation were to happen, Cambridge would get screwed over at every opportunity.
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