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It’s time for political parties in Nanaimo!
Or, I suppose more correctly, for visible political parties. We have all been aware that our elected municipal political masters have tended for the most part to be closely identified with either the Liberal or NDP parties at the provincial level. I have often pondered the reluctance of Nanaimoites to recognize that there are persons and organizations which have traditionally run this town behind the scenes. Instead many naively cling to the belief that our candidates and Councillors are just ordinary citizens who have volunteered selflessly to care for the city’s well-being. An examination of the campaign contributions made to our Councillors is enough to demonstrate the contrary. The amount of campaign money raised from individuals is negligible.
I have tried to figure out why Nanaimo appears so dead set against municipal parties beyond the vain hope that a cozy little town on the seaside still exists –despite the fact that Nanaimo could never in its history claim to be cozy, and has rather been at daggers drawn from its inception. And then a comment from a sitting Councillor hit me like a thunderbolt: there is no real political discussion in Nanaimo because the powers that be do not wish it. It is not desired that the Councillors who are quietly backed, should have a visible and independent group on whom they might rely and who could act as a forum for issues and ideas which they, as individuals, might fear to discuss. Nor is it desired that there should be any wards in the city for the same reason.
The comment that staggered me for a minute was this: A consultant in municipal management hired by Staff to introduce new Councillors to their new jobs advised them to never respond to letters in the paper (or apparently many others in my experience), nor take place in blogs, web sites, etc. After letting this soak in for a bit, I conceded the rationality of the advice. If you never stick your head up, you will never –well rarely- get clobbered. Wise advice, indeed! But what does it say about the institution of democracy in which we are all supposedly involved?
This also resonates with a lot of questions which I have had about Nanaimo since moving here over twenty years ago. The site and situation of the town are ideal: centrally located on the island at the hub of the land, sea or air transportation systems, with a beautiful harbor and surroundings, with a college, now university; in short, everything that a model community could desire. And what has been made of these gifts? A town too often seen as a laughing stock!
Without obvious and open backing, Councillors are left to run the gauntlet of opinion and approbation alone and may, if too outspoken, be caught alone like a deer in a jack light. We can rest assured that members of Council get advice. But are the backers behind the advice open to scrutiny and to censure? If a Councillor fails in their obligations, what body will call them to account? If he or she needs wide public support, where will it come from? A lot of harm can be done in the period allocated to a Council. Just look at what happened when they decided to move our major commercial areas to malls on the outskirts of town and brought about the concurrent gutting of our downtown area. There has to be some way to energize an apathetic public about the importance of municipal politics. The two to three minutes provided to individual Councillors to make their public pitches at election times surely leads to the situation in which we now find ourselves, i.e. Councillors elected at best by about 15% of eligible voters. We need to do better. Municipal parties may offer the way. What is your opinion?
Ron Bolin
Posts and Comments on Nanaimo Governance 
Some excellent points/questions, many of which have crossed my grey matter from time to time also.
I think that generally, the public is simply tired of listening to politicians of ALL stripes, and with good reason. Say whatever it takes to get elected, then do whatever they or their masters want afterward.
It would be hard to find someone who would simply have the good of ALL local taxpayers at heart, not having an agenda of their own or others in the background.
I think people have voted for ‘none of the above’ time and time again, which of course leaves the door open for the political ‘masters’ to get their vote out and get their pet puppet elected.
Having captured 15% of eligible votes speaks volumes as to the trust and popularity of ANY of the locally elected.
It occurred to me the other day, that our system will never allow us to elect the best and brightest from among us, as they are simply busy doing something else.
Hence, we are left with what we are left with. Business interests will back their ‘dog in the fight’ and labour will back theirs.
In the end there seldom is anyone who is simply there for the good of the local taxpayer.
I see a vast difference in electing candidates that have leanings to certain parties in the political spectrum vs electing candidates endorsed and representing a political party. Once we elect those representing parties, we end up with us vs them on all issues compared to our current systems where not all the liberal leaners need to agree nor do the ndp leaners.
I am interested though to which parties you would put each representative on city council?
Urbanismo, thanks for the clip. Here is something else everyone may have an interest in if you are into conspiracy theories http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com
Well, I guess we can forget that idea, eh? We can all just lay back and enjoy it. We are powerless in its grip. There is nothing we can do. Why bother…
What I wasn’t looking for was apologists! No wonder society is breaking down… Or is it?
Ron,
How long has it been since everyone was involved with democracy? I’m 61, and can’t remember a time.
Society breaking down? Implies, there was a time it wasn’t? It is just repeating it’s age old cycle.
Rulers have pretty much always sought to simply control the mob, give them a loaf of bread, a jug of wine and the circus and perhaps they won’t really notice what is happening.
There is nothing new under the sun, just a change of actors in the same play.
“Well, I guess we can forget that idea, eh?” Ron you sound disappointed.
You have done a lot of good work following and exposing the labyrinth of intrigue at city hall. Thanqu.
But, at the same time you have failed to notice nothing changes.
Some on council have been there long enough to bare the stigma of the city’s current state yet they appear oblivious to their complicity: in fact, if you ask them, they will tell you what a boon they are, and have been, to the city for the last god knows how many decades.
My daughter and I where out sailing last week around Protection Island. She remarked how close and congested the homes are: how hovel-like so many appear to be along the shore-line. People probably bought-in for the island get-away paradise it appears to be. Sorry to disappoint, but they can thanq the psychotic Frank Ney for their broken delusions. And we erected a statue in his honour: go figure!
Some on council, Holdom (sprawl is not a zero sum game), Sherry (Dr No) and Mcnab (councilor jock-strap) all sit there enraptured of their “achievements”, absolutely and sincerely unaware of their complicity in the destruction of a once beautiful, prosperous little town.
We, they, shipped our wealth creating industries, fishing, logging et. al. to off-shore sweat-shop labour: we lost out. Did mayor Korpan notice? Hell no! He was in the pockets of the realtors/developers, way too busy eating to give a shit!
“Destruction!” Yet they are reelected time and time again: go figure!
George Carlin has it right!
Imagine we once had prosperous fishing and logging industries the demise of which was presided over by that dumb bunch of fat-ass little pricks. And what have we got now? C$120,000,000 worth of wedding parties!
Unintended circumstance creates change. New faces, political parties and good intentions come out of circumstance, sometimes traumatic, circumstance.
Sorry about the lecture, Ron, but you are too old to be disappointed!
George Carlin was a genius stand-up comic. He worked and tested his material until it was perfect. You do realize Urbanismo that this is theatre not polemic? It contains a grain of truth that is worked brilliantly for humour…. I’m just sayin’.
I always laugh when those opposed to someones ideas have to call them names and detract from what they achieved. Larry, Gary, Loyd, Bill and Frank all did more for this community on a positive note than you ever did Urbanismo!
“I always laugh when those opposed to someones ideas . . .” “Larry, Gary, Loyd, Bill and Frank . . .” have no ideas ass-hole. That’s my point!
Learn something MR DEFERENTIAL AND OBEDIENT. . .
I built Nanaimo Regional General Hospital before you, or they, were born Mr Manners and I have worked harder, and built good buildings, against the odds.
So, if you thinq all that sprawl is a “positive note” and the C$120M marriage parlour is good then please invite me to your . . . being “NICE” no longer works . . .
You built which hospital?
Frank . . . “Urbanismo that this is theatre not polemic? ” Oh indeed!
“All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms;
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lin’d,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper’d pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well sav’d, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion;
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”
Jaques (Act II, Scene VII, lines 139-166)”
As you Like it.
The Bard.
I would be for smarter candidates running for office in Nanaimo rather than necessarily a municipal party.What scares me no end is the possibility of a partisan political party like the Liberals pushing the likes of Korpan,Cantelon, Manhas and a couple more of their stooges into office.The same holds true for an
NDP/C.U.P.E. slate which would bankrupt the City in fast order.
There have been some very good candidates in past elections but the electorate in this town continue to elect the likes of Larry McNabb and others of like intelligence.The ones getting elected now are doing so simply on name recognition and nothing to do with issues.
I would be happy to vote for a slate of 4-5 good candidates of no particular political or union affiliation,who are prepared to explain their position,prior to an election, on issues important to the City and the people.
Wayne ….. GREAT IDEA.
Now, where do you think you can find 4-5 good candidates of no particular affiliation?
The problem with 4-5 good candidates is that they then need to be elected and as has been proven here in Nanaimo in the past, slates do not do well. Even those remotely associated with an organization had to wait until the organization almost capsized before one of them got elected and he most likely got elected because of his smooth talk and that may not get him re-elected.
Four candidates in a slate, if elected would most likely be stonewalled by the other five electors at every turn. The only successful way is to have two or more slates running against each other and for one to elect a majority, such as they have only in major cities such as Vancouver, Toronto, Quebec, Montreal and WInnipeg.
As far as non NDP/Cupe or non Liberal/Socred/Conservatives, there are not any. Almost everyone has leanings towards one of those areas because of the wide spectrum that each of those parties stands to represent.
I am interested in whom you would saw as “some very good candidates in past elections.”
Everyone reading your comment knows who the Councilor is you are referring to.He happens to be far and away the best I have seen in 20 years.If he decides to run again,and Nanaimo will be the poorer for it if he does not,he will win in a landslide.
Concerning your assertion that there are no non NDP or non Liberals,you don’t know what you are talking about.Concerning “some very good candidates in past elections”, your comment suggests you believe their were none.I do not propose to waste my time discussing the matter with you.
Well, at least my musings have generated some heat, if not a lot of light… Let me see: on the one hand we have the unremitting cynics who can’t see a way out of the trap and on the other some pollyannas who seem to think that things are just fine -or at least the way they have to be. While I can’t comment on which side of this theatre is correct, I can say that neither offers a change from what we’ve got. I am not sure what “4-5 good candidates” means and how we would recognize them from the rest. We have some relatively unaligned people on Council and they are not only devoured by the ensconced, but can’t pull together enough to manage significant change. The best they can do is a bit of questioning, which is at least some tangible, if impotent, improvement.
As for past Councils and holdover Councillors, it would be interesting to list the accomplishments beyond simply saying that the city has not collapsed. Not collapsing is the responsibility of our Staff and we should never forget what we owe to them. But the absence of vision, the continuing class battle in Nanaimo, the sufferance of planning as a reactive rather than an active art, of moribund public participation in the municipal democratic process belongs to Council. Anybody can tax and spend, but are the expenditures investments or sheer consumption?
Can someone please explain to me the difference between a “slate” and a political party?
Certainly Ron,pleased to help.
A “political party” is an organization that typically seeks to attain and maintain power within government.Parties often espouse an expressed ideology or vision bolstered by a written platform with specific goals.(ie:The NDP).
A “political slate” can be described by what Dianne Watts created in Surrey for the 2008 municipal elections.Called “Surrey First” the slate was made up of some Councillors and aspiring individuals from the community.Surrey First is not an official party and its members are free to vote their consciences on land development and other contious issues befor City Hall.
Dianne defeated the incumbant Mayor and her slate was elected.My dream would be that she eventually form and lead a third political party and win provincial power,thereby ridding Victoria of the lying incompetants who have been running this province for decades.
Can someone explain if democracy ‘used’ to work and now apparently is run by lying incompetents, just how we got into that state?
I think in a democracy, we get the government we deserve.
I am not sure what an ‘unremitting’ cynic is but I would call myself cynical in a realistic way. Life has taught me that.
Those elected to Council are there for the most part simply because “they” have a better understanding of the general population (at least the small proportion of it that votes) than “we” do. “We” make it easy for “them” when “we” retreat into our ideological comfort zones and when “we” fight among ourselves. Politics at the senior levels of government — and in the larger cities — has become professional and scientific and it’s time some of these disciplines (polling, strategic thinking, research, marketing, public relations) were applied in smaller municipal centres. All these disciplines require a lot more listening and a lot less pontificating.
Frank: You are right about our career Councillors understanding the small proportion of the population who vote -and the small number of union and corporate donors who support them. But the kind of discipline that you suggest requires both money which is unlikely to come from the current supporters, and organization which is unlikely to come from “slates” or the coming of the saints.
Just doing a little day-end paperwork here Ron. You should go into the stats then as “cynic” not “pollyanna”?
NCHB: Maybe both! But not so much that I am prepared to roll over and play dead.
Proof is in the blogging on this discussion that there is no room here for ideas that do not follow the ideals of the major contributors who refuse to answer questions and make suppositions on what others have said.
If anyone wants to discuss this in a matter that is civilized, I may return.
I have to agree with you, W., We have a lot more assertions here than debate. For example we have had assertions about “slates” as opposed to political parties, for example, which I find puzzling. (By the way, when I discuss political parties at the municipal level, I am NOT talking about Liberals, NDP and Conservatives, but rather about associations of people with points of view about how cities ought to be organized, i.e maybe we could have the “Bigger is Better” party against the “Quality of Life” party.) What is the magic that “slates” are supposed to provide except that we somehow exalt the amateur over the professional. Is there any other area of our lives; our physicians, engineers, financial advisors where we want to turn our lives over to amateurs? Are we happy with how things are working politically?
I’m finding this impenetrable at this point. I can’t tell who is replying to what and offence seems to be being taken but I’m not sure at what. I can’t find the slates/parties debate and… “What is the magic that “slates” are supposed to provide except that we somehow exalt the amateur over the professional. Is there any other area of our lives; our physicians, engineers, financial advisors where we want to turn our lives over to amateurs?”… really confuses me. I made reference to politics becoming more “professional” at the senior levels of government. Are you referring to that Ron? This may have gotten away from all of us. I did enjoy the Shakespeare tho…
If the dialogue on this thread is supposed to be an example of ‘thinkers’ coming together and crafting solutions to the woes currently plaguing government …. then nothing has happened that would turn this cynic into a pollyanna, or anything in between. :^)
Frank Murphy 19 May 2010 at 10pm : This is one method by which threads can be sorted. One might also begin sorting the threads into sub-threads. Is that possible?
As for the “professional” part of the discussion: yes, I picked up that reference which you made.
Response to: Jim Taylor 19 May 2010 at 10pm : I agree with your assessment. But then we haven’t even defined the question(s) yet, let alone provided any solutions. Do you have any suggested methodology by which we could use threads to stick to our knitting?
The blog admin would like to go on record as being in favour of tidy sewing kits.
Response to Ron Bolin 20 May 2010 6am
The starting point of this thread was a statement which seems to encourage a response of either agreement or disagreement, which seems to have resulted in argument (heated?) which simply exposes differing opinions (surprise!).
Another problem with actually ‘knitting’ something, is the small number of participants the blog has drawn. Mostly the ‘usual suspects’.
IMHO if a new council is ever to be elected, one of the first things candidates would have to decide is how to keep the ‘main thing’ the main thing in municipal governance.
I personally think local government has been allowed to grow well beyond it’s level of competence and really has no idea what the main thing is anymore.
I don’t think it would take a whole lot of money to elect a council which could lead to real change, it takes some new imaginative, honest platforms which don’t just sound like the same old, same old; if you would ever capture the vote of the 85% who vote for none of the above.
Participation on this blog is likely an honest reflection of the interest the populace at large has in politics, as politicians have caused most to no longer believe what they say. With good reason I might add.
Jim, some elaboration on this point as it offers something of a snapshot of the current Nanaimo political climate. While we might say we wished the participation in the blog (contributing and commenting) was even broader — do encourage others to wade in — readership has grown beyond our expectations. It’s been running at about 400 page views per day. One reasonable analysis of this fact suggests that this is “…an honest reflection of the interest the populace at large has in politics, as politicians have caused most to no longer believe what they say. With good reason I might add.” Does this not present political opportunity?
In a city that has a population that is open to change or accepts change as a necessity, a slate of candidates might have some success. In a city such as NOniamo where the population has a near hysterical reaction against change, a slate of candidates would have to have an extremely conservative (neo-nazi) agenda in order to have any possible measure of success. So far slates in Nanaimo have been sort of liberally greenish and have campaigned on a need for change. This does not appeal to our demographic. A slate of candidates could run in Nanaimo and probably win, but they would most defiantly be very much like the same bunch of idiots we have now.
I ran for council in 1998. I garnered 2300 votes. The lowest “in” was Rispin who garnered 4000+/-.
I knew I had lost two weeks before the vote when The Nanaimo Home Builders’ Association held an all candidates meeting at the Golf Club . . . and I was not invited.
This may give all you wannbees some insight.
Outmaneuvered and out-smarted by the Home Builders Association!! I always thought you were a pretty smart guy Urbie.
If it’s all about money, message, personality and smarts; does anyone remember how the ‘youngest councilor in Canada’ pulled it off a few years ago?
I noticed he was smart enough not to go a second term.
“‘youngest councilor in Canada’ ” . . . well it paid his way thru Malaspina, so he told me.
“Outmaneuvered and out-smarted by the Home Builders Association!!” Not quite. I had a run in with Chris Erb on the Planning committee 1998+/-. Old salts may remember the “finger” incident.
He has thousands of stick builders behind him: they vote on queue.
Even to this day if you are not prepared to meet him in his lower fundamental aperture you may not make it: its still called sprawl and that is why Holdom say’s, “it is not a zero sum game.”
Capiche!
Jim: I am told that our youngest Councillor was well connected and I know that he spent a substantial amount of money. But more power to him. His drive stood him in good stead and continues to do so. And it was great to see someone who could represent a more youthful part of our population. But did he make a difference in the development of our city planning or management? In project development? In the face of the city? I think not. He is an example of the lone wolves who may get elected, but end up wandering in the wilderness alone.
http://www.sfu.ca/alumni/our_alumni/profiles/Terry_Beech.html
Although I often shake my head at some (most) of the decisions our elected officials make, I do feel some sympathy for them at times – especially first term councillors. They have absolutely no idea what they are letting themselves in for – and consequently Staff – many of whom have been employed by the City in excess of 20 years – show them how to play the game. And the Councillors just follow right along. It takes a strong leader to challenge the way “things have always been done”. I’ve lived here through a number of Mayors now – not one has stood up and taken the reigns. I thought that might be happening when Mr. Berry left – I thought that Mayor Ruttan was going to do a little housekeeping – but unfortunately the same old same old is happening at City Hall. Planning/development in this City will always be reactive unless and until we get some new blood at City Hall.
Lizzie: You raise an excellent point regarding Councillors, particularly new Councillors. I have suggested that one way by which newbies can be introduced to their responsibilities before getting elected is through the mechanism of political parties. But perhaps the qualities that are needed in an elected municipal Councillor should be examined in their own right.
Can anyone here define what they believe the role of local government should be limited to?
With all the faults of the parliamentary system of the senior levels of government, it does seem to produce a noisy, smelly, fractious, dynamic fusing and testing of ideas. There’s greater participation in the process and the party system also offers a distilling and filtering of talent and issues. The end result sometimes seems to reflect what is actually going on in the broadest collective day to day reality of ordinary folks.
The amount of power wielded at City Council tables — especially in smaller cities like this one — is disproportionate to the effectiveness of the political system that places Councillors in their chairs at that table. The system breeds parochial cliques where it should be producing noisy, smelly, fractious, dynamic debate. This environment would result in greater voter participation and it might well be one of the results of some kind of municipal political party system.
In the absence of the dramatic reform of municipal government, its role should probably be reduced. This would shift decision making power to Victoria — with an accompanying array of new problems that would create — with the local Council serving the emasculated role that its current advisory committees currently play.
So, if you accept as I do, that the status quo is problematic and unacceptable, the options appear to be to reduce the role played by municipal governments or expand it. My preference would be for a larger, even more powerful forum that was the result of a system that was much more representational and participatory and inclusive. This would probably lead to wards and a party system.
Jim: Your question about the limits to the role of local government is an excellent one. How about writing a little more of an intro and it can be raised as an independent topic for discussion.
For the cynics out there who seem to feel that there is no way to beat city hall, I offer the following expert testimony:
http://www.io.com/~gibbonsb/mencken.html
and for those who wish their morbid natures to be more lyrical:
enjoy.
Parties or no, here’s a perspective: How not to get elected in Nanaimo–
1. Be and be seen to be angry. This is not to say there isn’t much anger and dissatisfaction in the electorate. There is. But it happens to be a time (unlike say the 30s when organized labour was forged out of the depression) when the general public want good information presented in what they see to be a reasonable way. This is not to say they don’t want to hear the bad news. They do. But they want the message coming from a cool head.
2. Be and be seen to be too smart. Nanaimo doesn’t really like too smart. Smart’s ok to an extent but the candidate has to be and appear to be listening and gathering information on which to make an informed decision. The know-it-all expert would get their butt’s kicked.
@ Frank Murphy . . .
And by what right, Sir, do you have to ladle out gratuitous advice?
1. Do not . . . Be and be seen to be angry.
What repugnant advice . . . If there is something to be angry about. Be angry. Show it! Any other posture is phoney, dishonest: we have enough of that already.
2. Be and be seen to be too smart. Role playing and acting is for the movies. Politics is for real in need of real people. We need real people who are smart and if candidates don’t show it how we are to know.
What utterly repugnant advice: I hope for your sake this does not reflect your person.
You’re sure as hell off my list . . .
Urbie, you’re very cranky today. I’m a little (well ok, very little) stung. I’d hate to be crossed off your list.
You know very well it’s not advice. It’s a perspective. Agree with it. Disagree with it. Add your own. It’s a discussion. Not a schoolyard pissing match. Can the blog discuss or just rant? It lives and dies on this and it’s not looking that good is it? Are there people out there who want to discuss and develop ideas or are we just jerking off?
Yes, Urbanismo has stopped others from returning here with his nice easy going attitude.
Surely to god previous fan you don’t mean to tell me a little old octogenarian can scare you off so easily.
As for the blog, my high hope were soon dashed when it became the exclusive wetting place for a few pusillanimous whiners who clearly thinq they have exclusive rights . . .
Two or three self important, not particularly interesting musings, and Frank, with his miss placed authoritarian bent, he who need only wag his news paper to scare all us kids into line . . . seem to thinq they have anything important to say: huh all I can say old age impertinence has infected to lot of ye . . .
If that is all Nanaimo has to offer then good by nanaimocityhall.com . . . QED
I join Urbanismo in believing that a disgruntled commenter is scarcely enough to drive away readers, especially a commenter who hides behind a nom de complaint. On the other hand, the bitter have this venue to spew and we would hesitate to remove it, as providing a medium for conversation on civic topics us the aim of this game.
I would suggest that a ‘pusillanimous whiner’ is one who does not wish to stand behind their opinions openly.
re: Urbanismo 7 June 2010 at 6am
Urbanismo: I reiterate that we are looking for people to write for this blog so that we don’t appear to be as self absorbed or as insular as you would like to portray us (even though that is the traditional format of a blog: one persons opinions). We cling to hope that it will be recognized that multiple authors can be accommodated here, though we must admit it is slow going.
This is quite the little soap opera developing here ..:^) I used to be quite skeptical about the future of leadership in Nanaimo. Of course that was before I was familiar with this congenial little group.
Such a calm, intellectual discussion group this is turning out to be. Everyone is so cordial and clearly demonstrate the qualities needed to steer our city through the next decade or so.
Just Kidding.
OK… there’s been the odd hissy fit but we can get back on top of this thing… maybe adjust the medication a little, we should be all right. Now, where were we….