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Issue
The problem faced by the residents of Greater Victoria
is that we do not receive the benefit of good government (specifically, the
best governance that should reasonably be made available to an area our
size). This becomes glaringly obvious
when there are 13 municipalities and over 91 politicians governing
approximately 360,000 people.
The reasonable solution is to amalgamate some or all
of the municipalities into one, two or three cities.
Technical Solution
The only way to amalgamate the cities is for the
Province of British Columbia to do so by legislation. Each of the 13 municipalities exists only
because the Province created them.
Historically the Province has only pursued an
amalgamation, to the best to my knowledge, when a sufficient number of the
residents in the area request it.
In 2003 I wrote to the Province of British Columbia
and asked them to consider amalgamation in greater Victoria and the response
from the Minister at the time (of the Liberal Government) was that they would
only pursue amalgamation if requested to do so by the municipalities.
I then wrote to each municipality asking that they
hold a referendum on the issue of amalgamation, in the next municipal
election. None of them did so. Few even acknowledged receipt of the letter.
The reality of the municipal governments (except for
the City of Victoria) actually asking for an amalgamation is realistically,
nil.
Somehow we need to get the Province of British
Columbia to actively pursue an amalgamation of some or all of the Greater
Victoria Municipalities.
Practical Solution
Based on the fact that, for the foreseeable future the
Province is not going to hold a referendum on the issue and the municipalities
are not going to hold a referendum on the issue, we have to hold a referendum
without the cooperation of the current governments. It can be done.
Such a referendum can be held during the next
municipal election in 2014.
Amalgamation-Yes
We can hold a referendum by coordinating a group of
people to market and run 13 candidates with a common, single-issue platform
that has a clearly understood purpose, amalgamation. Voters who support the issue can then give
one of their multiple votes to the amalgamation candidate in their area. The total votes will reflect the
referendum. The process to achieve this
is set out here.
Create a Political Party
We need to first create a political party named “Amalgamation-Yes”. The purpose of creating a political party is
so that candidates, who are a member of the party, are able to have the words
“Amalgamation-Yes” listed by their names on the ballot in the upcoming
municipal election.
As a result, when the voter sees the ballet, they will
clearly be able to identify the candidate who supports the issue.
“The Amalgamation-Yes
Party represents citizens of Greater Victoria who support the amalgamation of
the municipality in which they live with some or all of the municipalities in
the greater Victoria Region. We demand
that the Province of British Columbia take steps to determine and implement the
best organization of the 13 municipalities in the Greater Victoria Region to
provide for less and better government.”
We do not want to push for a certain form of
amalgamation; for example, there being only one city, three cities, or
something else. This is because that
will split the issue. Somebody might
support amalgamation into three cities but not support amalgamation into
one. It is important that we acknowledge
it is an amalgamation with one or more
with the neighbouring municipalities.
The mandate will be then to seek to have the Province determine what the
best solution for the region will be and then implement it. We cannot get distracted on what the specific
best scenario for the 13 municipalities is, at this time.
Common Platform
Candidates must run under the same platform in all
municipalities. The advertising,
signage, and message must be the same.
The very clear message must be:
“Please
vote for our party only if you
support the amalgamation of your municipality with one or more of your neighbouring
municipalities. Do not vote for the
party if you do not support amalgamation, even if you would otherwise like to
see the candidate in office.”
This is important, as we will take the results of the
election and present them to the Provincial Government and seek to have the
Province study and implement the best way to govern the area based on the
results of this election.
By making the message clear, we will be creating a
referendum.
The message to the public (and the Provincial
Government) must be clear that:
If you support amalgamation we seek only one of your
votes for the candidate who is a member of Amalgamation-Yes. There will be other candidates you may
support, but if you favour amalgamation please allocate one vote to an Amalgamation-Yes candidate.
Candidates would not run for Mayor. We need to ensure that people are voting for
the amalgamation issue and not simply for a candidate. This is far more likely to occur when people
are considering one of the many votes they have for counsellors, rather than
the one vote they have for mayor.
By having party members run only for the position for
councillor, we will generate a more accurate vote of those in favour of
amalgamation.
All material published by candidates and the Amalgamation-Yes party will indicate
that if sufficient candidates receive a high number of votes (which represent
support of amalgamation) those results will be taken to the Provincial
Government for action. We will show to
the Government that:
1.
The
voters were asked to only vote for
our candidates if they supported amalgamation or their municipality with one or
more of their neighbours; and
2.
The
results, if as anticipated, are significant, will reflect that there is
overwhelming support for some municipal reorganization in the Greater Victoria
area.
By use of the party name, members of the public will
be able to identify the candidate whether or not they remember the name of the
individual in their municipality.
Nominate Candidates
An important step will be for the party to identify
thirteen (13) individuals to run, one (1) in each municipality under the banner
of the Amalgamation-Yes party.
The party must approve each candidate. The individuals must be of good character,
eligible to run in the relevant municipality, and fully support amalgamation of
their municipality with one or more of the neighbouring municipalities.
They must also not “carry baggage”. Candidates who might win or lose for other
reasons could be a problem. We need good
people who can carry the message as cleanly as possible. The closer we can get to this the stronger
the resulting message to the Provincial Government once they win.
Each candidate must be competent to fully perform the
services of a municipal councillor. They
need to be prepared to answer and deal appropriately with all municipal
issues. During the election they will
need to be able to answer questions in a way that makes it clear that they
would help govern the municipality in a prudent and reasonable way. When elected they will have to do the job
they are elected to for the current municipality, even though they support
amalgamation. Because amalgamation will
not occur immediately (if at all) the individuals must be and seem to be,
otherwise good candidates to be elected to government.
It is important that there be only one (1) candidate
in each municipality as a member of the Amalgamation-Yes
party. This will ensure that the vote is
not split. The objective here is not
simply to get as many people as possible in favour of amalgamation elected to
council but rather to create our own referendum.
Candidates, once they are identified and approved must
be educated as to the other issues in their municipality. Successful candidates will still have to act
as of members of the municipal council and deal with all issues that councils
are required to address. We do not want
supporters of amalgamation to vote against the candidate for fear that they
will not be able to do a reasonably good job on all other issues in the
municipalities. With that being said, it
would also be very clear that in each municipality there would be sufficient
council members to help carry the load of governance. Hence, the reason as well, that
Amalgamation-Yes candidates will not run for the position of Mayor.
The messaging from all candidates must be the
same. This creates a regional referendum
and because our municipalities are so close there will be cross knowledge and
advertising which needs to be consistent.
Party Structure
The party will require a President, Treasurer,
Secretary, Marketing Chair, numerous Researchers, individual candidates, and
perhaps others.
The party website would be set up with sufficient
information as to the benefits of amalgamation that each of the candidates and
the general public can access. There is
currently the website www.lessgov.com
which we can use for information and linking.
Subject to municipal and provincial requirements,
which need to be determined, all candidates would fundraise together, such that
funds would be pooled for advertising by the party, which will be the priority
rather than as individuals.
Individual candidates will need to attend as many
meetings as possible in their municipalities to get the message out.
Signage is going to be important and the signage must
be all the same in each municipality, in fact, it need not even include the
candidate’s name, rather “Amalgamation-Yes
– If you support this issue - Vote for the Candidate in your Municipality”.
We need to have good researchers to identify all the
benefits of amalgamation.
We also need to address the negatives of amalgamation.
We must develop answers to as many typical questions
to municipal candidates as possible, incorporating how the issue could be
addressed better if amalgamation were in place.
The key of course, is that amalgamation will provide
for good government. We eliminate the
CRD, we can act as one for the common good of all and we realise numerous
benefits from actually being the City we are.
We cannot simply suggest that there may be a cost savings. The possibility is that there may be an
expense. Taxes might rise (hopefully
not). We need to address this issue. The
overall benefits will far exceed any increased cost.
The cost of party membership should be nominal, if
anything, to get our numbers up with an encouragement for individuals to donate
more money.
The Plan
The party and candidates should be identified in the
near future, prior to the Provincial election on May, 14 2013. We should bring this issue to the forefront
for provincial candidates so that they acknowledge that if there are positive
results of such a campaign, then the Government will seriously review the issue
of amalgamation.
The initial steps are:
1. To call the first meeting of the
Amalgamation-Yes party.
2.
Identify
the party executive who will commit to moving the issue forward through the
next municipal election.
3.
Create
a process to approve appropriate candidates as well as how to remove
inappropriate candidates.
4. Start identifying thirteen qualified candidates
for the next municipal election.
5.
Ask
each municipality again, if they will hold a referendum on the issue of
amalgamation. If any do, then we need
not run a candidate in that city
6. Reach out to all other pro-amalgamation groups
to join the party.
7. Start fundraising.
8.
Start
posting all relevant issues and responses regarding the issues of
amalgamation.
9.
Ensure
that each candidate obtains sufficient members within their municipality for
the party to be listed on the ballot.
10.
Develop
a comprehensive marketing plan including social media, traditional media,
signage, and community contacts.
11. Develop a logo and website.
12. Address all negative comments quickly,
competently, and accurately.
13.
Acknowledge
that contrary views are certainly possible and simply point out in a positive
way why those views as expressed from time to time are in error.
14.
After
the election: we meet with the Provincial
Government, taking to them the results and asking them to act on the
mandate. Also each elected party member
will seek to bring forward motions for their municipal governments to seek amalgamation
with one of more of their neighbouring municipalities.
Suggested Timeframe
1. Initial Party meeting October 19, 2012.
2. Appointment of executive November 15, 2012.
3. Identify as many municipal candidates by
January 31, 2013 (noting this will give us time as well to replace anyone who
is unsuitable).
4.
Ensure
that a brochure is drafted early on with copies to all current members of
government and, all candidates for provincial government, and all members of
any new legislature in 2013.
Conclusion
Why
is the project important? I think it is
imperative to emphasis that the goal is to create good government in the region
for the benefit of all. Simply put, an
amalgamated city will be able to better govern in the interests of all the
citizens and be able to move forward to provide a better life for all of us.
I
do not emphasis the lessening of red tape and encouraging business growth. Clearly these will be desired results;
however, the emphasis must be on the overall benefits of coordinated
government, the strength in numbers, the influence of a cohesive voice to
others, the mandate to move forward on issues that reflect the greater good of
the region.
Amalgamation
is not being pursued for business. However
the citizens of Greater Victoria and the businesses that support the community
will all benefit. By having a single
city (or at least fewer), those who need affordable housing will have a better
chance at getting it. Crime can be dealt
with in a far more cohesive way. Parks
can be identified and developed that benefit everyone and logically located to
provide equal opportunities. Community
facilities can be located by considering the use everyone will make of them
rather than on which municipality wants to pay more. Tax benefits from the Provincial and federal
governments can be obtained and benefit the region.
If
you are retired, a single parent, government employee, or a business owner,
your life in Greater Victoria will be improved through the existence of a
municipal government focused on all of us, regardless of what side of the
street you live on.
If you are interested in joining the party, please
contact amalgamationyes@gmail.com.
If you are interested in assisting the party in some
capacity such as executive, research, fundraising, or as a municipal candidate,
please contact James Legh at amalgamationyes@gmail.com. Please include a resume to assist in
determining how you can best assist the party.
