You are Invited to a Public Meeting on Niagara Region’s Governance Review

Dr. Andrew Sancton Hosting Public Meeting to Seek Input on Niagara Region Governance

News from Niagara’s Regional Government

Posted November 21^st, 2018 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Regional Headquarters

(A Brief Foreword Note from Niagara At Large reporter and publisher Doug Draper– If you are one of the many residents across Niagara who have not been too pleased with the way we have been governed at the regional level in recent years – and the feedback NAL has been getting, especially over the past four years, says there are certainly many of you – you should come to this public meeting, armed with ideas on how to fix things up.

Thanks to the results of the October 22nd municipal elections, most of the faces on the next regional council, to be sworn in this December, will be new, and now may be the best time the public has had in the almost five decades long history of regional government in Niagara to press for a more open, accountable council that serves in the interest of all residents.

So please consider attending the following public meeting with your ideas.)

WHAT: 

As part of a Niagara Region Independent External Governance Audit approved by Regional Council, Dr. Andrew Sancton and Dr. Tim Cobban are hosting a public meeting to seek community input on Niagara Region Governance. This feedback will be used to assist Dr. Sancton in developing recommendations and advice to Niagara Region and Regional Council on how to improve and enhance organizational and governance practices.

WHEN:

Wednesday, Nov. 28 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

WHO: 

Dr. Andrew Sancton

Event open to all Niagara Residents

WHERE:  

Niagara Region Headquarters, 1815 Sir Isaac Brock Way, Thorold, ON, Room CE 102

A Brief Footnote from Doug Draper –

While we are talking about moving forward with what we hope will be better governance and a far better culture – as in respectful, civil conduct – at the regional government level, what about these signs that were posted on the walls in and around the Region’s council chambers within the past year?

I am talking about signs like this one below, minus the totally appropriate question St. Catharines resident Peter Gill included earlier this year when he posted an image of the sign on social media –

Do we really need signs like this in and around the Region’s council chambers, moving forward?

Signs like this never seemed to be necessary before Niagara’s outgoing regional chair. Al Caslin, and his cabal took charge over the past four years. Sure there was the odd outburst from members of the public sitting in the gallery, but it was child’s play compared to so much of the bad conduct playing out on the council floor.

So the commentary Gill placed under the image of the sign above is spot on in the sense that there is a good deal projection in the wording on those signs, and more than a little confirmation for the old saying; “You reap what you sow.”

With that in mind, let’s begin a governance review at the Region with an eye to restoring the civility that was a hallmark of every regional council we’ve had in Niagara, up to 2014.

If we can accomplish that then maybe we can take those signs down and give them to some of the recently defeated and more ill-mannered members of the 2014-to-2018 council as a going away gift that they can hang in a place where the words project in the right direction.

Meanwhile, Niagara At Large will have more commentary in the days ahead on what the new regional council might do , in a constructive way,  to rebuild public trust and chart a more positive path for the future.

Stay tuned.

NIAGARA AT LARGE encourages you to join the conversation by sharing your views on this post in the space following the Bernie Sanders quote below.

A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who also share their first and last names.

For more news and commentary from Niagara At Large – an independent, alternative voice for our greater bi-national Niagara region – become a regular visitor and subscriber to NAL at www.niagaraatlarge.com .

 “A politician thinks of the next election. A leader thinks of the next generation.” – Bernie Sanders