Oh Lordy, it is starting again. Politics and politicking at the municipal level. Of course, a cynic might argue that it never really ends, it only takes the occasional siesta.
Just in case you are thinking of running or jogging for a position, you are not allowed to do so if you owe the city five hundred dollars or more. Also, you are not allowed to run if you've been convicted of a criminal offence with a sentence of five years or more within the last three years. Do the math on that one, and it is ridiculous.
I have no idea when these rules were put in place, but five years in prison? You can do some mighty serious crimes before you get five years. Also, if you just got four years, does this mean you could run for office and be a councillor or even mayor, while serving time inside the North Slave Correctional Complex? My question is, who thinks up all these rules and regulations and why? Isn’t this rule a form of discrimination against recently convicted felons?
Why not make it simple? You can’t run for office or hold office if you owe the city money or if you are in jail or about to be put in jail. It is time that all levels of government dragged themselves into the 21st century. They could start by revisiting and revising all the confusing, complex, convoluted and meaningless rules and regulations that bog everyone down.
Here is another problem. When two, three or four councillors run for mayor, only one can win and we often lose good and experienced candidates in the process. In my opinion, there should be a way that people can run for mayor and/or council at the same time. Maybe they should all just run for council and the person who gets the most votes becomes mayor.
All too often groups like city councils spend an inordinate amount of time debating some rather small issues while the big important ones get ignored. Years ago, when new subdivisions were being developed, some councillors felt strongly that the lots should be landscaped and Yellowknife became embroiled in the Great Tree Debate.
How many trees should be mandatory on each lot? 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9. How old and how big should they be? What species of trees should be allowed? Should they all be local ones, or could one import more exotic species. If a tree on a property died, were the homeowners going to be required to replace it? What happens, if a person didn’t like trees or was allergic to them? If new lots required trees, then what about old lots that didn’t have any trees? Was the city going to appoint some special sap-sucking tree police?
The debate just went on and on, week after week. One day one of the participants came into the Miner’s Mess Coffee Shop just shaking his head.
“If I have to sit through another two-hour debate about trees, I am going to lose my mind and go berserk. I’ll get my chainsaw and start clear cutting the city, starting with the city hall grounds,” he said.
Personally, my biggest fear at the time was that council would they try to regulate flower beds, lawn ornaments and garden gnomes once they settled the tree issue. Wars have been started over garden gnomes. People either love them or hate them.
One time, the city was considering painting all the houses and buildings in old town in pastel earth tones. So people rushed out, bought paint and painted their places with the most vibrant colours they could find. Council wisely decided to end the debate and not pursue the matter.
Then there was the Great Houseboat Debate, which may still be going on. It has been a hot issue for decades and has probably cost the city millions in legal fees.
Yes, local politics can get pretty colourful and heated at times. I applaud all who are thinking of running for office but be advised, our summers are short and most residents would rather be out camping or fishing. They aren’t going to take this election too seriously until fall arrives or the snow flies. Whichever comes first.
And please, don’t start the Great Garden Gnome Debate or an army of gnomes may have to march on city hall in protest. Gnomes have rights after all and far too many of their homes have been damaged by indiscriminate blasting.
Now there is a class action lawsuit just waiting to happen.