Selection process for filling vacancy is “silly”

July 9, 2014 · 0 Comments

Does no one else in Aurora find it silly – almost insulting, really – that the Aurora Council majority has chosen a way to fill MPP Chris Ballard’s seat for 3+ months through a process that is taking 1.5 months and then bellyaching on and on about it?
A simpler, and democratically fair, procedure would begin with approaching those with Council experience who stood for election last municipal election and were voted on by the citizens here in Aurora.
This is a fine legal approach and takes into account citizens’ votes. Why does this Council majority profess that a more transparent (?) and fairer (?) approach is to have presentations made to them and then their Council majority – a total of 5 people – decide?
Well, this apparently is also a fine legal approach, but why snub the peoples’ votes first? Anybody would think that majority members of this Council just don’t want to sit with people of experience from the last election. I, for one, am fed up with some Council members and the Mayor’s moaning.
On the more positive cause of filling this seat for a short time is the election of former Aurora Councillor Chris Ballard, now Liberal MPP who will surely do Newmarket-Aurora proud. Notably, as a first time electee, I see he has been chosen for a Parliamentary Assistant position to the Minister of Government and Consumer Services. I join the people’s majority in wishing him all the best.

Catherine Marshall
Aurora

(Editor’s Note: The process chosen to fill the vacancy was approved by Council 7 – 1)