It seems to me that the provincial government is sovereign, and that the authority delegated to municipalities (regional districts, &c) derives from the sovereign government. Is there some sort of contractual law or licence that prevents the provincial government from doing whatever it wants with municipal authority. What’s sometimes called ‘social-’ or ‘political-licence’ applies to what is impolitic and what isn’t in the general understanding of the public—the voting public, especially. I’ve said this before: Danielle Smith’s (and David Parker’s) UCP doesn’t do normal politics —not even normal (internal) party politics, and has shown, consistently, that it feels it doesn’t have to or, put another way, will do whatever it wants whether it’s politic or not. I suppose one might ask that if the governing UCP cocks a snook at the federal government and the Constitution, it shouldn’t come as any surprise it will do so with its own citizens—and that might include stacking the electoral deck by, for example, “asymmetrical” party-donation rules that favour the partisan right (or, in the TABCUP’s case, the far-right).
It would seem Smith (& Parker) haven’t a politcal bone in their heads—certainly not a psephological one. Which comes to my second point: if the BATCUP gooberment should happen to replace a city councillor it doesn’t like—and as daring as that might seem I wouldn’t put it past them—and, presumably substitutes one it likes better (unless, of course, the subtraction of one supposedly “leftie” councillor effectively gives the right-wing councillors the government does like the majority vote without having to substitute anybody), how likely is that to work in the government’s favour? Never mind blatant attacks on democracy, never mind UPTCAB hypocrisy, what about the “Freedumbites”? Like I said, they ain’t got a single political or psephological bone among them.
That aside, I take it that the government has all the sovereignty it needs to do what it wants with authorities that derive from it, and damn the political brimstone that results. As long’s it doesn’t offend Canadian law—say, substitute or disqualify councillors or candidates on a basis the Charter of Rights and Freedoms prohibits—ethnicity, gender, religion, &c—then, as stupid as it would be, the government does have that kind of sovereign authority over municipalities.
It’s almost as if the UPCTAB government thinks it can achieve some irrevocable, irreversible thing that serves its purpose even without getting re-elected. But, lordie-lord!—that doesn’t leave much time to get whatever it is done, but plenty of time for a firestorm of civic resentment to blow up.
What Smith et al seem to be aiming for is some kind of trusteeship, not a democracy. And thereby paint themselves into a corner. It’s galling and hard to understand for us from away.
The process of successively establishing a system of control over all aspects of a society to stifle opposition. Ninety years ago this had a name. It was called Gleichschaltung.
We can conclude the the large corporations in support of Smith have a open plate to turn the munipalities in conservatism. When Smith was elected none of this was campaigned on. Additionally if Smith would stop fighting with Ottawa this would have never come to this. Lastly if transfers coming from Ottawa were put towards what it was meant for this would never come to this.
Thanks Lisa. This move again appears to be all about power & control, not focussing on moving the province forward economically or socially. Democracy in 'President' Smith's Alberta is looking like a distant memory.
"This more or less guarantees a year of chaos as various groups try to figure out if they’re going to form a party and, if they are, how they are going to select their candidates."
They know exactly what they're going to do, but are giving their compatriots a head start while their opponents will have far less time to plan for the upcoming municipal elections.
No more academic research freedom at universities. The ability to now identify and then fire mayors that represent an opposing party. The ability of the premier, not the constitution nor the Supreme Court, to decide what legislation is constitutional. Kinda feels a little like Fascism.
Developing control is a major step towards authoritarian government. Managing who is on council with basically whims deciding, same with bylaws Smith doesn't like .all u councilors now have a big brother, and watch out for. Public interest meaning does the UCP approve of u.
Hm. Well, I am someone who grew up in Alberta and have been living in Toronto for the past thirty years. I have been through all the extremely harmful provincial interference with local government in GTA. The bad precedent is set, we are starting to see this kind of thing all over Canada now.
It all comes from the false idea that the provinces do whatever they want with municipal governments. This is really a legal fiction. That is not what the people who wrote BNA act intended. Provinces having jurisdiction over municipalities does not mean they do what they want with them.
It is time people noticed that in 1867 the population was mostly rural. Now most of us live in big cities. Jurisdictional boundaries and divisions of powers from that time no longer make sense. We need to copy arrangements from most urbanized countries, where cities above a certain size become provinces/states/lander/prefectures/departements, etc.
There is a significant “Province of Toronto” movement but there are huge efforts to silence it. The politics around it are incredibly complicated. It could fill up several blogs. I will do so one of these days but there is so damned much to blog about.
By the way, mine is at https://adultsincharge.blog/ I get much fewer subscribers than Lisa does and she seems to think I am poaching her people. But, not really.
Back to the problems of cities and provincial interference with them. Some people in Toronto concoct these complicates schemes in which Toronto would be given a ‘charter’ by the federal government. It is unlikely to happen because in requires Provincial cooperation. If T.O. left Ontario most of the GTA would follow and that is half of Ontario. So the rest of Ontario will resist to the end.
However, I have a much simpler solution. Just draw up a written constitution for the province, something which should have been done long ago. This would spell out the powers of local governments in a way yahoo governments cannot mess with. This could make GTA a de facto province.
This actually should not be so hard to bring about. Unfortunately, it will be until the dysfunction gets so bad that there is no choice but to do it. It requires getting ‘confrontational’ with the forces of immobilism.
The same applies in Alberta. Contrary to the ideas Albertans have about themselves, they are also reluctant to challenge the status quo. The problem is that the status quo is extra nasty/crazy there.
The upshot of it is that cities like Calgary and Edmonton need to acquire provincial powers. The legacy provinces need to shrink back.
These kinds of changes to the existing system are not going to come about through it. They will be forced from an outside position. You know what I mean.
This is very disturbing, and very scary. Under the UCP, we are having an authoritarian rule, and a dictatorship. Bill 8 is a starting point. What this bill does, ties into other bills the UCP made. Bill 8 alters the gift limit amounts MLAs in Alberta can get, which increases them. Dark money, and bribes is a distinct possibility. Bill 8 also renders the Alberta Ethics Commissioner powerless, so they cannot investigate MLAs who do nefarious activities, before a provincial election in Alberta. Bill 18, is also about control and micromanagement. Another one of these bills, Bill 20, allows corporations and unions to donate to municipal candidates, which is also a concern. The NDP banned union and corporate donations to political parties in Alberta, but the UCP reinstated the latter. There is also clear interference in municipal affairs with Bill 20, by the UCP. It's actually a revenge move on Edmonton and Calgary for not endorsing the UCP in Edmonton, and not entirely endorsing the UCP in Calgary, during the last provincial election in Alberta. This is very appalling.
Ever read the Koch brothers plan to take over the USA. Same plan different country. Try reading James Buchanan's Koch plan . And they have implemented REAGANOMICS and are well along with the takeover
Thank you Lisa, as always. The comments I intended have already been made clearly and succinctly by Messrs Squire and Davis on April 25. Premier Smith has not only announced herself officially the Wicked Witch of the West, she has embraced the role in her heavy-handed lurch to acquire the power so she can return the province to its dark ages..
Why would I bother voting in municipal elections if the province can easily decide that my vote doesn’t matter?
It seems to me that the provincial government is sovereign, and that the authority delegated to municipalities (regional districts, &c) derives from the sovereign government. Is there some sort of contractual law or licence that prevents the provincial government from doing whatever it wants with municipal authority. What’s sometimes called ‘social-’ or ‘political-licence’ applies to what is impolitic and what isn’t in the general understanding of the public—the voting public, especially. I’ve said this before: Danielle Smith’s (and David Parker’s) UCP doesn’t do normal politics —not even normal (internal) party politics, and has shown, consistently, that it feels it doesn’t have to or, put another way, will do whatever it wants whether it’s politic or not. I suppose one might ask that if the governing UCP cocks a snook at the federal government and the Constitution, it shouldn’t come as any surprise it will do so with its own citizens—and that might include stacking the electoral deck by, for example, “asymmetrical” party-donation rules that favour the partisan right (or, in the TABCUP’s case, the far-right).
It would seem Smith (& Parker) haven’t a politcal bone in their heads—certainly not a psephological one. Which comes to my second point: if the BATCUP gooberment should happen to replace a city councillor it doesn’t like—and as daring as that might seem I wouldn’t put it past them—and, presumably substitutes one it likes better (unless, of course, the subtraction of one supposedly “leftie” councillor effectively gives the right-wing councillors the government does like the majority vote without having to substitute anybody), how likely is that to work in the government’s favour? Never mind blatant attacks on democracy, never mind UPTCAB hypocrisy, what about the “Freedumbites”? Like I said, they ain’t got a single political or psephological bone among them.
That aside, I take it that the government has all the sovereignty it needs to do what it wants with authorities that derive from it, and damn the political brimstone that results. As long’s it doesn’t offend Canadian law—say, substitute or disqualify councillors or candidates on a basis the Charter of Rights and Freedoms prohibits—ethnicity, gender, religion, &c—then, as stupid as it would be, the government does have that kind of sovereign authority over municipalities.
It’s almost as if the UPCTAB government thinks it can achieve some irrevocable, irreversible thing that serves its purpose even without getting re-elected. But, lordie-lord!—that doesn’t leave much time to get whatever it is done, but plenty of time for a firestorm of civic resentment to blow up.
What Smith et al seem to be aiming for is some kind of trusteeship, not a democracy. And thereby paint themselves into a corner. It’s galling and hard to understand for us from away.
Thnx for your coverage.
The process of successively establishing a system of control over all aspects of a society to stifle opposition. Ninety years ago this had a name. It was called Gleichschaltung.
Thanks Lisa. Makes the NDP leadership contest and a premier Nenshi critical.
We can conclude the the large corporations in support of Smith have a open plate to turn the munipalities in conservatism. When Smith was elected none of this was campaigned on. Additionally if Smith would stop fighting with Ottawa this would have never come to this. Lastly if transfers coming from Ottawa were put towards what it was meant for this would never come to this.
Thanks Lisa. This move again appears to be all about power & control, not focussing on moving the province forward economically or socially. Democracy in 'President' Smith's Alberta is looking like a distant memory.
"This more or less guarantees a year of chaos as various groups try to figure out if they’re going to form a party and, if they are, how they are going to select their candidates."
They know exactly what they're going to do, but are giving their compatriots a head start while their opponents will have far less time to plan for the upcoming municipal elections.
One ring to rule them all ! Has Smith been reading Lord of the Rings again? Excellent analysis, Lisa!!!!!
While I am not opposed to less progressive politics, I do find providing prov with capacity to remove an elected official troubling
No more academic research freedom at universities. The ability to now identify and then fire mayors that represent an opposing party. The ability of the premier, not the constitution nor the Supreme Court, to decide what legislation is constitutional. Kinda feels a little like Fascism.
Developing control is a major step towards authoritarian government. Managing who is on council with basically whims deciding, same with bylaws Smith doesn't like .all u councilors now have a big brother, and watch out for. Public interest meaning does the UCP approve of u.
Good writing as usual Lisa
Hm. Well, I am someone who grew up in Alberta and have been living in Toronto for the past thirty years. I have been through all the extremely harmful provincial interference with local government in GTA. The bad precedent is set, we are starting to see this kind of thing all over Canada now.
It all comes from the false idea that the provinces do whatever they want with municipal governments. This is really a legal fiction. That is not what the people who wrote BNA act intended. Provinces having jurisdiction over municipalities does not mean they do what they want with them.
It is time people noticed that in 1867 the population was mostly rural. Now most of us live in big cities. Jurisdictional boundaries and divisions of powers from that time no longer make sense. We need to copy arrangements from most urbanized countries, where cities above a certain size become provinces/states/lander/prefectures/departements, etc.
There is a significant “Province of Toronto” movement but there are huge efforts to silence it. The politics around it are incredibly complicated. It could fill up several blogs. I will do so one of these days but there is so damned much to blog about.
By the way, mine is at https://adultsincharge.blog/ I get much fewer subscribers than Lisa does and she seems to think I am poaching her people. But, not really.
Back to the problems of cities and provincial interference with them. Some people in Toronto concoct these complicates schemes in which Toronto would be given a ‘charter’ by the federal government. It is unlikely to happen because in requires Provincial cooperation. If T.O. left Ontario most of the GTA would follow and that is half of Ontario. So the rest of Ontario will resist to the end.
However, I have a much simpler solution. Just draw up a written constitution for the province, something which should have been done long ago. This would spell out the powers of local governments in a way yahoo governments cannot mess with. This could make GTA a de facto province.
This actually should not be so hard to bring about. Unfortunately, it will be until the dysfunction gets so bad that there is no choice but to do it. It requires getting ‘confrontational’ with the forces of immobilism.
The same applies in Alberta. Contrary to the ideas Albertans have about themselves, they are also reluctant to challenge the status quo. The problem is that the status quo is extra nasty/crazy there.
The upshot of it is that cities like Calgary and Edmonton need to acquire provincial powers. The legacy provinces need to shrink back.
These kinds of changes to the existing system are not going to come about through it. They will be forced from an outside position. You know what I mean.
Happy May day, everyone.
This is very disturbing, and very scary. Under the UCP, we are having an authoritarian rule, and a dictatorship. Bill 8 is a starting point. What this bill does, ties into other bills the UCP made. Bill 8 alters the gift limit amounts MLAs in Alberta can get, which increases them. Dark money, and bribes is a distinct possibility. Bill 8 also renders the Alberta Ethics Commissioner powerless, so they cannot investigate MLAs who do nefarious activities, before a provincial election in Alberta. Bill 18, is also about control and micromanagement. Another one of these bills, Bill 20, allows corporations and unions to donate to municipal candidates, which is also a concern. The NDP banned union and corporate donations to political parties in Alberta, but the UCP reinstated the latter. There is also clear interference in municipal affairs with Bill 20, by the UCP. It's actually a revenge move on Edmonton and Calgary for not endorsing the UCP in Edmonton, and not entirely endorsing the UCP in Calgary, during the last provincial election in Alberta. This is very appalling.
Ever read the Koch brothers plan to take over the USA. Same plan different country. Try reading James Buchanan's Koch plan . And they have implemented REAGANOMICS and are well along with the takeover
Just to be clear, I respectfully - note, I said RESPECTFULLY - disagree with Lisa's take on this proposed legislation.
Let the slams against me commence.
Thank you Lisa, as always. The comments I intended have already been made clearly and succinctly by Messrs Squire and Davis on April 25. Premier Smith has not only announced herself officially the Wicked Witch of the West, she has embraced the role in her heavy-handed lurch to acquire the power so she can return the province to its dark ages..