Here's a thread to talk about municipal politics!

How is your councillor doing so far this term? I'm already very pleased with Jennifer Watts. She's really showing great leadership and I've gotten two district newsletters already.

Waye, how is it going for you?

I loved watching the skye debate, too. What did you think of it all?

Hurrah, I can just wait for you to start topics I'd like to discuss :) I am district 5, Gloria M. Ancient sage of HFX council. She did help us get a community oven in the park, but called my neighbours 'a bunch of agitators' for being upset about not having input on its location. It was a silly thing, whatever! My neighbours are not agitators, they are middle-class white folks who seem to like the straight and narrow. I didn't check out the Skye debate yet other to find out that it has been quashed (yay!) All the people who then come out and say 'arrr why do you hate progress' make me laugh. If a community's progress is building high rises while ignoring lots of serious social issues, then I might have to move on!

Also, I 'tweeted' Waye (still trying to get into the new internet thing) to congrats him on the Skye decision.

Old Ma McCluskey. I can't decide about her. She has excellent experience, but sometimes seems way to insular. Like, she voted for the Skye project, but is opposed to the proposed developments on Wyse... pretty NIMBY if you ask me.

The Skye was even uglier than I had realized. Thank God it did not go through.

and like 100 meters higher than the HRMbd rules or something? We really need to get people mobilizing and engaged in municipal politics. 37% vote? Probably 80% of those don't pay attention again til the next election? I think we need action! Letter writing campaigns, petitions, proposing alternatives, approaching developers. I don't like this kind of citizen-hands-off democracy it seems we live in.

I think I've heard enough incoherent and contradictory McCluskey interviews on CBC Mainstreet to say that her hay day is behind her. I wish there had of been better competition and focus on ousting her from her riding. Downtown Dartmouth is too important to leave to old school politics and ways of thinking. It needs a fresh voice and new leadership, for sure. There is so much potential that could be squandered in the wrong hands.

The “community letter” regarding Skye Halifax was pretty great and the fact that mayor Savage actually an impassioned speech kind of cancels out his non-transparent campaign self-payments. Hooray for being at zero, Savage! Beats being at -50 or -100, whatever Peter Kelly left office at!

downtownhalifax.ca

There were 6 other candidates in Gloria's riding, Sam Austin placing a near 2nd with 1000 and some votes to Gloria's 4500 or something. I only saw one Gloria lawn sign the whole campaign. There were some fresh voices on the ballot, maybe too many! But Gloria still did grab 50% of the popular vote. I think people are just voting for the name they've recognized for so long. It does seem like she still has a pretty strong following around here.

Yeah, it may have been spread thin. There definitely didn't seem to be a great alternative available. Also, Jennifer Watts is my councillor and I am excited she won. Our family is definitely biased towards a forward-thinking urban planner (that's my girlfriend's profession) and had been a fan in the past, before the riding amalgamation. I just worry a little having only two voices for the downtown, but considering those voices are Jennifer and Waye, I think we are good hands. I just think the backwoods, rural contingent has been over-represented on council and we need to move forward for the future and our children! </end speech>

Hear hear. It's awful that the new boundaries used anticipated growth as a determinant.

I can't believe McCluskey won again. Listening to her and Waye on News 95.7 made it so apparent that she is completely out of touch. Waye started explaining why the YMCA received an exemption to HRMxDesign and she cut him off and said she didn't agree. It made no sense. She was ignoring facts. Like she often does. She needs to retire. She may have done some good things in the past, but it is my opinion that she has also done harm, and I think someone else could do just as much good, and be a much better councillor overall.

She is still bitter about amalgamation and it clouds her judgement.