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Barrie councillor should pay cost of a byelection

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In Barrie
Nov 27th, 2010
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Editorial Barrie Examiner November 25 2010
Alex Nuttall is not the first Barrie councillor to set his sights on higher political ground. The Ward 10 councillor has filed his nomination papers with Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Party to be the Barrie riding’s candidate in the Oct. 6, 2011 provincial election. His nomination is expected to be approved today by the PC brass.

Nuttall would join Rod Jackson, Greer Hermiston-Campbell and Wayne McCallum as nominees at the Dec. 17 meeting to select a party candidate.
But Nuttall would be the first Barrie councillor to officially declare his intentions to seek a provincial or federal position so soon after being elected, or in his case re-elected, in a municipal election.
Nuttall regained his seat in the Oct. 25 city vote. He hasn’t even been sworn in yet for the 2010-2014 (that happens Dec. 6) and now he’s eyeing the MPP position.
He didn’t mention his provincial aspirations during the city election campaign. Not one word.
It likely wouldn’t have mattered anyway. Nuttall easily kept his seat in the south-east Barrie ward. But voters there should have been told by Nuttall what his political ambitions were, and how it could affect them.
Because if Nuttall wins the PC nomination, and he wins Barrie in next October’s provincial election (and this is traditionally a Conservative riding), he won’t be the Ward 10 councillor anymore.
Less than one year into a four-year term, this would probably result in a byelection. City staff estimate this would cost $15,000 to $20,000, likely closer to the latter than the former.
As stated above, Nuttall is not the only city councillor who’s had higher aspirations.
In 1993, then Barrie mayor Janice Laking carried the Liberal flag unsuccessfully in a federal election here. After about four years on city council, Joe Tascona ran for the Conservatives provincially in 1995 — a post he kept until 2007.
Aileen Carroll left city council in 1997 after becoming the Barrie area’s MP in a federal election. Patrick Brown unseated her, on his second try, in 2006, after serving on council since 2000 (Carroll defeated Tascona in 2007 and is now Barrie’s MPP).
So local politicians have used, or attempted to use, their council positions as launching pads before.
The question for voters is whether they approve of this practice or not. And should city councillors be up-front about their intentions when they are asking for votes?
Because this is supposed to be about public service, not political careers.
That said, Nuttall has not broken any rules by filing his PC nomination papers while a Barrie councillor. He has every right to do so. But not every city councillor with similar aspirations has done it this way.
In the fall of 2003, Mike Ramsay chose not to run for reelection to council and instead ran provincially for the Liberals. He lost, to Tascona, and didn’t return to council until 2006.
Nuttall chose a different path, one which initially looks politically safe. Should he not get the PC nomination, or should he get it and lose next October, he still has his council seat.
But do Ward 10 residents, and other Barrie citizens, appreciate Nuttall campaigning for provincial office while he’s a city councillor?
Do they mind paying as much as $20,000 for a byelection?
At the very least, Alex Nuttall should forfeit his council salary if and when he campaigns for the provincial election.
He should also pay for a byelection if one is necessary in Ward 10.
As for his priorities as a politician, voters can make their own decisions.

Nuttall move ‘smells funny’
By BOB BRUTON, BARRIE EXAMINER November 26 2010
Has Barrie Coun. Alex Nuttall stubbed his toe stepping up to provincial politics?
The Ward 10 councillor, reelected in Ward 10 during the Oct. 25 city election, has announced he’s now seeking the Progressive Conservative nomination for next year’s provincial election.
But Nuttall is already being questioned for seeking a provincial seat so soon after being reelected to council, and before he’s even sworn in as a councillor again.
“It smells funny when you see that decision made by someone holding the public trust,” said Geoffery Booth, a political science professor at Georgian College’s Orillia campus.
“What it looks like is he’s got a bird in the hand and he has a bigger brass ring to grab for.”
Jeff Lehman, to be sworn in as Barrie’s new mayor on Dec. 6, said residents will have a chance to show how they feel about Nuttall’s choices.
“Ultimately, the people of Barrie will decide what they think of the timing and decision to run,” said Lehman, the Ward 2 councillor, who is also a Liberal. “This is not a decision I would have made myself.”
And if a Ward 10 byelection is needed, he said that won’t be popular with councillors.
“The issue of a byelection is something we will have to deal with as a council if the situation arises next year, and I don’t think anyone will be happy about the cost if a byelection is necessary,” Lehman said.
City staff estimate a byelection would cost $15,000 to $20,000, likely closer to the latter.
If Nuttall wins the PC nomination, and if he becomes Barrie’s MPP — this is traditionally a Conservative riding, although Liberal Aileen Carroll is the current MPP — there would probably be a Ward 10 byelection, given it would be less than one year into a four-year council term.
Nuttall has not returned telephone messages and e-mails from the Examiner about his decision, about what he’s saying to people asking why he’s seeking a provincial position so soon after being re-elected to council, and why he’s done this before even being sworn in for a second term in Ward 10.
Nuttall easily regained his seat in the Oct. 25 municipal election, but his provincial ambitions were not part of his Ward 10 re-election campaign.
But Booth said Nuttall’s decision to enter the provincial level of politics while holding a council seat reinforces some of the negative stereotypes Canadians have about their politicians — that their career is more important than public service.
“The bigger issue is what it does to public trust for elected officials,” Booth said. “One has to wonder what designs (Nuttall) had. You don’t just wake up and do this (run for MPP). It takes a lot of money and planning.
“When you see this, the optics create an unfortunate situation.”
Booth said being a councillor while running for the Conservatives could actually hurt Nuttall.
“If Alex Nuttall becomes the (PC) candidate, he now has this baggage to carry around and that makes him vulnerable.”
Nuttall joins Rod Jackson, Greer Hermiston-Campbell and Wayne McCallum as PC candidates for the Barrie riding.
The Barrie PC riding association’s nomination meeting is Dec. 17. The deadline to register to vote at that meeting is Friday at 5 p.m. The provincial election is Oct. 6, 2011.
Nuttall explained his reasons for wanting to become the PC candidate in a media release issued Thursday.
“In making my decision, I had to consider that many of the issues that I have fought for, and will continue to fight for, on council would be better addressed at the provincial level,” he says in the release.
“Growth and development in Barrie has been out of step with the needs of local residents,” he adds. “As councillor, I have opposed a number of developments only to see them appealed to the province and overturned against the wishes of local residents and councils.”
Nuttall said there are many reasons to criticize the current Liberal government — the ill-timed HST, soaring energy prices, rvice shortfalls in health care, runaway debt and deficits.
“However, I believe it will not be enough just to be opposed to issues in the coming election, we have to stand for something. I believe that local issues matter,” he said.
Nuttall says as MPP he would fight for more health care funding for Barrie and better GO Transit service, and work to change the way growth and development matters are appealed – to account for the wishes of local communities.
Nuttall says his focus Thursday and today will be on registering new PC party members to vote at this meeting.

Nuttall mislead voters
Letter to the Barrie Examiner November 27 2010
About a month ago, Barrie, and the rest of the province, had our municipal elections.
Candidates ran for the opportunity to serve on council for the next four year.
We, the voters, voted for the individual we thought would best serve us, based on the candidate’s track record and on what they told us during the campaign.
Unless I missed something, Alex Nuttall never mentioned to anyone that, as soon as he was elected, he would take a run at provincial politics.
I don’t recall him ever saying that he wasn’t going to serve out his term as councillor, or that soon after he would announce his candidacy for the local Progressive Conservative party.
Now, barely a month after the election, Mr. Nuttall has announced that he wants to leave his seat on council and run in the provincial election next year.
Just Wednesday night I received an e-mail from Mr. Nuttall telling me how committed he was to the residents of Ward 10.
Really? Mr. Nuttall, if you are that dedicated, why did you not announce your intentions prior to election day?
How many people would have voted for you had you announced your true intentions?
I bet I can guess.
Is it because you wanted to collect your paycheque from the public purse and use it to support your campaign?
Rather than use e-mail to send newsletters to the Ward 10 residents, you decided to use those addresses to ask support for your run for the PC party.
How ethical is that?
Why were you not honest with everyone?
You are well-known for your excessive spending of public money, now you are known for being less than up front with the public.
You mislead the voters, and you want to get paid from public funds while running for provincial office.
Where is your integrity?
Al Thomas Barrie

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