“New-Old” Council’s Inauguration: Mayor Announces Intentions and Changes

The City of Burlington’s 2022–2026 council has officially been inaugurated as of this evening.

The mayor and council were led in procession to the stage by members of the Burlington Teen Tour Band, after which the public meeting was kicked off by MC Lisa Scott, of the Halton Black History Awareness Society. Talented local singer and songwriter Hayley Verrall then took the stage to sing the national anthem.

After noting the importance of Remembrance Day, Chief R. Stacey Laforme of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation read two of his poems in honour of the occasion. He congratulated the “new-old” council, and expressed his hopes of working with them with understanding, respect, and reciprocity.

City Manager Tim Commisso spoke, also congratulating the incoming council, and both thanking the city’s staff for their hard work and speaking on their behalf, noting that they felt “honoured and privileged to serve” the city and its council. Commisso stated that Burlington is “the greatest city, no question, in Canada,” and that staff’s goal is to strive to be the best-run city in Canada as well.

City Clerk Kevin Arjoon fulfilled his duty of declaring the names of the elected mayor and council before turning to Justice of the Peace Mark Curtis for the swearing-in of Mayor Marianne Meed Ward; Councillor Kelvin Galbraith (Ward 1); Councillor Lisa Kearns (Ward 2); Councillor Rory Nisan (Ward 3); Councillor Shawna Stolte (Ward 4); Councillor Paul Sharman (Ward 5); and Councillor Angelo Bentivegna (Ward 6). Stolte was not at the event in person, but took her oath virtually, over the big screen on stage.

After the oaths were taken, Meed Ward spoke at the podium of the goals and priorities of this council, observing that as the entire council was returning from last term, they would be able to get back into work “without skipping a beat.”

Meed Ward stated that council will lead by following five principles, including advocacy, making decisions based on planning and evidence, and working with the best intentions of the community in mind. She also took aim at the province’s recent Bill 23 (the More Homes Built Faster Act), and the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). “We will fight that,” she said in reference to Bill 23. Meed Ward called the OLT “undemocratic,” stating the ultimate intention of fighting to abolish the OLT.

Another big announcement was the new deputy mayor portfolios that each councillor will now have; Meed Ward explained that these new portfolios were assigned to take advantage of councillors’ experience and skills. Galbraith will have the business and red tape reduction portfolio; Kearns will have the community engagements and partnerships portfolio; Nisan has the environment portfolio; Stolte has housing; Sharman has strategy and budgets; and Bentivegna has recreation and community services.

The first major task of this council, Meed Ward said, would be approving the budget (read former mayor Rick Goldring’s take on that here); other priorities include “promoting reasonable growth in the right place,” implementing the city’s climate action strategy, new parks, and protecting the rural area from urban expansion — “[this council] will not expand the urban boundary.”

Another new development is the formation of the Burlington Indigenous Talking Circle, whose members will work with council to advance recommendations on reconciliation. WhiteEagle Stonefish, healer, elder, and teacher, came up to the podium to set intentions for this term of council.

Dania Thurman, singer and executive director of Food 4 Kids Halton, and high school student Faith Breen took to the stage to sing a beautiful rendition of Allison Russell’s “You’re Not Alone” for the inaugural meeting of council.

Finally, Meed Ward asked the council to vote on bylaw 8022, confirming the proceedings of the inauguration; the five councillors on stage raised their hands in confirmation, while Stolte whooped her assention from the virtual feed.