As I sit here and reflect on what was a simply amazing evening for the United Way of Milton my thoughts turn to someone who was a good friend to many and a true driving force behind the United Way … the late Mario Belvedere.
As we turned around the numbers in front of a packed house at the Velodrome, I could see the biggest smile in the room belonged to Mario.
He was a passionate supporter of the United Way and one who taught us that nothing was impossible…dream it, plan it and do it. And we did.
Mario my friend, God bless you and this one was for you. Thank you for being my inspiration to continue to work with this amazing organization.
There are others who also deserve a lot of the accolades for tonight. There are two women who simply wouldn’t give up this campaign. At some points it looked bleak and it might not happen. Kristy Elizabeth and our proud CEO Katie Holmes didn’t give up. It wasn’t an option for them. There were 24 hours in a day but they found a way to use every second in this chapter of the United Way and they never gave up.
Thank you Kristy and Kate for YOUR hard work. As we turn the page in the chapter of the history of our organization, you two can be proud of everything that’s been done and will be done going forward. You’re simply awesome.
And finally, but not least at all we have to thank our coaches, our motivation and our inspiration. Shawn Saulnier and Bridget Saulnier drove the United Way to the next level. For years we were raising hundreds of thousands of dollars and yet they saw something more. With the tenacity of pit bulls they saw what could be for Milton. Something that was a pie in the sky thought just a few years earlier became closer to reality last year. 200k more was raised than ever before. But they said “no we can do this” and set the goal for one million again.
More hours than we can count they made presentations, speeches and would talk United Way to anyone who would listen.
Thank you Shawn and Bridget for everything.
Our board of directors is the best I’ve ever seen and everyone pulled their weight and more so to the United Way Milton Board of Directors. Thank you.
Thank you Milton for everything. All your hard work. All your encouragement and all your donations have made this campaign the most memorable of all.
Thank you!!!!!
Here is my Facebook Live Video of our announcement.
https://www.facebook.com/michaelcluett/videos/10155087622381212/
Over the last several years I have been proud to be part of the annual Halloween tradition taking part in the Milton Haunted House at the Milton Mall.
This year once again we were honoured to be recognized as one of the many donors to the Milton District Hospital Foundation along with our main organizer Rick Di Lorenzo, Colin Best and our main sponsor Tiger Jeet Singh from the Tiger Jeet Singh Foundation.
As the sun begins to set on another Ramadan celebration, Milton residents got together at the Thompson Arena tonight for the annual EID gala organized by Event Ontario with Ayesha & Naeem Tariq.
Vendors from all over Milton showcasing their goods as well as henna painting, food and fun times for the kids.
Thank you to the organizers who invited us to attend and take part in this celebration. So great to see so many friends attending each year.
EID Mubarak to all those celebrating the end of Ramadan and best wishes to your families.
The weather was a bit unpredictable this year but the love and passion for Canada was no surprise this year for Canada Day in Milton.
It started off with the annual breakfast for the veterans put on by the local Knights of Columbus. Pancakes, sausages and back bacon were a plenty as we honoured the veterans and remembered those who fought and didn’t return keeping our country safe and free.
This was followed by the march into the fairgrounds with our vets which always brings a smile to our faces. Due to the weather we had to hurry back to town hall for the swearing in of new Canadians – including local Miltonians the Attew Family who took the oath of citizenship.
Milton MP Lisa Raitt and Mayor Gord Krantz were among the dignitaries in attendance to welcome our new Canadians in a very emotional ceremony.
There were always lots of activities for families and kids of all ages at the fairgrounds and the Milton Canada Day committee once again did an outstanding job.
Fireworks always end off the celebration and once agin, they didn’t disappoint.
Thanks to everyone who came out to enjoy the celebrations and thanks to the volunteer committee and sponsors for making this happen.
The 36th annual Starwberry Festival to support the Milton District Hospital Auxiliary was a total success. The weather was perfect and considering last years weather, we were due big time.
There were so many activities at the festival for kids of all ages and we also had some special guests in attendance including Canada’s Most Famous Hockey Dad Walter Gretzky. Thank you to everyone who came out to support the Milton District Hospital Auxiliary who do so much for our community.
Just one of the big events that makes Milton the best place in the world to live.
Presentation to Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs
Thursday May 5, 2016
From: Mike Cluett Local & Regional Councillor
Town of Milton / Halton Region
Good afternoon and thank you for allowing me to speak on Bill 181, the Municipal Elections Modernization Act, 2016.
I first off want to acknowledge that I am not speaking on behalf of the Town of Milton or Halton Region, but I am speaking to you based on my own opinions and experience as a municipal councillor since 2010. I understand our counterparts in the Town of Oakville have already endorsed the potential changes and ranked balloting, but Milton Town Council hasn’t predetermined what the best choice is without first consulting the public.
This is an important discussion. A discussion worthy of debate and engagement with Ontarians as we look for opportunities and evaluate our current systems and processes. Given the limited time that I have available I want to focus the committees attention a number of concerns that I have with the proposed legislation.
My main concern with Bill 181 is that it allows individual municipal councils in the province of Ontario to make changes to the way we elect our representatives with little or no public input from the voters.
The fact that these decisions can be made without holding a binding referendum at the bare minimum is concerning.
I can’t stress enough of the importance of seeking comprehensive public input and holding a referendum before any changes are made. Direct voter input about how we vote in elections is critical and I personally can’t support a bill that takes democracy away by allowing a government to change the way they are elected without appropriate consultation. As elected officials we have a responsibility to consult the voters in the province of Ontario.
Elections belong to the people, not members of the government in Canada, the province of Ontario or members of municipal councils.
The electorate must have a say on how that system is determined.
Ensuring that we protect the democratic process from being manipulated by the political process is non-negotiable.
Through this legislation, the provincial government has already decided that there are two choices and two choices only. We are aware that there are more than two electoral methods available, but they are not up for discussion apparently.
Ontarians must have the choice via a referendum before we embark on changing our voting system. Failure to do so is a slap in the face of voters and is counter to everything we stand for as a democracy.
Back in 2007, a referendum was held with the decision by voters to stay with the first past the post system.
While I agree that times do change and that governments should evolve, I do not agree with the government’s proposal to punt the issue to local municipalities. This circumvents the voters and does not take into account their desire, or lack thereof, for change.
This legislation does not mandate any public consultation whatsoever, including a referendum, before making changes. Municipal councils as small as 7 can quietly change the voting system in their municipality.
During the last municipal election campaign in 2014, I can not recall one area or municipality or candidate speaking on the issue of electoral reform and changes to the voting systems we now know.
So how can this legislation propose that municipal councils as small as 7 decide how people elect them without a mandate from voters?
Even the most recent polls after the last federal election listed electoral reform at or near the bottom of voter’s issues of concern. Electoral reform is also being discussed at the federal level of government where there continue to be loud calls for a referendum on the issue.
Another concern that I would like to raise with you is that by allowing municipal councils the ability to make these changes, you open the risk of self-serving decision making for personal and political survival.
Allow me to give you a brief history of my political career in Milton. I first ran for Milton Town Council in 2006 and came 92 votes short of being elected. Now, if ranked ballots were the desired voting system at the time, chances are that I probably would have been elected.
In 2010 I ran again and was successful. There were only 2 candidates in my ward and I garnered 80% of the vote, so ranked balloting wouldn’t have been an issue. Then again recently in 2014, out of field of 4 candidates I won with roughly 46% of the vote with my two closest opponents 20% behind me so in a ranked balloting system, chances are I would have still been successful.
So given my own personal experiences, I could chose ranked ballots and have no issues.
Conversely, I could also look at other members of my council and point to a councillor who was elected out of field of 7 or 8 candidates with 25% of the vote. This person could look at this opportunity and realize if there was ranked ballots, they probably wouldn’t be there so they’ll choose to stay with the first past the post system.
I bring this up to illustrate a point. By giving the authority to municipal councils to change their electoral system opens it up to self interest and self preservation over the merits of each individual system.
We have seen in recent by elections in the City of Hamilton and Town of Oakville, there can be a high number of candidates running for these positions…over 20 in Hamilton and 11 in Oakville vying for a spot around the council table.
Municipal councillors can now sit back and say I wouldn’t have been here if this particular voting system was in place so they make their decision based on their own self interests. That is a conflict of interest. Period.
Should any changes be made I the voting systems we have, those changes should be made across the board: federally, provincially and municipally.
The intent of this bill has been described as attempting at making it easer for people to vote. In many areas in this legislation, the opposite can happen and could lead to further confusion and voter fatigue.
Voting systems should be uniform instead of peace meal with one system for one level of government and another system for the other.
I can draw an example from my own area, the Region of Halton. Halton is an upper tier municipality comprised of four municipalities, the City of Burlington, the Town of Oakville, The Town of Halton Hills and the Town of Milton.
In Halton we elect our regional chair as opposed to other jurisdictions who appoint their regional chair. If the changes are made through this legislation, we could have the following scenario.
Out of the four municipalities we could have two choosing the route of ranked ballots and the other two staying with first past the post. That means residents in the ranked balloted municipalities can choose their local and regional councillors through ranking their choices and having to vote for the regional chair via first past the post.
This can and will lead to confusion with how we vote and can result with voters giving up and the opposite effect happening, declining voter turnout.
In summary, I feel that if the provincial government wants to go down the route to changing the way we elect our politicians in Ontario we must first start by getting a mandate from voters via a referendum. The group Defend Democracy has stated that our electoral system is the “basis of our democracy” and that no government or political party has the authority to alter our democratic system as “it is up to the people of Canada to decide directly through a referendum.”
No method of voting is the perfect and there are many views on which system is more representative of the people. But a government shouldn’t make these decisions. That decision belongs to the people themselves.
As an elected municipal official, I do support giving municipalities the authority to make decisions. Whether or not to allow wind mills within their jurisdiction, more flexibility on making planning decisions for high growth municipalities like Milton and Halton Region would be welcome changes, but those powers aren’t on the table today with Bill 181.
If we are going to look at making changes to our voting systems we need to start at the top…with the voters in the province of Ontario…as it should be.
