Vote to Exist

This year’s municipal election is the most important one we’ve ever faced.  The threat of amalgamation means it could be about our very existence as a Town.

I warned about the dangers of amalgamation when I first ran for Lord Mayor in 2022, and my position has not changed.  It’s one of the points in my platform, that you can find at vaughngoettlerforlordmayor.com:

I will fight for a strong and independent Niagara-on-the-Lake.   

I will do this by advocating for our unique local interests at every level of government.  I will work with other municipal leaders across Niagara.  I will connect with other municipalities who faced amalgamation in Ontario and survived. 

By coordinating efforts, sharing resources, analyzing services and presenting a united case, small municipalities can protect local decision-making and show the Province that amalgamation is not necessary.

Some of my opponents and their supporters keep wishing that this year’s municipal election was all about Doug Ford. 

What it’s really about is how Erwin Wiens and Andrea Kaiser let this Town get off course.  If you want to see the laundry list of how we are doing now, read my previous post.  It’s been a long four years.

As Deputy Lord Mayor, Erwin Wiens let taxes go up and historic buildings come down.  He let developers, including his cousin, get whatever they want.  He spent time hanging out at Queen’s Park and going to fancy meetings with Ministers.  He should have been spending more time improving the infrastructure and facilities that are falling behind in our own backyard.

My other challenger can’t commit to the Lord Mayor’s job full time.  As Regional Councillor, she could have done something to stop the roundabout that is planned for St. Davids.  Instead of acting, she shrugged her shoulders and said the experts would handle it.  I think the real experts about traffic safety at that intersection live in St. Davids, and they are not happy.

Erwin boasts about his close relationship with Ford and insists that he will resist amalgamation by being so friendly with the current Premier.  Despite this friendship, Ford has already cut back democracy by changing the rules so our new regional chair will be hand-picked by him instead of voters.

How did Erwin stand up for Niagara-on-the-Lake so far? With no public debate, he voted to downsize our own Town Council from eight members to six. He also helped to silence public voices at Town Hall by getting rid of the Urban Design Committee.  When governance reform was debated in February at Regional Council, Andrea Kaiser stayed quiet. 

If being nice was the way to Doug Ford’s heart, why couldn’t Erwin Wiens and Andrea Kaiser convince Doug Ford to make amalgamation go away before the prospect ripped apart municipal relationships in Niagara, and cost thousands of dollars in staff time? 

Why couldn’t they get emergency funding for farmers in response to the massive flooding we just experienced? 

Why can’t they secure more investment in the Town’s transportation network, so we don’t need to keep building parking lots in the heritage district?

Erwin Wiens and Andrea Kaiser have got it wrong.  Being nice and straddling the fence is not enough.  Sometimes you have to be strong, and stick up for yourself.

I built a lot of relationships in my career, including people I didn’t always agree with.  Real leaders come to the table with everyone, not only the people that are stroking their egos. 

I can handle criticism and I don’t operate from the shadows.  I won’t run things by kissing the ring at Queen’s Park.  I will respect the leaders who respect our community.

As your next Lord Mayor I’m going to run things from Town Hall, full time.  I’m going to have YOU on speed dial.  And I will work like a grown up with every other level of government.  My only special interest is in getting good work done for the people of this amazing community.

We need to change the way we do things in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

We need a Lord Mayor who knows that the residents of this town should come first. 

We need a Lord Mayor who knows that when basements and fields are flooded, it’s an emergency and time to ask for help.

It’s time for change, for the better.

That’s why I’m encouraging you all to get out and vote starting on October 5 online, or at Advance Polls on October 7 and 17.

Election Day is on October 26.  It’s time to replace the insiders who answer to developers and Doug Ford with a Lord Mayor who listens to you, and will stand up for our Town.

I am your choice, for a change.

Images courtesy of Skyview Arts, used with permission.

Learn more and get involved at vaughngoettlerforlordmayor.com.