MILLER'S YES MEN IN PLACE Even Mel Lastman recognized keeping your enemies close made for good politics
While most eyes were focused on the Three Stooges drama on Parliament Hill last week, a minor Mutiny on the Bounty unfolded at Toronto council.
I say minor because council's dsyfunctional right-wingers -- who can't seem to get it together no matter how justified their cause -- flailed and fizzled as they attempted to reverse the latest coup in Mayor David Miller's ever-increasing campaign to rule with an iron fist over Socialist Silly Hall.
The mayor's recommendations on which (favoured) councillors will sit on his powerful executive committee and key standing committees until the term runs out in 2010 easily passed 31-14.
That means there is not one critical voice on the mayor's 13-member executive committee -- leading me to wonder whether the chosen ones will now be required to wear earpieces at every meeting so orders can be barked to them from Miller and his staff.
That said, no matter how much one wanted to dismiss the three-hour debate as a group therapy session, it at least appears council's right wing faction has finally woken up to the fact that the King -- Miller -- views the role of strong mayor quite differently than they do.
Those politicians not bullied into seeing the world the King's way (which means having an almost obsessive devotion to the word "green") are banished to an obscure city agency or to the committee Hinterland.
It seems the Mayor with a Mandate is so convinced of his importance (or so insecure about his so-called mandate) he no longer makes a pretense of extending an olive branch to those on council who dare disagree with his vision of a green, liveable Toronto.
Take what happened when Coun. Mike Del Grande endeavoured to question Miller about a memo his office recently sent to just 22 councillors (known to regularly vote with the mayor) offering a temporary solution to the many problems with the new gray garbage bins.
Instead of apologizing, the mayor had a hissy fit.
"I am deeply disappointed with my colleagues on council," he sputtered, red-faced and indignant. "It is utter nonsense to suggest there was something surreptitious (about the memo)."
He went on to say he'd been a councillor since 1994 and had never seen "members stoop to this kind of thing."
(Hmm. Methinks he doth protest too much.)
So when Coun. Michael Walker contended Miller's predecessor Mel Lastman was far more inclusive -- engaging councillors who didn't represent his position "philosophically or politically" -- I couldn't have agreed more.
The comment was especially interesting coming from Walker, considered Lastman's arch-rival. And it was often a costly exercise for the former mayor.
He kept vocal and highly ambitious couple Olivia Chow and Jack Layton very busy building empires pertaining to their homeless, environmental and youth causes. He made his long-time critic Howard Moscoe chairman of the TTC.
Those who didn't get their first choice on key standing committees were handed plum roles on the myriad of city agencies and boards. There were plenty of pickings to go around.
Councillors Joe Pantalone and David Miller had key roles, too.
Lastman didn't have a Harvard degree but he was street smart enough to know keeping his critics busy kept them out of trouble and happy.
Even president-elect Barack Obama seems to get it, appointing his arch-rival Hillary Clinton to a major portfolio.
Not so at Socialist Silly Hall. As we heard last week, 25% of councillors (those on the B team) didn't even get their first, second or third picks.
"We've deteriorated into a real personal and vindictive kind of politics here at City Hall," said Walker, noting the last time he saw any attempt at balance was when Brian Ashton sat on the executive committee. "The healthiest thing you could have is alternative views."
Coun. Case Ootes, the deputy mayor under Lastman faced with the difficult task of putting those appointments into place, suggested despite the differences of opinion back then they still "could treat one another with respect."
"That has changed," he said, noting the mayor could still achieve his agenda even if members who oppose him have a valid role to play.
Their points fell on deaf -- and it appears highly intractable -- ears.
A motion by Karen Stintz to allow council as a whole to choose four members of the executive committee -- ensuring "differing points of view" in the city are heard -- went down in flames 19-26.
Once again, the King, er our strong mayor, has spoken.
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