A TALE OF TWO MAYORS AND A D.E.I CULTURE GONE MAD THE ISSUES AND DEBATES THAT HAVE SHAPED THE WEEK

A TALE OF TWO MAYORS AND A D.E.I CULTURE GONE MAD THE ISSUES AND DEBATES THAT HAVE SHAPED THE WEEK By Dean Hickey THIS WEEK WE DIRECT OUR ATTENTION toward events which, by themselves, have displayed a range of unhealthy moral and philosophical principles, all of which account for much of what is lacking in the way we are governed. It is impossible at times, notwithstanding the most strenuous exertions, to raise the acuity of some among the elected officials who now occupy certain city council chambers. Readers of this column may surely grasp this reality as we consider recent social media posts that are generating plenty of controversy. PICKERING’S MAYOR ASHE TAKES TO SOCIAL MEDIA To even the most casual observer, the tensions that have plagued Pickering City Council so far this term are nothing less than troubling to residents within the community as well as some among the municipality’s staff. The source of this conflict continues to be a matter for debate, however, over the course of six days last month, Mayor Kevin Ashe took to Facebook in an attempt to offer up a series of provocative comments aimed at his well-known adversary, Ward 1 City councillor Lisa Robinson. The unfortunate narrative began with a post on March 22 in which the Mayor described councillor Robinson as a ‘hypocrite” suggesting she was “The only Councillor who has been found to breach our gifts policy…” This, as one might expect, gave rise to a public debate between the Mayor and his outspoken colleague. Their exchanges included the following remarks as each sought to outdo the other in what could only be described as an online sparring match: Ashe: “You can’t follow the rules. Why don’t you start there?” Robinson: “”Why don’t you start following the current rules?” Ashe: “I follow the rules…” Robinson: “Stop deflecting, Mr. Mayor. Why won’t you second the motion to ban gifts and benefits?” If that public display of animosity and schoolyard banter wasn’t enough, Mayor Ashe posted yet again on March 26, suggesting councillor Robinson take a leave of absence due to her having recently been selected as a federal candidate in a neighbouring riding. That post appears to have been removed, however, another was added in its place a mere 24 hours later. This time, the debate has been considerable, with one participant suggesting to the Mayor, “It’s actually embarrassing watching you whine about her” and another saying, “This bickering back and forth between Ashe and Robinson is unprofessional.” Perhaps the most memorable comment was offered by councillor Robinson herself when she told the Mayor, “Looks like I’ve taken up permanent residence in your thoughts…” The situation continues to unfold for all the world to see, and whether one agrees with Mayor Ashe or his opponent in the debate, this little exhibition of ‘catch me if you can’ does nothing but diminish the Office of the Mayor, and that is something everyone over at Pickering city hall needs to understand. OSHAWA’S MAYOR CARTER BUILDS A BUREAUCRATIC EMPIRE “At this particular time, I have embraced the Strong Mayor Powers, and I just want to remind everyone of that.” Those comments were made by Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter as some councillors attempted to debate a few key components of his tax-and-spend agenda. It began during a debate over public engagement opportunities for future budget deliberations, namely that a special meeting of council be held on a pre-scheduled weeknight this coming autumn to listen to residents’ concerns. Ward 5 Regional councillor Brian Nicholson was unequivocal in his comments to the Mayor as to how such a meeting may be perceived. “It leaves the impression that Council has some kind of authority or power in this process.” He went on to add, “When we say to the public that Council is going to listen and… control the budget process, we are misleading the public.” It is known that councillors attempted to bring forward amendments to last year’s budget, only to be vetoed by Mayor Carter as part of his overwhelming embrace of the supreme powers bestowed upon him by the Provincial government. Local taxpayers were subsequently faced with an increase in spending and staffing levels, to be paid for by a whopping 7.87% tax increase, far above that of the previous year, which amounted to less than 4%. The proposal for greater public input on the budgetary process was ultimately voted down, not only by the Mayor, but also councillors Bob Chapman, John Gray, John Neal, and Rick Kerr. Undeterred, councillor Nicholson went on to move a motion that “Council recommends a budget increase target of not more than 4% in 2026.” This proposal was ultimately successful, but without the support of the Mayor and certain councillors apparently unwilling to rule out another major tax increase, including Derek Giberson, Jim Lee, and Rick Kerr. OSHAWA DEI CHAMPIONS AWARDS PROGRAM Last week I told readers of this column about efforts within some municipalities, particularly the City of Toronto, to create an unelected council seat for a representative of the Indigenous community, part of a broad-reaching mandate by that city’s in-house Diversity Equity and Inclusion (D.E.I.) bureaucracy. Last week, Oshawa councillors approved an initiative by their own staff to establish a ‘Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Champions Awards Program’ with an inaugural awards presentation scheduled for Spring 2026. For those who believe solely in the inherent fairness associated with a merit-based approach towards hiring and other selection processes, the staff report considered by Council is nothing more than an affirmative action and racial preferences mandate. The intent of the report is to see a government-initiated extension of D.E.I. initiatives toward individuals, schools, businesses, charities, and non-profit organizations, all under the guise of a so-called rewards program. The ideology behind this type of approach has rightly become a target of criticism, as the focus is inevitably on ‘identity’ over merit, leading to quotas and forced representation rather than on skills and qualifications. Certain among the anti-racism policies and other such programs which seek to foster a welcoming environment, fairness in the application of our laws, and the protection of individual rights are all positive steps. The mandate associated with overall D.E.I. ideology, however, may be seen as less valuable, and certainly less trustworthy. A COLLECTIVE DISPLAY OF RECKLESS IDEAS The unfortunate aspects of our political culture highlighted in this week’s column display, in a special manner, the truth of what this newspaper has heretofore identified as weaknesses within the democratic process. We see it as a waste of votes when citizens elect officials who start making decisions based on self-interest rather than those of the community which put them into office in the first place. Embarrassing debates on social media, a reckless disregard for over-burdened taxpayers, and the approval of policies that will only seek to divide rather than unify, are all part of a pattern bordering on ineptitude. Meanwhile, the threat of significant global economic challenges looms overhead, and will require a renewed focus among municipal councils on what really matters, being the economy and the creation of jobs. Let us hope common sense prevails.