The Merger Question

Should Council request that a referendum question be placed on the municipal election ballot this fall regarding a possible merger between the cities of Waterloo and Kitchener?

I have always believed that one should fully understand the problem, before deciding on the solution. As I first said in my Oct 2005 Second Opinion article, we have to understand both the benefits and the shortcomings of the current form of government before we start down the path of municipal reform. We need to have the public engaged in an open community dialogue about what works and what doesn’t.

In my letter to the editor in The Record last weekend, I recommended that "having a community discussion, without a preconceived outcome, will enable a more robust examination of the issues and the development of alternative solutions, without the divisiveness of arguing for or against a merger."

The ballot question that was proposed does not accomplish this goal because everything is discussed in terms of a merger outcome. It is not about identifying the issues that need to be addressed. It does not permit a "third solution" or other alternatives to come forward. It does not ensure we protect many of the great benefits the current municipal structure offers.