http://www.cambridgetimes.ca/opinions/article/120121
One voice stronger than seven
By DOUG HUTTON, Guest Column
Columns
Mar 11, 2008
Well here we go again; the train passes us by and goes to Peterborough while our politicians bicker internally within Waterloo Region about whether it should go to Cambridge or K-W, when both need it.
In the Feb. 20 edition of The Record, Claudette Millar is reported as pushing for a Cambridge rail link with Toronto, while Waterloo Region has a well advanced study to bring a similar service to Kitchener. We need to give our heads a collective shake.
Shouldn't our political leaders be working together to develop a transportation concept that would service all major population centres within the region rather than competing to get the benefit for "their town"?
Regional councillors have a responsibility to approve and implement projects that benefit the total region. Millar thinks her sole role is to vote for projects that benefit Cambridge only, rather than other municipalities in the region. Certainly a regional councillor should be vigilant to ensure his or her constituents are treated equitably but that is only part of the job. Regional councillors have a responsibility to look at the big picture and that big picture is Waterloo Region.
While we in Waterloo Region pursue local and sometimes conflicting agendas, Jim Flaherty makes a blatant pork barrel commitment to put a rail service through Peterborough and his home riding of Whitby-Oshawa.
The Record editorial of March 1 reported that the economics of this rail link are poor in comparison to a link from Waterloo Region to the Metro Toronto area. The Record is correct. The public transit needs of Waterloo Region (population 500,000) and Peterborough, (population 80,000) are vastly different.
Why this conundrum? Millar's comment, "My priority is pretty clear", on Feb. 20 regarding which city should get the rail connection to Toronto, typifies our problem in Waterloo Region. By pursuing parochial interests we miss a huge opportunity to gain not only provincial support but also federal support for important infrastructure projects that benefit all citizens of Waterloo Region. Both senior levels of government seem quite happy to ignore "seven small municipalities" in Waterloo Region that invariably shoot themselves in the proverbial foot through their self-serving antics. The losers are the citizens of Waterloo Region.
Some local politicians just won't admit that great things are accomplished for the citizens of Waterloo Region when they join together to pursue common goals that benefit all municipalities in the region. The recent hospital crisis provides an example.
This region has received less than its fair share of support for infrastructure, arts, culture and health care. The individual voices of our seven separate municipalities are simply not taken seriously by Queen's Park and Ottawa.
Yet, Waterloo Region has changed from a group of small towns to a significant mid-sized city and widely recognized economic powerhouse. We need to present our community in a manner that gains the respect and support we deserve from higher levels of government. It is not sufficient to send messages or requests to Queen's Park or Ottawa from single municipalities within the region. Instead we need a continuous united lobbying effort to keep important local issues on the provincial and federal agendas.
Citizens for Better Government promotes greater co-operation among the municipalities of Waterloo Region and exists with the sole purpose of "finding a better way" to structure local government.
Doug Hutton is the Citizens for Better Government vice-chair