Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore was the lone dissenting vote against a motion that will require him to write a letter to the provincial government asking them to collaborate with council if it is considering “strong mayor powers.” Fillmore, who has expressed support for the concept of strong powers, said he would follow the will of council, which voted 16-to-one in favour of the first half of the motion, which concerns the letters. The second half of the motion, which focused on a deadline for the letters and a staff report, passed unanimously. Coun. Sam Austin brought forward the motion, which directs Fillmore to request collaboration from the province about possible strong mayor powers. It also directs Fillmore to ask the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities Board to adopt a similar position. “Strong mayor powers would be a major institutional change for us,” Austin said. “It would bound future mayors and councils. Strong mayor powers was not part of anyone election’s campaigns. There are major implications.” Ontario allows for strong mayor powers in some municipalities and says it can include the ability to appoint a chief administrative officer and hire municipal division heads. Fillmore, who said the municipality is at a “pivotal moment,” has had informal conversations with the province about the strong powers. He noted he received a “clear mandate” when he was elected last fall with more than 52,000 votes. “The system we operate under is not designed to deliver on that mandate with urgency,” he said. “It’s about structure. It’s about a governance built for a smaller city in a simpler time. “This is not a call for unchecked power. This model doesn’t erode democracy; it sharpens its edge. I believe deeply in collaboration but I also believe leadership must have the tools to lead.” At a separate news conference on Thursday, Premier Tim Houston said there is an ongoing discussion on strong mayor powers. He noted the recent debates over bike lanes as a point of disconnect between voters and the council. “I think everyone in HRM is concerned with traffic at the moment,” Houston said. “The only people who don’t seem concerned are the people on council. Those are the types of things that give me pause for thought. “There’s serious disconnect right now between serving the citizens of Halifax and the decisions of that council.” During the discussion of the motion at a meeting on Thursday, many councillors expressed reservations and concerns about possible strong mayor powers muting their voices. “Democracy is messy and it isn’t easy but out of that can often come a lot of benefits,” said Coun. Patty Cuttell. “It’s about making the decisions out of multiple opinions.” “A strong leader does not require strong mayor powers,” said Coun. Shawn Cleary. “Leadership comes from all aspects. It doesn’t come from the top down.” “Concentrating this power is very troubling to me,” said Coun. Laura White. “I support this motion because people need to know what’s going on here. There’s so much noise. It’s important to get this more in the public conversation.” Austin said his motion did not seek to have council make a position on strong mayor powers, but rather engage the public with the potential changes from the province. “We should be talking to the public about this,” he said. “Concentrating power in the hands of one diminishes the whole.” An amendment to the motion sought to have the chief administrative officer write the letter to the minister of Municipal Affairs instead of the mayor, but it was defeated 12-to-five. Fillmore, Billy Gillis, David Hendsbee, Trish Purdy and John Young voted in favour of the amendment. “It won’t make a hill of beans difference who the letter comes from; Premier Houston is not going to give a crap anyway,” said Cleary, who noted section 382 of the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter requires the province to consult with the municipality for any proposed changes to the Act. The motion also directs the chief administrative officer to provide a staff report on how strong mayor powers have been implemented in other Canadian jurisdictions. Both letters will have to be sent by July 22. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
