We are living in a time when effective communications have taken a nosedive. In our quest to get more information — authentic information — faster, we embrace e-mail, Internet searches, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and more. We receive snippets and sound bites of reports, surveys and opinions, and we receive them in spades. But does it help us make more informed decisions?
The race for mayor in the 2010 Greater Sudbury municipal election has been filled with press releases, videos, tweets and public forums literally pepper-sprayed on the voting public — sometimes with the same blinding result.
Where is the context?
Ward 8 councillor and budget chair Ted Callaghan continues to provide the public with a credible view on city operations from a financial standpoint. His message is clear: things aren’t going to get any better for the city, unless we look for cost efficiencies and tighten our collective belts. For Callaghan, this is essential if we are to attend to the voters’ top of mind issues of infrastructure and contained taxes.
Greater Sudburians want change in leadership. But does incumbent mayor John Rodriguez really grasp that concept?
Political neophyte Marianne Matichuk brings a refreshing viewpoint on Greater Sudbury operations as a former city health and safety officer and a supervisor at Pioneer Manor. She has rattled some cages in the city, brought up some contentious issues and seems determined to put into effect her campaign slogan of “Real Change Now.”
And don’t we all want that?
Candidate Derek Young seems to want that, too, and has taken on the challenge of bringing grassroots issues to the forefront. The youthful arts and non-profit sector worker has spent time immersing himself in various pockets of our community, gathering stories of discontent, which he shares through his Facebook, YouTube and Twitter accounts. His efforts are admirable, but he doesn’t have the momentum to crack the top three candidates.
Greater Sudburians want change in leadership. But does incumbent mayor John Rodriguez really grasp that concept? Clearly, he is the candidate with the most experience — one who has survived one political landmine after another. Has he learned from those mistakes?
Many dissatisfied voters offer up a resounding “No,” and point to the fiasco of the Elton John ticket sales, the “lost” St. Joseph’s hospital site and Rodriguez’s failed bid to bring forth a Performing Arts Centre and a Muti-Use Recreational Facility. Some of our readers have said Rodriguez failed to provide effective leadership during the year-long strike at Vale.
Staff and city workers grumble, off the record, about the lack of efficiencies, duplication and waste that is ongoing throughout Greater Sudbury operations. Rodriguez appears to recognize this discontent and points to the hiring of an auditor during his term to examine the various departments “line-by-line.” Not surprisingly, for an incumbent, he chooses to focus on what is working and, perhaps, blocks out some valuable feedback in the process. He is not a fan of criticism.
Recently, Matichuk brought forth a 2009 report done by a local research firm that indicates the mayor is “detached” from city staff and managers. She said the report also noted that the mayor should “make greater efforts to listen to workers.”
The entire report is an interesting read, but one of the most interesting parts was the methodology and resulting participation rate. In compiling research, a total of 140 invitations were sent to employees and 52 agreed to participate. A total of 88 employees refused to participate. In the end, a further 14 of the 52 recruited did not show for their scheduled session.
Good communication is a two-way street. And in some cases, as in the demanding job of mayor, communication can be as complex as a Persian carpet. It is troubling that, when given the opportunity to have their say, people easily give up the chance.
Matichuk has come out swinging and has been driven by a supportive team of people who are determined to see change at the city. She has a vision to clean up city hall, but, when asked off-the-cuff to provide meaningful content behind these plans, she falls short on the details. She cannot run this city on a slogan. Her campaign has relied on finger pointing at city operations — a disingenuous approach that has left people wondering how she can expect to meaningfully connect with city workers and administration.
Callaghan can provide relative context in a gentlemanly manner, which makes him a solid mayoral candidate. That said, he has been underwhelming and, during debates held so far, comes across as an uninspiring leader.
Our city is at a crossroads. Frankly, it almost always is. Whether it’s a strike, the sale of our local mining companies, a plunge or rise in commodity prices, or the constant challenge to manage a big geographic city with limited population, it is never business as usual.
For us, the question is not just cutting expenses, it is creating taxpayers to share the load.
What we need is a changed John Rodriguez. He is a skilled orator but words are cheap. He needs to respect the taxpayers of this region with a rigorous transformation on cost control measures and priority, he needs to find humility and listen to his opponents as well as his supporters, he needs new people and new ideas to relentlessly pursue a sustainable economic plan for Sudbury and, most importantly, as the most senior municipal politician in this community, he needs to help prepare a new generation of Sudburians to lead this community by the time our next election rolls around.
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