In early June, nearly 2,000 fellow Mayors and municipal
leaders met from all across Canada, from
small municipalities to Canada’s largest cities, and made a united call for a
federal leaders’ debate on the issues Canadians face in their day-to-day lives.
Issues like how to create jobs, make housing more affordable, reduce greenhouse
gas emissions and keep our communities safe. These issues are not just local
issues, they are national issues.
They are national because they are common to cities and
communities from coast to coast to coast. And they are national because the
measure of a strong Canada lies in the strength of our hometowns.
That is why I am joining voices with other mayors and
municipal leaders from across the country to call on the federal party leaders
to hold a debate on how we can work better together as levels of government on
common goals.
It is easy to see why the Federal Government needs to work
with Municipalities and debate Municipal issues. Municipalities receive 8 cents of the tax
dollar and own over 60% of all the roads, bridges, water and waste water
infrastructure in the Country. We need the Federal Government to partner with
our communities to fund transit to reduce gridlock, work on affordable housing,
community safety and infrastructure that will ultimately improve our quality of
life.
We want to live and raise our families in vibrant and
healthy communities. We care about our economy prospering and jobs being
created. We believe everyone deserves to have a roof over their head. We want
to protect our environment and believe that clean water should not be a
challenge for any community in a country like ours. We value the safety of our
neighbourhoods. And we know that, as a country, we can be leaders on the
international stage and that we all benefit from connecting globally. These are
goals that transcend jurisdiction and partisan differences and warrant debate
on how we can achieve them.
This fall’s federal election will be hard fought. I would
like to hear the federal party leaders share their vision for cities and
communities. How, if Prime Minister, their government would partner with municipalities
to create jobs and drive growth? Or address local, national and international
challenges like increasing trade and investment and climate change? How will
they work with us to make Halton Hills and all of Halton Region more livable,
safer and greener?
Some of the party leaders have already agreed to a debate
but we need to highlight why this is needed.
Visit http://hometownproud.fcm.ca/
and sign the petition. We need to be asking the candidates of all the parties
where they stand on municipal issues.
Today’s communities are tomorrow’s Canada. The debate starts
here; where our potential as a country lives, works, plays and dreams.
Regards
Councillor Clark
Somerville
Halton Hills Regional
Councillor
1st Vice President of the federation of Canadian
Municipalities
