The hybrid system in Thunder Bay isn't going anywhere anytime soon after a debate at city hall Monday night.
Coun. Ken Boshcoff's idea to ask voters in the next election whether they would like to see the city move to an all at-large system was defeated 9-2 but not before a pair of amendments and a lot of discussion took place.
The city currently uses a hybrid model with seven ward and five at-large councillors along with a mayor. Boscoff said an at-large system would be fairer as all councillors would represent the city as a whole.
Mayor Keith Hobbs and other councillors worried that an at-large race is all about name recognition and money. In past elections Hobbs said he would vote based on names he recognized and he think a lot of other voters do the same thing.
“A lot of people who are well qualified don’t get that chance,” he said.
Wards allow for lesser known candidates to have a shot at getting a seat on council.
But Boshcoff said any candidate in any election needs to be a part of the community. From volunteering to sitting on committees, name recognition come from hard work.
"You have to earn your way through it,” he said.
Coun. Trevor Giertuga, who introduced an amendment asking that the city move to a ward-only system that was defeated, said ward councillors hold meetings and have knowledge of neighbourhood issues that at-large councillors sometimes don't. In an at-large system who would chair ward meetings and bring particular issues to council he asked.
"I’m there and I’m forced to answer questions and be held accountable,” he said.
Coun. Mark Bentz said if there was a plebiscite he would like the public to be asked whether they want all-ward, at-large only, or see the current system continue. City clerk John Hannam said that plebiscites are best kept to a "yes" or "no" and that a three-part question might not be approved under the Municipal Act.
Other councillors argued that the current system allows for the best of both worlds. Ward councillors bring particular issues to the table and committees while at-large councillors represent the city as a whole on regional, provincial and national issues.
"If it isn't broke why fix it?" asked Coun. Brian McKinnon. "I don't see any reason why we should try to change something that's working rather well."
