Guelph’s diversity grows by the day, making it all the more important to include a wider variety of voices in decision-making. That’s exactly what voters elected to do on Oct. 24 … to some extent.
The next term of council comes with several new perspectives, giving greater representation to those who are all too often unheard, under-heard or uninterested in engaging in city politics (perhaps the result of past experiences).
Not only are there several different faces on council next term – five of the 13 council members are new to the role – voters elected the city’s first known visible minority in Ken Yee Chew (Ward 6), as well as the first known person who identifies as non-binary, Erin Caton (Ward 1).
Neither of these distinctions are official, as such information hasn’t been collected through the years, but they’re accurate to the best of city clerk Stephen O’Brien’s knowledge, and certainly to the recollection of this longtime Guelph resident and others I’ve spoken with.
It would be off the mark to suggest marginalized groups have been completely ignored in city decision-making, but having some of their voices, knowledge and first-hand experiences heard in council chambers and carrying the weight of a vote will bring much-needed direct perspective to the matters at hand.
Varied perspectives tend to result in previously un-posed questions being asked, alternate approaches to problem-solving being suggested and new options coming forward in response to the city’s increasingly complex issues.
These new councillors can’t be expected to speak on behalf of all marginalized residents – they were, after all, elected to represent the people of their ward, not specific groups within the community … not that such a thing is even really possible – but their individual experiences and knowledge can influence city decisions in more fulsome ways than checking off the box of community consultation does.
Of course we’ve not seen either councillor-elect in action yet, so the verdict on their effectiveness and what they bring to the table is still out. Voters will have four years to make up their minds on that.
Caton also brings an accessibility lens that’s been absent from council discussions. Currently a member of the city’s Accessibility Advisory Committee, though that ends when they’re is sworn in as councillor on Nov. 15, Caton is the founder and president of the Environmental Sensitivities Coalition of Canada.
They’re used to raising red flags about accessibility issues in the city and calling for change, only now those flags may be more visible during the decision-making process.
I look forward to seeing what impact Chew, Caton and the rest of the newly elected council members will have and how they’ll work with the returning incumbents, as well as city staff.
Let's not overlook the influence women have on council, especially this time around. Electors have granted a majority of votes to women next term, with seven women and one non-binary councillor to five men.
While this isn’t the first time a majority of council has been made up of women – that’s something we’ve seen a couple of times in recent decades – it’s an indication of the progressive nature of local voters.
Perhaps it’s shows gender is largely a non-factor for people heading to the polls (a strong candidate is a strong candidate), or that traditional barriers to women entering politics are being torn down. Hopefully it’s both.
Women’s voices were kept on mute for far too long in politics, much in the same way many marginalized groups are today.
I’m pleased to be witnessing the social shift and look forward to seeing what impact greater political diversity has on inspiring future leaders.
