Ward 6 Councillor Tom Jackson says this term’s “change council” is hiring too many new bureaucrats and giving them too much power.
His comments came at the May 2nd meeting of Hamilton’s Seniors’ Advisory Committee, where he lamented City Council’s nine-to-six decision to end citizen advisory committees.
“It seems this term of Council, there’s been a definite philosophy to make the bureaucracy greater, in numbers more powerful and more distant,” Jackson stated. “This is my editorial, and I’ve said this publicly at speeches in the chambers, and this is a prime example, the recent nine-to-six vote by my colleagues to dissolve the veterans committee, the seniors advisory, the immigration committees, etc.”
“I was very dismayed,” Jackson said, “The fourteen advisory committees, as we’ve known them for decades, will no longer exist.”
“There’ll be no longer a direct connection by any future seniors advisory committee, whatever structure it may take. There’ll be no more direct link to a standing political committee of council like you’ve had for years, where you annually report on your projects, issues, programs, assignments.”
“The vote has come and gone. It’s on record. I think it was a horrible decision.”
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“Obviously, we have about 18 months left to this term of council and, without trying to be a fortune teller. I don’t know what would happen. But beyond October 2026. But at least for the next 18 months, unfortunately, at some point in time, SAC as we know it, and the great work that evolved from SAC will no longer exist.”
The March 5, 2025, Council vote to end independent advisory committees was as follows:
Yes: M. Wilson, Kroetsch, Nann, Hwang, Danko, Tadeson, Cassar, A. Wilson, McMeekin
Against: Francis, Jackson, Pauls, Clark, Beattie, Spadafora
The City Manager’s Office has removed the Friday meeting video from the City’s YouTube page.
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Published: May 4, 2025
Last updated: May 4, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
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