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Region Chair一职应受民选

York Region Chair should be directly elected by voters
来源: Bob Mok
按照安省现行规则,约克区域议会主席是由约克区议会内的少数“选民”选出。但是Bob Mok认为这种选举程序缺乏民主和问责制,他呼吁进行体制改革以实现民选区域议会主席一职。
 
Under the current provincial rules, York Region Chair is elected by a small circle of “voters” within the York Regional Council. But this election process lacks democracy and accountability, says Bob Mok, who calls for systematic changes that will result in the Region Chair position to be directly elected by voters.


美国总统林肯曾经说过“如果想要了解一个人的品格,就给他权力”。这句话非常适用于约克区域议会主席的选举。在上次选举中,我们已经看到区域议会主席、市长以及区域议员等关键角色淋漓尽致地诠释了这句话。

President Abraham Lincoln once said “If you want to test a man's character, give him power”. This is so true of the election of the York Region Chair. We have seen the manifestation of this statement by key players in the last election, the Region Chair, the Mayors, and the Regional Councillors alike.

 
有报道称,区域议会主席埃莫森反对民选区域议会主席一职,他的理由是许多居民并不了解区域议会主席的职能。在我看来他完全是在侮辱许多居民的智商。

It was reported that Region Chair Wayne Emmerson opposes making the position elected because many residents do not understand the chairperson’s role. I believe that he is insulting the intelligence of many of us.

埃莫森还说他相信市长和区域议员希望选出能够带领他们共同维护地区整体利益的领导人。我想埃莫森可能是想地利用这一说法而达到自己的个人目的。
Emmerson also believes the mayors and Regional Councillors want to choose the person they want to lead them to represent the interests of the region as a whole. I think maybe he mistook their intentions to further their own agendas as such.


在市政选举结束后不久,一些区域议员就开始彼此游说争取支持,以期能在某个委员会或其他职位任职,或是当选区域议会主席。据一名知情者称,区域议员常常会说“你现在支持我,到时候我也会支持你”,我相信这句话实际上道出了幕后交易的真髓。

Right after the municipal election, Regional Councillors began lobbying each other for support in order to get on a certain committee or another, or to be selected Region chair. This statement came from one of the insiders - “You support me on this and I will support you on that” – I am sure that statement really captures the essence of what is going on behind closed doors.


目前,在安省六个区级政府中已经有三个实行民选区域议会主席,它们分别是荷顿区、滑铁卢区和杜咸区。其中滑铁卢区是从1997年开始实行,荷顿区是从2000年开始实行,杜咸区则是从2014年开始实行。

Direct election of a Region Chair by electors is already practiced in Halton, Waterloo, and Durham – Three of the six Regional Municipalities in Ontario. It started with Waterloo in 1997, Halton in 2000, and Durham in 2014. 


目前,将允许民选约克区域议会主席的省府42号法案尚在制定中。但是这并不能阻止我们在现行省府条例下效仿这一复杂的,并获得了”三次胜利”的选举方式,以使地区主席一职得以民选。

At this time, Bill 42 - a provincial legislation that would enable voters to select their York Region Chair is still a work-in-progress. But that does not stop us from a complicated “triple majority” exercise necessary to effect the change to public election of Region Chair under existing provincial rules. 

 
按照现行制度,约克区域议会主席无需约克区居民授权,而是由约克区议会内的少数“选民”选出,但当选者也会因此欠下他们的人情。为了确保能在四年后获得连任,当选者将不得不满足他们的要求,即便有些要求并不一定符合约克区的利益。因此,进行相关改革至关重要,势在必行。

Under the current system, the York Region Chair has no mandate from the residents of York. It is in debt to the small circle of “voters” within the York Regional Council who put him there. He will have to cater to their demands and not necessarily those of the Region’s in order to secure another term every four years. It is imperative that change must come and without further delay.


在2015年11月10日,万锦市议会支持了民主、透明度和问责制。市议会(以9票对4票)通过了市议员雷亚提出的允许公开选举约克区域议会主席的动议。

On Nov 10, 2015 democracy, transparency, and accountability prevailed at the City Council in Markham. The members passed the motion (9 votes to 4) to allow for public election of the York Region Chair put forward by Councillor Karen Rea. 


虽然这只是迈向具体改革的一小步,但同时却是向正确的方向前进了一步。42号法案将会因此得到推进,其他市政也会被鼓励效仿万锦市府先例,最终使大部分居民的共同愿望将得以实现。

While this is a small step towards to materialization of the process, it is a small step in the right direction. Bill 42 will get a boost and other municipalities will be encouraged to follow Markham’s lead to eventually complete the wishes of a majority of their residents.

 
在2015年11月19日,区域议员Joe Li在约克区议会提出启动约克区域议会主席选举改革的动议,但是其他区域议员显然并不准备支持这一动议,为了避免议员因为反抗公开选举而陷入难堪境地,该动议被推迟至明年年初表决。

On Nov 19, 2015 a motion was raised by Regional Councillor Joe Li at the York Regional Council to initiate the change in the election of York Region Chair. It was evident that the members were not ready to support his motion and it was deferred to early next year to save the Council members’ embarrassment of showing their defiance of public opinion.

 
但无论拖延与否,安省政府都会在下届约克区域议会主席选举之前下令进行改革。任何反抗民主和问责制的行为显然都是徒劳!

Delay or not, the province will mandate the change before the next election of the York Region Chair. Resistance to democracy and accountability is futile!
 
 
 

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