THE DEMOCRATIC CHOICE

Haldimand County staff have done the right thing by recommending a byelection to fill the vacancy in Ward 4 following the unexpected and unfortunate resignation of Coun. Natalie Stam. Legally, it had two options — holding a byelection or appointing a replacement.

The next few years will be a pivotal time for the county. The decisions made by those around the council table will forever change what Haldimand is and what it could be. Should the county proceed with asking the province to rezone the industrial lands in Nanticoke to allow for a massive residential development?

How should it deal with the ongoing financial fallout from the COVID pandemic? What should the county do to address problems with internet connectivity, reconciliation with its Indigenous neighbours and the upgrading of municipal services and facilities?

Residents in Ward 4 need to be represented in those discussions and they need to be represented by someone of their choice.

In last October's election, voters chose Stam, preferring her over the incumbent Tony Dalimonte by a wide margin. While it cannot be said with any certainty why nearly two-thirds of those who cast ballots voted for change, in a way, it doesn't really matter. What matters is that Ward 4 had their chance listen to what the candidates had to say and to choose who they wanted to speak on their behalf for the next four years. This is the very essence of representative democracy and good governance.

On the other hand, the idea of appointing someone to fill three-and-a-half years of a four-year term is the antithesis of democracy and good governance. Why should six elected representatives, only one of whom received any votes in Ward 4, get to usurp the democratic judgment of the people?

The short answer is that they shouldn't.

Some appointment advocates would argue that holding a byelection would take too long and leave Ward 4 to be without a rep for an extended period of time, particularly with so many important decisions to be made. However, what good will those decisions be if they don't accurately reflect the will of the people?

Others will argue about the cost. It's true that a byelection won't be cheap, but you nickel and dime democracy at your own peril.

If this were five months to go before a municipal election rather than five months after one was held, appointment would make sense. However, 2026 is a long time to go without proper democratic representation.

Ward 4 deserves better than an unelected temp. It deserves a councillor of its own choosing. It deserves a byelection.