Inaugural Address by Mayor John Rodriguez
City of Greater Sudbury
December 6, 2006
[Check Against Delivery]
click here for a Webcast of the Inaugural Address by Mayor John Rodriguez.
Your Honour Mr. Justice Lalande, Members of Council, honoured guests.
It is a unique and distinct pleasure to welcome you to the Council Chambers of Tom Davies Square for the 2006 Inaugural Ceremony.
I stand here this evening like Balboa on the Darien Peninsula getting his first glimpse of the Pacific Ocean. I imagine what must have gone through his mind – what challenges does this ocean present? What opportunities does it offer for his king and country? What dangers lurk beneath its peaceful waters?
I know what is running through my mind now – in this moment and it is the words of the poet Robert Frost. In his poem, 'The Road Not Taken”, he writes:
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads onto way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
This 'road less traveled by” offers us great vistas and allows us, the Council, to have a vision of what our community – the City of Greater Sudbury, can be during this term of office.
Never before in our community's history has so much wealth been generated by the minerals beneath our feet and yet so little is obtained by our municipal level of government. Imagine – if we could obtain even a small fraction of the wealth that goes to other levels of government. What we could do to enhance the quality of life in Greater Sudbury!
Our Council's challenge is to make that happen! But how? UNITY – TEAMWORK – COMMUNICATION – Our City isn't the only community in Northern Ontario that isn't benefiting directly from the present boom in mineral prices. There are also communities in Northern Ontario whose economies are closely tied to trees and they are presently in a bust cycle and are in need of a safety net. Our Council needs to unite the cities of the North and, with our MPPs, to approach the Premier of the Province of Ontario to pass legislation, similar to the City of Toronto Act. This legislation would recognize Northern Ontario as a region that is rich in resources but which needs special consideration in terms of power costs, transportation costs and resource revenue sharing.
Within the first 100 days I will, in consultation with Council, name a Chairperson and a citizen task force to research the current regime of mining taxation and royalty policies and make recommendations for a new sustainable model for the City of Greater Sudbury and by extrapolation all of Northern Ontario.
While on the topic of mining and its benefits for our City, I can inform you that I have had extremely positive discussions with Mr. Mark Cutifani, Mr. Fred Stanford and Mr. Cory McPhee of CVRD-Inco. In those discussions we reviewed opportunities to solidify our relationship with the mining community, in a proactive and mutually beneficial way.
In this regard, we agreed to pursue mining research opportunities in our community. This could lead to an initiative such as a research park for mining research and would bring together industry, the education sector, community and government in a partnership whose focus is to explore a value-added approach to mining.
The question of CVRD-Inco's presence in and commitment to Greater Sudbury was also raised and met with commitments to position Sudbury as the hub of CVRD-Inco's mining operations for North America and Europe -- with activities related to mining and mining research located here. We concluded our meeting with an agreement, to stay in close communication when Greater Sudbury's and CVRD-Inco's mutual interests are served.
I am scheduled to meet Mr. Mike Romaniuk of Xstrata shortly and I am very optimistic that we will have the same positive meeting of the minds.
During the recent municipal election all Members of Council and myself were faced with the issue of disaffection with the idea of the amalgamated City of Greater Sudbury. In response to this issue, the previous Council and Mayor appointed Floyd Laughren as Chair of a committee to look for solutions to the de-amalgamation drive, primarily from communities outside the core city. We anxiously await Floyd's report and recommendations which are scheduled to be tabled in January.
But, make no mistake, Council and myself are determined to make every reasonable effort to implement those recommendations, which offer the best chances of unifying our city. One initiative in particular, that I promised during the recent campaign was the establishment of Community Councils. The present framework of Community Action Networks (CAN's) are in fact Community Councils but without legislative muscle. Accordingly, Council will be asked to frame terms of reference for these CANs which in effect, will give them legitimacy in the eyes of municipal civil servants. These CANs/Community Councils already do receive money from the Council. But, I believe that they should also be given the ability to raise money for the projects they undertake in order to enhance their community.
I cannot say enough about community volunteers who, over the years, have given so much of themselves to our city. You are the backbone of this Greater Sudbury and, on behalf of City Council, I want to publicly thank you for your selflessness and commitment to your various communities and to the City of Greater Sudbury. Therefore, within the first 100 days after receiving the report from the Community Solutions Team, Council will select an implementation Committee to schedule a public consultation prior to adopting the recommendations.
I think one of the greatest successes of amalgamation has been in the area of public transit. But there is one anomaly that demands our attention. I refer to the transfer fee demanded of residents in outlying communities beyond the reach of conventional Transit buses.
Within the first 100 days, I intend to ask this Council, at the earliest opportunity, to eliminate this transfer fee on all TransCab routes so that all residents have the same transit access. After consultation with our CAO, I understand that this would be doable within our current fiscal framework.
I have outlined a vision of unity within Greater Sudbury. I also recognize that one of its greatest challenges is the need for teamwork. I understand teamwork because I have been and still am a coach of a volleyball team – City champs and NOSSA gold medallists.
The citizens of Greater Sudbury have selected TEAM GREATER SUDBURY, better known as the Council and Mayor. The owners (you, the citizens), like all owners of sports teams at the beginning of the season, have great expectations of us. We, around this table, are a talented team. Some of us are very good defensive players, some are great centers who will play up and down the center all night, and there are accurate shooting right wingers and, I believe, only one left winger.
But, what really matters is that we put our collective wealth of experience and wisdom to ensure that we play as a team. This team will need to focus on the vision and to identify the goals so that we can work towards achieving them.
I have already met with each of you Councillors on a one-to-one basis and I have listened closely to your concerns and many of you have specific goals for your particular ward – and that is excellent.
I am sure that they will wend their way to the budget process for possible inclusion. But – on the question of vision I ask you to consider the road, 'less travelled by', because it will make 'all the difference”.
I now turn my attention to our specialty team – it is comprised of the people who work for our City of Greater Sudbury. When I came to City Hall the day after the election, I began meeting with the CAO, Mark Mieto, and others in the management ranks. Each one declared to me that I was now the leader of the team and that I must give them the vision of where I see the city going – and they saw it as their roles to make that vision happen.
Well, team -- I'll take you up on the offer! When I was a rookie MP in Ottawa in 1972, I had the privilege of being in the same Caucus as the Greatest Canadian, Tommy Douglas. I have never forgotten his advice to us, the rookies in the Caucus: 'If you're not making a mistake, you're not making decisions”.
This is not a call to go out and make mistakes. But, it's a recognition that, from time to time, we're going to make mistakes – I'm going to make mistakes and so will staff. So, I say to staff: do not shrink from making a decision for fear of making a decision. Mistakes can be corrected; indecision is what sank the Titanic!
In my previous incarnation, I managed staff and I believe in affirming people in their jobs. I believe that each and every worker has hopes, aspirations and abilities and must be treated with respect and sensitivity – no matter where that person works in our city's operations.
I believe that our staff should be happy to come to work because this is a place where their efforts are appreciated and they are valued as important team members.
To this end, I will be visiting, in the next few weeks, every work site to meet our employees to let them know how much we appreciate their efforts and to encourage them to make suggestions of how the job can be done more efficiently and more economically. I will be accompanied by management and union personnel, and the Ward Councillor wherever possible. I will also be discussing, with both management and the unions, the placing of Suggestion Boxes in all City workplaces.
A matter that demands our urgent attention is the plight of this city's homeless and those citizens who are most at risk. The agencies who have dealt with these issues and provided services within our community will run out of funding shortly. The financial responsibility for homelessness rests with our senior levels of government - they must step up to the plate.
In the interim, we will be stepping up to the plate. These agencies have approached the City for help, and a special report on this issue by the Community Solutions Team on Homelessness will be presented to Council next week.
I have met with the agencies in question, and I'm most impressed with the services they provide, often on a volunteer basis. Let me tell you about just one of these groups, the Red Jackets, who perform nightly outreach services on our City's downtown streets.
The Red Jackets are the caring, compassionate face of this City towards those out on the mean streets during a cold winter's night. They are our face to those less fortunate. I would guess that the Red Jackets save the City thousands each year because, without them, the services of the Police and Emergency Services would be required far more often.
Therefore, in the interim, we as a City must be compassionate when we consider the recommendations from the Community Solutions Team on Homelessness.
There is no doubt that citizens of Greater Sudbury put a great emphasis on the continued improvement of our roads, sidewalks and water infrastructure. We, on Council agree that we will continue to use our budget allotment to leverage the maximum amount of transfer payments from the federal and provincial governments for our road and water infrastructure program.
During the recent election campaign, I and my fellow Councillors listened carefully to the concerns and aspirations of the citizens of this great community. The message we received was loud and clear. Our public has asked that we ensure that every dollar that they entrust to us is spent in the most fiscally responsible way possible. For example, if we look at a new project we must ensure that funding sources are in place and that further demands are not placed on the backs of our taxpayers. We must also never lose sight of the importance of public consultation.
We have also heard - again loud and clear - that we must continue with our road construction program. The road less travelled still has more than a few bumps which require our attention.
In reviewing the 2007 Budget we must always keep in mind our citizens who live on fixed incomes and our growing seniors population. It is our responsibility as elected officials to see that these individuals can live in our community with the respect that they deserve.
But, there is another kind of infrastructure which speaks to the soul of a city. This infrastructure is a Performing Arts Centre.
Our City of Greater Sudbury has many talented and artistic citizens. Our secondary schools offer courses in the performing arts; we are home to a Symphony Orchestra; there are many talented musicians, choirs and dancers. We are home to several theatre groups. All we need is the stage to feature them and adequate-size seating to show our appreciation for their talents. In addition, a Performing Arts Centre adds to the quality of life and would certainly assist in attracting and retaining professionals as well as keeping our young people in our community.
It is our understanding that there are other communities in Northern Ontario who have received funding from our senior levels of governments to assist with similar projects. We will certainly be pursuing these and other funding sources.
This idea has been studied extensively and the time has come for ACTION. In the next 100 days, in consultation with our Council, I will name a prominent, knowledgeable citizen to Chair, and a task force broadly representative of our community to develop an Action Plan: scope out the cost, scale, sources of financial support and location of a Performing Arts Centre.
One of our assets in the City of Greater Sudbury is our Health Care facilities. Because of the far-sighted leadership of former Mayor Jim Gordon, we have a medical school. Couple that with a Cancer Treatment Centre and our cardiac specialists and we have achieved the status of being the Health Care Centre for Northeastern Ontario. I believe we can extrapolate this to Ontario and Canada. To begin to achieve this goal, I will, within the next 100 days, and in consultation with Council Members, appoint a Chairperson and a group of citizens to be named to the Mayor's Task Force on Health Cluster Development. It will be the task of this committee to develop an Action Plan to spell out the means and ways whereby the Health Care sector can be leveraged to promote future growth in one of the fastest growing sectors in the Canadian economy.
In Greater Sudbury's Master Plan for Parks, Open Space and Leisure, there is the recognition of the need to construct additional ice pads and a multi-use recreational complex. I know that my predecessor, Mayor David Courtemanche, placed an emphasis on fitness and recreation as part of his quality of life approach for citizens of Greater Sudbury and I want to acknowledge his accomplishments in this field and I want to assure him that those initiatives will not be forgotten by this Mayor and Council.
Therefore, I am announcing that within 100 days I will, in consultation with Council, name a prominent citizen as Chairperson along with task force members to form the Task Force on Recreation Facilities. It will, using the Master Plan, examine future community needs in recreation.
In addition, we recognize Sudbury's experience and commitment to a healthy community, one where there is a balance between economic growth, social development and environmental stewardship. We have worked in partnership with community, educational sectors, corporations and citizens to seek recognition as a Regional Centre of Expertise – one which is recognized by the United Nations. We have applied for this recognition and await the response of the UN with bated breath.
My friends, I recommend that we take this road because it is 'grassy” and wants 'wear”.
And now, "The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."
And I close my remarks the way I began by reading another of Robert Frost's poems. It's entitled: 'Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”. I am sure many of you are acquainted with it.
Whose woods these are I think I know
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep.
On behalf of Council and staff, we would like to wish you all the best of the season. Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année!
