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Politicians and bureaucrats are gathering this weekend May 4 to 6 in a Greenwich inn for the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities’ seasonal meeting. Items on the agenda include the “strategic” spending of infrastructure money collected from taxpayers, and a report from the organization’s current president, mayor Cecil Clarke of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. A former provincial cabinet minister, Clarke, 48, heads the board of directors and communicates for the union (an umbrella group of 51 municipal entities) with other levels of government on municipal matters. Clarke spoke with The Coast about the issues affecting Nova Scotia’s cities and towns, and the role Halifax plays in Atlantic Canada’s success.
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What are the municipalities’ most pressing infrastructure needs and where’s the money coming from to address them?
The number-one pressing priority for municipalities is roads, and basic water and sewer infrastructure. The funding for that, with the new Build Canada fund in the federal budget, has opened up opportunities (and) the provincial budget has designated some more money. So those are positive signs. The challenge always is: When does the work get done? I really think we’ll be planning towards next year for major project activity.
How often does the UNSM contact the provincial and/or federal government about infrastructure? Is it essentially a regular lobbying campaign?
The UNSM is constantly in dialogue with the province. We’re working on a partnership agreement for things like roads and where operating matters come into consideration. That’s really a weekly, if not a daily, exercise with UNSM reaching out and connecting with the province. Most of the federal infrastructure is dealt with through the (province), so there’s not as much direct federal contact from the UNSM.
The province recently released a planning-tool index that summarizes the financial health of our municipalities. What do you have to say about how some of these local economies are doing?
The (index) is really a very important measurement tool that I welcome, but it also speaks to the reality of sustainability across the province. Thus the discussions around amalgamations and regional co-operation. The challenges for places like CBRM is we’ve already amalgamated and we still have pressures or red flags that are significant, for a community like ours, versus some of the robustness that thankfully Halifax is able to enjoy.
Halifax is seen as the engine that powers the economic train in Nova Scotia. Is this a good thing, or bad?
It’s essential Halifax continue to be that economic engine for Nova Scotia, and more importantly continue to be the centre for Atlantic Canada. What we do need is stability in the rest of Nova Scotia. Continued decline and economic downturn or uncertainty throughout the province doesn’t help Halifax. But without Halifax being that engine, it will not help us move forward in the regions as well.
Despite UNSM efforts, the vast majority of municipal councillors are men. Why haven’t things changed significantly on that front?
There’s no easy answer, in terms of women in politics. It’s about getting the best people to run, and there’s a lot of very talented women in this province who can make a huge contribution. But it’s just about, in some ways, how things (in local government) systematically have been structured that have not been the most conducive, and inviting and welcoming, for women to be in politics.
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This article appears in May 5-11, 2016.
Hahaha! Cecil! Are you trying to take yourself out of the job of Mayor? How does the average Sydneyite (Sydneyer? Sydneyagonian?) feel about this statement?
I agree, for the record.
Oh, for God’s sake, I wish these Cecil haters would take a break from waiting on their pogey and welfare cheques to actually educate themselves a bit before spouting off their negativity. Cape Breton is not in great shape, that’s for sure, but I shudder to think where we’d be had we NOT had Cecil as mayor for the last several years. He’s one man, not a magician. He’s done more for this municipality in a time of horrible population decline than I think anybody would have anticipated. He’s responsible for many positives, but the port project is above and beyond I think anybody’s expectations 10 years ago. Except maybe his. Yes our roads suck. Yes our taxes are high. Was Cecil supposed to wave a magic wand and fix every road in Cape Breton in his term? With what? All those taxes our welfare recipients pay? Its a process for heavens sake. Read the literature, inform yourselves properly, before starting in on your baseless tirades. Read his list of accomplishments. Listen to him speak. Id rather see our seniors be able to pay for heat this winter than the Yarmouth Ferry lose another 20 million. Id rather our physicians be treated fairly and paid comparably to the rest of the country so we can all have a family doctor, rather than have a pre-primary program put in place which was completely unnecessary, causing job loses and daycare closures. Our current premier doesn’t have the capacity to run an ant farm, let alone our province. We are going to be decades before we ever get back to where we were before MacNeil, and that wasn’t even so hot. However if anybody can turn this ship around at all, my money’s on Cecil.
Cecil has always hated Cape Breton, why can’t all the Cecil Lovers see that?