Bill Kelly: Time to move on from the ward boundary issue

City council’s decision not to appeal the OMB-imposed ward boundaries was the right thing to do.

I’m sure that council received legal advice that an appeal of the decision stood little chance of being successful. Of course, we don’t know exactly what council was told because they chose to go behind closed doors to have the discussion, and that was another in a long list of bad decisions they’ve made on the ward boundary issue.

Fact is, it’s been a long and controversial debate, laced with acrimony and bombast, but it’s time to move on. The new ward boundary model isn’t perfect, but it’s the best possible solution that addresses the changing face of our city.

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Back in the late 1990s, there was a similar heated debate about Hamilton’s amalgamation.

One of the most vocal critics of amalgamation was Ancaster Coun. Murray Ferguson, who wanted nothing to do with the plan.

But when the province imposed the amalgamation, Ferguson became a member of the new city council.

His rationale was simple; he still  thought amalgamation was wrong, but since it was thrust upon us, it was his job to make it work and he became a leader on the new council.

If we want the new ward boundaries to work, and Hamilton to succeed, we need to elect people like Murray Ferguson who put the city’s best interests ahead of political self-interest.

Bill Kelly is the host of Bill Kelly Show on AM 900 CHML and a commentator for Global News