Every council faces difficult moments. Disagreements happen. Emotions rise. Priorities compete for attention. Public pressure can intensify quickly, especially in smaller communities where decisions feel personal and can be highly visible. The real test of a Council is not whether conflict occurs, but whether the Councillors can recognize when they are drifting off course and act to find their collective way back. Good governance practices are the keel for the municipal “ship

As of the writing of this post, the province of New Brunswick held their local government elections a few days ago, and there are a series of other elections that are yet to occur across much of Canada in the late summer and fall. Following those elections, a whole bunch of new councillors, mayors, reeves, and wardens will be joining their more experienced colleagues around a council table for the next four years. At the same time, a whole bunch of experienced members will be

Former US President Joe Biden once quoted his father on the topic of political budgets: “Don’t tell me what you value. Show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value”. It’s one of those thoughts that seems simple at first blush, but you soon realize has several deeper meanings. A budget, regardless of what order of government you serve, is more than just a collection of line items and costs. It is a roadmap for your political activity, a signal to your constituents a