Ian McCormack

We used to talk about the ‘dog days of summer’ as a time when everything slowed down. It was expected, even accepted, that work would ease off for a while as people stepped away to recharge. Summer provided a natural pause before the push into fall, when school resumed and business life accelerated once again. That rhythm feels much harder to find today. Instead of a predictable lull, many people now remark on the absence of any true slow season. Work continues at a steady pace year-round,...

In Animal Farm, George Orwell famously wrote that “all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others” or something close to that. While Orwell’s point was rooted in political critique, there is an interesting parallel in how we operate within local government. Formally, every member of council is equal around the table. In practice, however, relationships, influence, and structural realities create distinctions that matter a great deal, particularly in the relationship between the...

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 departing,...