Honestly, the title could stand by itself and be the end of this blog entry, but let me explain anyway.
For those of you following this issue, you will know that – less than one week ago – Council passed the following resolution after Bob Gale took it upon himself (or so he tells us, except for the two times he’s slipped up and then denied saying what he just said) to send letters to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and to the mayors of Niagara’s 12 local area municipalities indicating that he was seriously contemplating governance reform and amalgamation into either a one-city or a four-city model:
I would like to draw your attention, especially, to:
That Regional Council DIRECTS Chair Gale to refrain from any further action and utilization of any further Regional resources or staff time, with the exception of the above, in connection with a review of Regional governance or municipal amalgamation.
Before we voted on the motion, and because he does not understand process or his role, Bob Gale asked our Director of Legal Services if this part of the motion was “legal.” She advised that, yes, Council often acts in this manner and directs the Chair.
Further, when reached by the CBC about the motion, Bob Gale’s Chief of Staff said they were “unable to discuss” the issue:
And then, today, upon arriving home from a 12-hour day of work, I found the following in the inbox of my Regional e-mail:
I’ll get into the details of the letter in future blog entries; however, let me make this crystal clear.
I want there to be not a single doubt for anyone reading this.
Bob Gale and his staff acted in direct contravention of Council’s motion of Thursday, February 26, 2026. While the minutes of that Committee of the Whole meeting have not yet been officially ratified by Council, the intent was abundantly clear, and Bob Gale has only demonstrated his utter lack of respect for Council and that he is entirely unfit for the role of Chair.
This is what you get when you appoint a charter member of the 2014-2018 cabal as Chair.
Laura Ip - Regional Councillor 
This man is unfit for office. He doesn’t seem to know good governance processes (the basic stuff)or the law. Who calls for governance reform 10 weeks before the election process starts May 1. As a voter I am trying to follow the issue. I am confused on how he can send a letter out misrepresenting the city of St Catharines intentions. I watched our council meeting from home and that is not the direction given by those present. I would like to make a request that a motion be put forward for his removal from office.
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I have a question why is Bob Gale signing the letter to the ministry misrepresenting himself as a regional councillor and not the Chair? As a voter I also want a strong motion put forward that the Chair be elected by the people of Niagara. Having the Chair position elected is the first step if we want good governance reform.
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I agree with you and, in fact, I think the Chair should be directly elected at large, rather than even elected by the members of Regional Council; however, after the province appointed the Regional Chairs of Niagara, Peel, and York following the 2022 election (which no one was happy about, as – even with how much many of us liked Jim Bradley – we likely would have selected someone else), the province also changed the Municipal Act to indicate that Regional Chairs in Niagara, Peel, and York would be appointed by the province from now on.
Head of council, appointment by Minister
218.3 (1) For the term of office beginning in 2022, the Minister may, by order, appoint and fix the duration of the term of the head of council of the following municipalities:
1. The Regional Municipality of Niagara.
2. The Regional Municipality of Peel.
3. The Regional Municipality of York. 2022, c. 24, Sched. 3, s. 1.
Effect of order
(2) An order made under subsection (1) takes effect on the date and at the time specified in the order. 2022, c. 24, Sched. 3, s. 1.
Previous appointment ceases to have effect
(3) If the Minister makes an order appointing a head of council under subsection (1) and, on the day the order takes effect, a head of council has been appointed by the members of council, the appointment by the members of the council ceases to have effect as of that day. 2022, c. 24, Sched. 3, s. 1.
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Question for anyone with any legal insight into Council dealings. Did Mr. Gale sign the letter as a Regional Councillor as opposed to Chair so as to offer the defence of non compliance of direction from Council to the Chair? If so, he has violated the spirit of Council direction in a very underhanded manner. Integrity in our elected officials is a fundamental requirement. It should be even more so in our appointed ones.
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