Most of us know what our federal and provincial governments are responsible for, but things often get pretty muddy for people when we start talking about regional and municipal governments. What’s important to note, though, is that decisions made at the regional and municipal levels of government are the ones that most directly impact your daily life. Continue reading “Your regional government is responsible for….”
Author: Laura Ip
Reset the Region

What do I mean when I say it’s time to Reset the Region?
If you’re tuned into regional politics at all, I can’t imagine that you’re not angry, frustrated, or appalled (or all three!) at the behaviour of this term of regional council.
We have a regional council with several members who tried to influence (to put it mildly) how our local news is reported. We have a regional council who unlawfully seized the property of a local journalist and had him removed from a council meeting. Continue reading “Reset the Region”
We can fix municipal government by voting
Following is a column I wrote for the St. Catharines Standard. It was published on April 1, 2018 (but it’s not joke).
This municipal election, more than any other I can think of in the nearly 25 years since I have been old enough to vote, [you] need to vote. We all need to vote.
More than voting, though, everyone who is eligible to vote needs to educate themselves about both the issues that are important to their municipality and our region and each of the candidates running to represent us. Continue reading “We can fix municipal government by voting”
I said I wouldn’t run again
Politics is difficult.
Campaigning is difficult.
I didn’t find the work of being a Councillor – though it was short-lived – particularly difficult. In fact, I loved it.
But those first two…. Continue reading “I said I wouldn’t run again”