In a recent one-on-one exchange with The Hamilton Independent, former Hamilton mayor Larry Di Ianni (pictured) talked about the current state of city council and the issues that will likely drive the next election. According to the former mayor, Hamilton’s current municipal government has “gone way left”. Photo credit: Cable14
The Hamilton Centre Conservative Association organised a gathering on Thursday, March 10 at the Hamilton Club to celebrate the 100th birthday of the late former PC MP and Lieutenant-Governor Lincoln Alexander.
One of the prominent Hamiltonians who spoke at the event was former Hamilton mayor Larry Di Ianni. Di Ianni, who was mayor from 2003-2006, and who later ran under the federal Liberal banner in 2008, used the opportunity to tell those gathered that Hamilton City Council has “gone way left” and that, although there are some good people on council who should stay in local government, Conservatives and Liberals must unite against left-wing candidates in the upcoming October 2022 municipal election.
The Hamilton Independent spoke to Di Ianni one-on-one about leftism on Hamilton City Council, the upcoming municipal election, and the key issues he believes are facing Hamiltonians.
Questions and answers have been edited for length and clarity.
THE HAMILTON INDEPENDENT (THI): In your speech to attendees, you mentioned the tearing down of the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald in downtown Hamilton. Should putting the statue back-up be a top priority for more moderate candidates in the upcoming municipal election?
DI IANNI: The tearing down of the Sir John A. Macdonald statue is more just a symptom of what’s wrong with politics today and, beyond politics, just people’s behaviour today. That statue went down in a very violent way. I think there’s a legitimate discussion to have: what is the role of those we have designated heroes in our history and how do we paint a fuller picture? But, also, I think what I meant by that as well is that let’s not give into anarchy. People putting a noose around a statue and tearing it down is chaotic and anarchic and it’s not good for society. And the fact that there were some elected officials there, maybe even organising, makes it even worse because they should know better. So that’s what I meant by that. It’s more of a symptom of how we’re giving in to those whose impulse is to destroy as opposed to build and create.
THI: So, what should be the driving issue in the 2022 municipal election?
DI IANNI: Concern for the tax dollar so that you’re not throwing money away, but you’re investing it. The creation of wealth. And I believe that you need to distribute wealth. I believe that our system of taxation where we take money and reapportion it to areas that are in need is a good one, but before you can distribute it you have to create it. You cannot be disincentivizing businesses that create jobs and pay taxes. You need to create more of that. In fact, in Hamilton, we’ve lost our industrial base or business base and there’s too much of the burden on the local homeowner to pay for all the services that not too many decades ago were mostly paid for by the large companies in the industrial area of the city. We need to rebalance that if we want to have good social programs.
THI: Would you say there are any other issues that council has gone too far left on?
DI IANNI: Well, first, I want to specify that it is only some members of council, not all members, but some espouse very radical opinions. There are some that are anti-car, anti-road, and support defunding the police. Having members on council that support defunding the police is a huge issue because taking money away from public safety is foolhardy, especially in a city and in parts of the city that have seen a rise in crime, and violent crime in particular. Also, the rhetoric surrounding the urban boundary expansion issue was concerning. I think that the decision they made to hold off on urban boundary expansion is okay, I think we can make it work, but the rhetoric by some of the councillors was very anti-business. They were mistreating and misrepresenting businesspeople who have invested heavily in our community, especially in our downtown area, and are revitalising the city. When I was involved in council, we would die to have a crane in our downtown. Now our downtown is dotted with cranes, which means economic activity, revitalization, and higher tax revenue, and businesspeople are made out to be the enemy? You can’t make villains out of individuals who are arguing for legitimate business.
THI: What do you think of the mayoral race?
DI IANNI: I think that Fred (Eisenberger) has done a good job. We have had some good success with topping a couple of billion dollars in economic activity. That’s all good. And that’s with a council that has been fractious. If everyone was rolling in the same direction, I think it could be even better than that. So, if Fred runs again I would give very serious consideration to supporting him. And that’s not to say that Keanin Loomis (former president and CEO of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce who announced he is running for mayor) is not an individual that’s going to attract some attention. He’s the former president of the Hamilton Chamber, but the Hamilton Chamber isn’t what it used to be in terms of representing business interests. It’s more of a social circle these days. It isn’t as much an advocate for the business community, pure and simple, as it used to be. And my issue with Keanin is one of experience. If you’re going to go to Toronto and get on a 747 to take you to Paris, you want the pilot to have flown that plane before, or at least have been part of the crew before. And some experience at the political level is important and Keanin just doesn’t have it. He’s got other kinds of experience that maybe will compensate, but we have to see how things develop. He’s a fine young man I can tell you that. And very smart. But we’ll see. It’ll be interesting. Mayoral races are always interesting.
THI: The LRT has dominated the last couple municipal elections, largely because a number of conservative-minded people are against it. Do you think that the LRT issue will dominate the 2022 election again and what do you make of those, particularly conservatives, who are against it?
DI IANNI: I would hope that we are done with the LRT issue now that council has signed on to the project. And I actually don’t understand why many conservative-minded people are against the project. When federal and provincial levels of government want to invest $3.4 billion into your city, you’ve got to seriously think about supporting that because it’s very rare to have senior levels of government come to you with buckets full of cash. And yes, it’s from Eastgate Square to McMaster University and it’s going to help primarily those people along that line. I get all of that. But anytime you help any part of the city, you’re helping the whole city, especially when you’re revitalising an older part of the community, such as is being talked about here. And we’re seeing some results of that investment even before it happens, by the way. They’re talking about reinvesting in Eastgate Square with some residential condominiums that will contribute to the ridership. I know, personally, of people that have bought property along King Street and some of the bigger developers are already developing along there. We haven’t seen that for many years. There’s an economic uplift as a result of the forthcoming LRT and so conservative-minded people who are interested in seeing a healthy financial situation for the City of Hamilton should be applauding that.
Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Kevin Geenen reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He is a regular contributor with The Hamilton Independent and has also been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, Niagara Independent, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. He is known for Hamilton crime updates and social media news graphics. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal from Governor General David Johnston. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
