The Good Hands People

I read the following commentary to begin last night's show:

Good evening. I’m Mark Leger. Welcome to Serf City on CFMH on 107.3 FM.

I went on the campaign trail last Saturday with mayor candidate Michelle Hooton; we handed out signs and pamphlets and she talked with the few residents who weren’t out somewhere enjoying the sun.

Walking down an uptown street, we ran into a young man out strolling with his baby. He and Michelle engaged in small talk, and at the end of the conversation she asked him for his support. He said he would be happy to, but he was actually moving out of the city in June.

The election is in May, though, she pointed out. Vote for me and leave the city in good hands.

I was impressed by her quick wit. Leave the city in good hands. I never come up with good lines like that on the spot.

Clever lines aside, though, out-migration – either to the suburbs or elsewhere in the country – is the city’s biggest problem. It’s shrinking the tax base and sucking the vitality out of the city centre, in particular.

Hooton and other mayor and council candidates believe tax cuts will help bring people back from the suburbs, because they pay so much less in the outlying areas.

I think it’s a combination of factors that are difficult to tackle, most notably the industrial pollution and the fog. And given all the hype over the energy hub, it may be easier to chase the fog away than slow the pace of industrial growth and with it environmental degradation.

But try we must to change the things we can, thus the heated debate over tax cuts.

There is also discussion over how to revitalize the urban core, which has been emptied by suburban migration and the malls on the east side.

Two weeks ago, we talked to Hooton about a recently released plan to revitalize the culture and economy of the city centre.

Tonight we’ll talk with two young people who have some ideas of their own.

We’ll also talk about blog coverage of the city council campaign. Personal blogs and facebook pages are reaching people not paying attention to mainstream coverage of the campaign.

We'll also some young people from the Interaction Children’s Theatre Company, which is staging The Wizard of Oz next week.

But first up, we’re talking civic politics. You’re listening to Serf City on CFMH 107.3 FM.