Council rejects title change
Politicians vote to retain alderman
Joel Kom
Calgary Herald
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
The vote was closer, but the result was the same.
Those sitting on city council will still be called alderman after a motion to change their title was defeated Monday -- with help from all three women on council.
Aldermen voted 8-6 against altering the title, marking the latest defeat for those who have lobbied for decades to make the change.
"Right now, we aren't showing much leadership," said Betty Donaldson of Citizens for Calgary Councillors. "We're dragging our heels. We're earning our reputation of redneck."
All three women on council -- Druh Farrell, Diane Colley-Urquhart and Linda Fox-Mellway -- voted against the motion.
"It would be as effective, in my view, as changing the name East Village to Paradise," Farrell said, adding the term alderman is rooted in history and is an honourable title.
Changing the name, said Farrell, would have no tangible effect on women's chances for success at City Hall.
Having more women on powerful city boards, such as the Calgary police commission, would have more impact, she said -- something Fox-Mellway echoed.
"Actions speak louder than words," Fox-Mellway said.
Donaldson said she was disappointed by the three women.
"They are stuck in the past, and they are quirky and they are outdated," she said.
Mayor Dave Bronconnier, meanwhile, left the room at the start of the debate and came back into council chambers at the end of it, missing the vote.
His presence, however, wouldn't have made a difference.
"I didn't think that I needed to weigh into a debate," he said. "It was very clear to me that most members of council that it would impact had already made a decision."
Bronconnier added he supported the result of Monday's decision.
The vote was closer and livelier than the last time it came to council. Only four supported the title change in 2003, while those who opposed it then never said a word during the debate.
This time, some of those who opposed it -- including Farrell and Fox-Mellway -- made themselves heard.
Monday's vote maintains a title that has been in place since 1894, before women were entitled to run for office.
It survived a challenge to the Alberta Human Rights Commission, which ruled earlier this year against a complaint that said the term was discriminatory.
Of Canada's 16 major cities, Calgary is the only one not to use the term councillor.
Ald. Dale Hodges, who tried to get council to change the name, said he knew going into the vote it would be tough.
Hodges said the matter will return at some point.
"Eventually, it will be back, and eventually, it will carry," he said.
jkom@theherald.canwest.com
© The Calgary Herald 2007
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So I've made this a poll question to guage the reaction here if we put it to a vote. Do you prefer the term Alderman or would you rather have Councillor?
Personally I think it is funny that Betty Donaldson calls our three female alderman "outdated, quirky, and stuck in the past". Yes our most progressive and forward thinking alderman Druh is clearly all of those things!
Also I have no problem with Alderman, I heard Druh Farrell speaking about this on QR77 last week and she makes great mention of the fact that the name comes with a lot of history. She also made a remark that the name "Human" also happens to have "man" in it!
So place your votes and lets see what you all think!
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