Well, I guess we have a new mayor. Saying goodbye to Larry Campbell is sad, because he really was a one-of-a-kind politician. I guess he won't be too far out of the spotlight with his new role as senator.

I find it interesting that voter turn-outs of 40% are considered successful in municipal elections. We were told proudly at our polling place (after being turned away from a nearby one where we went accidentally) that they had 40% from the area.

That's damn pathetic. The city touches our lives in some many ways that provincial and federal governments don't. Sure the big stuff, taxes and health care and whether we're at war is in the hands of the other guys. But the city touches our lives multiple times every day. They define when our garbage is picked up, how often the bus comes to the corner, what sort of shops or condo developments are allowed across the street, how far you have to walk to go to a park.

In this urban age where most Canadians live in cities, I think cities should have far more power than they already do. Unlike the the United States, Canadian cities are crippled by lack of jurisdiction. But considering how important they are in my life, they should have more power. (Then maybe more people would make it out to vote.)