“The Leadership Crisis” is the 6th book on local government by author, speaker and former city councillor Gord Hume.  It has just been published.  As part of the research for the book, a national survey was conducted in 2015, with nearly 1300 respondents.  The research reveals problems inside city halls as well as the larger governance issues.

“There is a desperate need to open a serious dialogue about the need for long-term structural change in how municipalities are governed and financed in Canada,” says Hume.  “Our research found a desire for bold new relationships between provinces and their municipalities.  There has also been a decade of a federal government without an urban agenda, and that has impacted the global competitiveness of Canadian cities.”

The very modest amount of the tax dollar that municipalities receive are now catching-up as infrastructure problems such as transit and housing increase.  The book proposes a new 5-part definition of the infrastructure deficit.  It calls for expanded authority for cities to receive a share of consumption taxes such as Sales, Income and/or Gas taxes to reduce dependence on property taxes.

“For most people and most businesses most of the time, local governments are now the most important order of government,” Hume says in his new book.  “But they can’t compete internationally and attract the global talent and investment when cities are burdened by a 17th century tax system and a 19th century governance model.”

The book also explores key leadership attributes and challenges for political leadership today.  In key chapter, the mayors of three communities that suffered terrible tragedies—Goderich, Ontario; Calgary, Alberta; and Lac-Megantic, Quebec—reveal their personal stories while leading their communities through a time of considerable public pain and turmoil.  Another chapter examines the failings of some high-profile community leaders and the impact their ineptness and even corruption had on their cities.  And another chapter reveals the “7 Cs” of great political leadership today.

Contact omli.ca for a copy of the Leadership Crisis!