The Invisible Government
Last week, I was at the annual Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference, an event I’ve attended for years as both an elected official and more recently as a representative of Counsel Public Affairs. For me, it has always been one of the best places to reconnect with municipal politicians from across Ontario, catch up with colleagues and, just as importantly, spend time with municipal staff. It is a place to learn, share ideas, compare experiences and advocate for the communities we represent.
It also reminded me that municipal government is about far more than the people whose names appear on a ballot. Elections are about candidates, campaigns, voters and winners. But after the signs come down and the new council is sworn in, the other half of municipal government gets back to work in earnest: the professional public servants who remain and keep the municipality moving.
They are the institutional memory of a municipality. They know how budgets are built, bylaws are written, infrastructure is maintained, developments are approved and risks are managed. They have seen the same problems, proposals and promises come around more than once. Every four years, they must adapt to a new council, with new personalities, priorities, political instincts, and varying levels of experience.
The relationship between council and staff matters more than most people realize. Good municipal government requires political acuity on both sides.
Elected officials need to understand how the municipal machine works. Not because they should run it, but because you cannot govern effectively if you do not understand the cogs and springs of the vehicle you are driving.
Staff, equally, need to understand the political environment in which elected officials operate. Councillors answer directly to residents. They hear the frustration, receive emails and knock on doors. A recommendation that may make perfect administrative sense can have real political and community consequences.
The relationship works best when both sides understand the other’s role. Simply put, I can do my job better if I understand yours.
That doesn’t mean politicians should become bureaucrats, or bureaucrats should become politicians. Quite the opposite. It means respecting the distinct responsibilities each brings to the table.And we should be protective of the role and professional responsibility of our public servants.
Staff need to be able to provide honest, evidence-based advice, even when that advice is inconvenient or unpopular. They should not become the political shield for decisions that elected officials are unwilling to own.
This is where I think some politicians get it wrong.
There is a difference between listening to staff and leaving the job to them.
Councillors are elected to make decisions. They are elected to determine priorities, set direction, align policy, uphold transparency, and ultimately take responsibility for the choices made on behalf of their communities.
“Staff recommended it” is not leadership.
Neither is blaming administration when a decision becomes unpopular.
A strong council challenges its staff respectfully. Strong staff present recommendations professionally and without bias. Both should be able to disagree without questioning each other’s legitimacy.
The public sees the politicians in the council chamber. They see the debates and the votes.
What they often don’t see is the relationship underneath it all.
Municipal government works best when elected officials understand that they are there to govern, not manage, and when staff understand that good advice must account for more than process alone.
Protect the bureaucracy. Protect the public interest. Expect more from both sides of the table.
And make sure both sides understand that neither can do their job well without understanding the other.
That isn’t the invisible government.
That’s good government.