When wanting something, it’s always nicer to have someone ask for you. That’s why the Mayor must be pleased that the Independent Fiscal Review Panel and Premier have both mused about giving the Mayor more powers.

So if the Mayor, Premier and Review Panel all think more power for the Mayor is a good idea, it must be so, right?

Up to a point. Before jumping on the bandwagon, let’s take a closer look.

Whatever you might think of Mayor Lastman, he is famously known for never losing an important vote at Council – and his terms included controversies such as strikes and sending garbage to Adams Mine. At the same time he had the good sense to withdraw measures that would not pass, such as amalgamation of the Board of Health, and establishing an independent water utility.

Although his staff and colleagues encouraged Mayor Lastman to ask for more power, he felt he had enough to govern. He was not only in control of Council, but also of senior staff. Simply his indication that the City Manager no longer had his confidence was enough to start the search for a replacement.

Although it is now fashionable to downplay Mayor Lastman’s successes, he and his staff had the ability to move his agenda through Council. He was attuned to the needs of individual Councillors and usually of the public. When he withdrew a measure he had the good sense to know it would not be approved.

Let’s take a look at the current adminstration. When Mayor Miller initially took office he wanted to vigourously implement a new agenda. His important measures passed, and for his second term he was empowered with a new mandate, procedures and powers.

More power means that an agenda has less need of compromise and consultation. If consultation is code for obstruction and compromise for endless deferral, then the public has every right to demand a better system. But that has not been the case.

On every measure except the new taxes, the Mayor has carried Council. One can make the case that losing that vote was probably due to poor management.

And so why exactly does the Mayor need still more power? He has the ability to hire, fire and reorganize senior City staff. He has an Executive Committee. His staff is the largest since amalgamation. City staff regularly submit draft reports to his office; his fingerprints are on every major report. He has great power of political patronage. Directly or through a delegate he can sit on a wide variety of decision making boards.

Yet the Independent Review Panel suggests the City’s organization is “unwieldy, difficult to operate and diffuses accountability, authority and responsibility.” The problem with their recommendation is that the Mayor himself reorganized City management just last term.

The Premier weighed in, saying "It's a really important opportunity for council to give the mayor of the day the authority he needs to exercise leadership … I think that's lacking." The facts speak differently. The Mayor has moved on a number of key agendas: such as on the waterfront, and the environment. His constraints do not come from Council.

When we separate reality from our natural wish for a better City, we can only conclude that the City’s shortcomings do not come from our City’s political system. It has the ability to deliver clear, quick, strong legislation.

That it chooses not to do so is another matter entirely.