Amalgamation

[ijmorlan]

We don't need amalgamation. The Region of Waterloo already runs the most important aspects of governance in the area and has the largest and most significant budget. If amalgamation were to happen, it would be the final decision of the Province.

Exactly. And the region will likely pick up some additional services (fire department, for example) so the significance of the cities will gradually diminish, much as it did in pre-amalgamation Toronto.

That is my approach too: I’m not a big booster of amalgamation, not seriously opposed, but I am absolutely opposed to a big-bang amalgamation.

Instead, just gradually move more and more services to the Region. Whether we ever get to full amalgamation doesn’t even matter.

Also this completely side-steps the naming debate, since the Region already has a name.

I’m not OK with expanding the Kitchener name to a larger area. I’ve heard enough to know that the man doesn’t deserve commemoration. On the other hand, I don’t think the name needs to change, because what it actually means now is this specific city which is full of mostly modern people, and I think the people in Kitchener who like the name like it because it’s familiar, not because they are would-be racist imperialists.