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Politically, Hamilton is known for producing groundbreaking, colourful and left-wing politicians. Locally, though, the big political stories have included the controversial amalgamation of Hamilton with its suburbs in 2001, and the destruction of green space around the Red Hill Valley to make way for the Red Hill Creek Expressway. ==Municipal politics== The municipal politics of Hamilton, Ontario function within a framework council-manager government with considerable autonomy despite constitutionally-mandated oversight from the Province of Ontario.〔("Municipal Act, 2001" S.O. 2001, Chapter 25, Last amendment: 2011, c. 6, Sched. 1, s. 187. (accessed June 2, 2013) )〕 Hamilton’s mayor is the ceremonial leader of council, with other councillors accepting the role of Deputy Mayor, and thus chair of council, on a rotating basis. The city elects members to its council independently of political parties, though many have strong ties to federal and provincial parties, as well as slates, which have historically been an important part of municipal elections. Hamilton’s politics has been influenced by all major Canadian political parties and, to a certain extent, by the Communist/Labor-Progressive parties and smaller special interest groups.〔Florence Sicoli. "Pressure groups are a strong election force," ''Hamilton Spectator,'' Monday, November 1, 1982, News, A7〕 Presently, Hamilton, Ontario City Council is composed of 15 councillors, elected from each of the city’s wards and one mayor, elected in a city-wide poll. The current composition of council has existed since 2000.〔(”Mayor and Councillors,” City of Hamilton, (accessed June 2, 2013). )〕 The most recent election was held on Monday, October 25th, 2010. In 1973, the City of Hamilton and the towns of Flamborough, Ancaster, Dundas, Glanbrook, and Stoney Creek were merged into the Region of Hamilton-Wentworth by the government of Bill Davis.〔Eric McGuinness. "The Family: 28 members to govern our region," ''Hamilton Spectator'', Saturday, September 29, 1973, pp. 8〕 The creation of the region sparked a special municipal election that deviated from the two-year terms that Hamilton City Council had observed from 1954.〔"Elected to the region," ''Hamilton Spectator'', Tuesday, October 2, 1973, pp. 6〕 Following the region's establishment, Hamilton’s city council was composed of two aldermen from each of the city’s eight wards and a mayor, elected in a city-wide poll. Hamiltonians were also represented at regional council by the mayor, Board of Control, and one aldermen from each ward, whereas other municipalities in the region were represented by their mayors and an additional regional councillor. Until 1988, the regional chair was appointed by the Ontario government, after which the position was elected in a region-wide poll until the council was dissolved in 2000.〔"Region's boss talks harmony," ''Hamilton Spectator,'' Tuesday, November 15, 1988, News, A1.〕 When the city was incorporated in 1846, two aldermen were elected from each of the city's five original wards.〔"Election of city councillors," ''The Hamilton Spectator and Journal of Commerce,'' Volume 1, No. 23, Wednesday, September 30, 1846, pg 2.〕 The wards constituted the city's original Gore District settlement, and were divided by major streets: * St. George's - from Paradise Road to John Street, south of King Street to the Niagara Escarpment * St. Patrick's - from John Street to Emerald Street, south of King Street to the Niagara Escarpment * St. Lawrence - from Emerald Street to John Street, north of King Street to Hamilton Harbour * St. Andrew's - from John Street to MacNab Street, north of King Street to Hamilton Harbour * St. Mary's - from MacNab Street to Paradise Road, north of King Street to Hamilton Harbour In 1875, the city's growth necessitated the establishment of a new ward, which was done in conjunction with abandoning named wards in favour of numbered divisions. Ward Seven was added in 1881, and Ward Eight was formed in 1910. Though the location and population of each ward would change, the city would retain the same number of wards for 90 years, until amalgamation in 2000. Hamilton's mayors have been politically diverse, ranging from left-wing trade unionists to Conservative Members of Parliament. From 1943 to 1949, Hamilton's mayor was Sam Lawrence, a stonecutter and prominent member of the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation who is affectionately referred to as Hamilton's 'Labour Mayor'.〔"Voters Name Sam Lawrence As Hamilton's Next Mayor," ''Hamilton Spectator,'' Tuesday, December 7, 1943, Local News, Pg 11.〕 In a testament to Hamilton's political diversity, prior to Lawrence's election, the city's preceding mayor, William Morrison, had been a Conservative MPP and his predecessor, Herbert Wilton, sat as a federal Conservative MP.〔("Herbert Earl Wilton," ''Parliament of Canada'' (accessed June 2, 2013) )〕〔("William Morrison, MPP," ''Legislative Assembly of Ontario'' (accessed June 2, 2013) )〕 Hamilton's working-class neighbourhoods elected prominent members of the Communist Party and its legal entity during the sixteen years it was outlawed, the Labor-Progressive Party, during the 1930s and 1940s. Ward Seven, which, until 1950, was the area between Sherman Avenue and Ottawa Street, north of King Street to Hamilton Harbour, elected party activists Harry Hunter (1938-1940, 1942-1944),〔"Electors Return Most of 1944 Council," ''Hamilton Spectator'' Tuesday, December 5, 1944, Local News, pg 11.〕 Helen Anderson Coulson (1944-1946)〔"Sitting Members Of Council Are All Re-Elected," ''Hamilton Spectator,'' Tuesday, December 4, 1945, Local News, pg 11.〕 and Peter Dunlop (1946-1949).〔"Surprises Feature City Council Race, Dillon, Dunlop Out," ''Hamilton Spectator'', Thursday, December 8, 1949, Local News, pg 19.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Politics of Hamilton, Ontario」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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