LARRY'S CORNER- Hamilton's Former Mayor Speaks

Hamilton’s Self-Esteem

By Larry Di Ianni
(posted June 26, 2009)

“Hamilton is a dump!”
“Hamilton is the armpit of Ontario!”
“Hamiltonians are butt-heads!”
“Hamilton is not an NHL-worthy city!”
“Hamilton is dying!”

Over the many years of my involvement in municipal politics, I heard the above comments and various other iterations of the same themes far too many times. Recently the Rosie Di Manno comment seems to have struck a nerve with loyal Hamiltonians, the blogosphere and our paper of record. Many of us jumped to our computer and gave the lady from Toronto ‘what for’. And how did Rosie react? In perhaps typically journalistic bravado she didn’t flinch; she didn’t retract; in fact she redoubled her assertions and thumbed her literary nose at us.

Some of us even extended an invitation to Rosie in a vain attempt to prove to this one scribe that we do have a great city if she would only see it from our eyes. The lady didn’t budge telling anyone within earshot that she already spends far too much time in Hamilton for her liking.

Our collective reaction to Rosie might say more about ourselves and our own self-esteem as citizens of Hamilton than it might about a journalist whose job it is to express opinions and perhaps irk as well as instruct and amuse. “Don’t take me so seriously,” might be Rosie’s advice to all of us.

And yet we do, especially when the criticism comes from Toronto; and especially when the criticism is published in Canada’s most widely read newspaper.

Do we wear our thin skin on our sleeves? Yes, we do. Is it good for us to be so consumed by how others see us? I think not.

I recall when I was first elected Mayor in 2003 that David Miller, who had just been elected Mayor of Toronto, called a meeting of mayors from what he called, Canada’s “Hub Cities”. As well as Toronto, Montreal, Regina, Vancouver, Halifax, Ottawa and I think St. John’s Newfoundland were involved. Mayor Miller wanted to begin discussing big city issues with some of his colleagues and figured these ‘hubs’ pretty well represented the urban issues right across Canada. Criticism flew around the country from cities that had not been invited. Mississauga, London, Kitchener, Saskatoon, Windsor. I was asked to comment on the situation by the local paper. My public reaction was relatively indifferent. Even though I was a bit miffed, I wasn’t about to let a snub from Toronto define the importance of this city. My words, somewhat tongue in cheek, were along the lines of, “Well, it isn’t as if the Prime Minister of Canada didn’t invite Hamilton. It is only the Mayor of Toronto.”

The Spectator, I remember, wrote the first negative editorial on my response entitled, “Not Good Enough, Mr. Mayor.” Oddly enough, one of the Toronto Star urban reporters wrote on the over-reaction by mayors to the Toronto snub and praised my “Steel-town” attitude to Toronto and quoted my line in his column. The Spec’s point was that I should have taken public offence and defended Hamilton’s influence. Public tantrums were never my style. “No Drama Di Ianni,” might have been a prescient motto to adopt. And anyway, this was the same paper that had criticized Mayor Morrow for being too thin-skinned when comedians and others occasionally, but invariably picked on Hamilton. Oh well!

I did call Mayor Miller, however, and told him that I was disappointed that Hamilton wasn’t invited to participate in discussions affecting large urban centers. He gave me some reasons for his decision. We had a very good initial conversation and agreed to meet. In fact Mayor Miller appreciated my call and we worked very well together over the three years of my tenure. He also told me that the call he received from Mayor Hazel on the same issue was a tad more difficult than the one he and I had. I then received an invitation to the meeting. Hazel was there too. The Hub cities morphed, and the group moved its issues to the already existing Large Urban Cities’ Caucus, part of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Hamilton was front and center in all the discussions.

The only time I was angry enough to spit occurred at a reception at the CBC given in honour of Pier 21, the port of entry for so many Canadians from Europe, and now Canada’s museum commemorating immigration to this land. My family came through Halifax and I gladly attended. Many luminaries were there. Hana Gartner, Julian Fantino to name just two. The program was nostalgic and historically significant that I invited Pier 21 to Hamilton, and invited citizens from our city to raise funds for the museum. It was a great event, almost spoiled by an idiot who when I was introduced to him as the Mayor of Hamilton, said, “Hamilton? That is too bad isn’t it?” I am afraid that I didn’t let tact overcome instinct on this occasion.

However, and this is my point. Just as I used to counsel students that one shouldn’t succumb to bullies intimidating tactics or belligerent and ignorant attitudes towards us, we shouldn’t allow people’s perceptions of our city to define the community. We should learn from these perceptions and either educate the speaker, or change the faults being talked about for the better.

Rosie Di Manno was talking about our downtown when she called the city a ‘dump’. Her conclusion was hyperbolic; but there is a kernel of truth in her comments about parts of our downtown. Some parts need help. We know that and are doing something about it. This doesn’t mean and it shouldn’t mean that the criticism applies to the entire city. However, rather than denouncing the observation, let us use it to redouble our efforts to improve.

Finally, on the issue of people’s perceptions, let me finish with Peter Mansbridge’s comment to me one summer afternoon at the Yacht Club. Peter was there as keynote speaker for the Canadian Club. I saw him a few moments before his speech looking at the harbour. It was a perfect day. The waters were clam. The sun was glistening off the lake, dotted with sailboats. It was a beautiful scene. Mr. Mansbridge said to me, “Mr. Mayor, you should tell people about this beautiful part of your city,” to which I replied, “Peter, you are on television nightly. Help me spread the word. Start your telecast tonight by extolling our virtues.” I don’t think he took my advice, but I knew from the look in his eyes that Peter Mansbridge would never describe Hamilton as a dump. Not with that picture in his head. Imagine if he’d also seen any of our waterfalls?

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