Decision 2010: Same old song and dance

In the City of Winnipeg tonight, there were pockets of severe anger and disappointment as Judy Wasylycia-Leis conceded her defeat and temporarily stepped away from public life.

Elsewhere, there was wild jubilation as incumbent mayor Sam Katz declared his victory, giving a heartfelt shout-out to the Winnipeg Police Association and the United Firefighters of Winnipeg.

The mayor of Winnipeg can mould the entire direction of civic politics and there is a great deal to celebrate (and a great deal to lament) for the supporters of both main mayoral contenders.

However, the mayor is only one vote on a 16 member council and, although he can control six other councillors through EPC appointments, he is unable to manipulate the entire civic body. As a result, civic-minded Winnipeggers should be concerned about each council race, where a complacent and apathetic electorate ultimately left its mark.

Going into the campaign, there were 11 wards with sitting incumbents. In all 11 of those wards, including in the highly contentious Daniel McIntyre and River Heights-Fort Garry races, the incumbent was elected.

Of the four wide-open council seats, three went to Conservative or Tory-affiliated candidates.

These three wards were taken by Paula Havixbeck in Charleswood-Tuxedo (a conservative ward electing a conservative candidate to replace a conservative incumbent), Devi Sharma in Old Kildonan (she was virtually endorsed by retired conservative incumbent Mike O’Shaughnessy) and Thomas Steen (a former Winnipeg Jet).

In Mynarski, former school trustee, and NDP member, Ross Eadie beat out the talented and formidable Jenny Motkaluk.

Other than an arguably slight move to the right, there has been no real change in the ideological composition of city council.

With nine councillors either on the right of the political spectrum or centrists currently occupying the EPC, mayor Sam Katz will have no problem appointing members to his executive policy committee while still having the additional votes needed to breeze through debate at the council level.

Sam Katz has not only been re-elected. He has a majority on council and is only challenged by a contrarian and cantankerous band of ineffectual opposition councillors.