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The political drama unfolding in Ontario over local government is worth watching given that many cities across this country similarly suffer from the dysfunction that grips Toronto council.

Local government is closest to the people, so you’d think it would be the most representative and accountable. For much of the past century, local governments concerned themselves with bread and butter governance – building public infrastructure such as roads, public transit, rinks and pools and libraries as well as vital local services such as garbage collection and fire and policing in larger cities.

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So council could be a dry and sleepy place.

In recent years, however, local politicians inclined to fuel social change have increasingly used municipal property taxes and the platform provided by a council position not only to advocate for social change and improved social services but to wage war with politicians they disagree with politically both on council and in senior levels of government.