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Originally Posted by Ironhorse
I've had it told to me, more than once by multiple people, that Bronco ruled council with a heavy hand and apparantly influenced a lot of alderman. Is there any truth to this?
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I can see why some might get that impression, but the mayor isn't really given the powers to "rule with a heavy hand." Unlike federal or provincial politics, there's no party or caucus to kick malcontents out of, and no cabinet to shuffle. The aldermen are given the power to put forrth motions on whatever their little hearts desire, and every vote is a "free vote" as it were.
That said, the last council had a few members who generally agreed with Bronconnier on a lot of things in that they took similar stands on things. If that was a case of Bronconnier "influencing" them, then those aldermen allowed themselves be influenced, because there wasn't much Bronconnier could actually do if someone didn't agree with him or vote the same way he did. I would say that they just happened to agree with him on most things.