Do we need more representatives at city hall, or just better representation?

That question was sparked by a motion this week that recommends the city ask the province for the power to add one extra seat to council if it decides that’s necessary.

Coun. Grant Nordman, the architect of the plan, claims this is just a “housekeeping” motion designed to change an odd legal requirement that only allows the city to add new wards in pairs.

But more likely, it’s the start of a push to add an extra council seat in time for the next civic election in 2014. The argument goes that since the population of south Winnipeg has been booming, the city needs to create an extra ward in that area to ensure all citizens are being represented equally.

While the principle makes some sense, the reality is that truly equal representation rarely exists at any level of government. It’s the quality of the representatives – and their willingness to engage with the public – that matters a lot more than the number of people they serve.

For example, there are some members of council who are quick to return phone calls, and others who are rarely available. Some view public consultations as a necessity, and others who see them as a nuisance. And some work 60 hours a week, while others have time for a second job.

Technology should have leveled the playing field for all of them. Smartphones make it possible to respond to constituents whether you’re sitting at city hall or sunning yourself in Arizona. Social media tools like Facebook and Twitter allow councillors to interact with residents in real time. And websites and blogs make it easy to share information on important issues with a broad audience.

Unfortunately, your average high school student council is way more web-savvy than Winnipeg city
council. A recent scan of councillor websites showed that most of them haven’t been updated in months, or even years. And while some councillors are on social media sites, they tend to use them more for blasting out media speaking points rather than meaningful interactions.

So if council really cares about providing better service to all residents, it should stop worrying about how many people are sitting around the table, and concentrate on doing a better job of using technology to engage with citizens.