File photo (Image credit: CFJC Today).

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: Why we should keep calling our mayors ‘Your Worship’

Mar 21, 2024 | 5:55 AM

I READ AN ARTICLE the other day in which Mayor Reid-Hamer Jackson says the honorific “Your Worship” has lost some of its meaning and he’s OK with plain “Reid.”

Unless those who address him with “Your Worship” are sincere, he said, there’s not much point to it.

A number of other Canadian mayors have questioned the continued use of “Your Worship” as well. Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek wants to be known simply as Mayor Gondek because, she says, “Your Worship” is “clunky” and “colonial.”

Seems just about everything somebody disagrees with these days is the result of colonialism.

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Regina mayor Sandra Masters dropped the title too. I guess they wouldn’t approve of the British use of “Lord Mayor” or “Your Rightful Worshipful” either.

The word “Worship” comes from the Old English term “worth-ship,” meaning worthy of esteem. It’s kind of one notch below “Your Honour” for judges.

As for “mayor,” somewhere back in the 1300s, it meant simply “leader” or “person in charge.”

I disagree with those who say “Your Worship” should be abandoned. In the heat of rancorous debate — which is common in City of Kamloops council chambers — a show of respect for the position of mayor is helpful in maintaining a level of decorum.

Imagine if councillors addressed the mayor as “You So-and-So” during discussions.

For the same reason, I like the idea of the mayor wearing a chain of office and that long black robe with the red swatches. Not for every day, just for ceremonial occasions, sort of like the RCMP wear the red serge at special times.

And from personal experience, I can tell you it’s quite a bit of fun. So, staff, councillors and you and I should keep calling the mayor “Your Worship.” It’s as much about the office as the person.

If the current mayor insists, we could call him Your Worship Mayor Reid.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor. But just call me Mel.

Mel Rothenburger is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.