EDITORIAL – Why we should keep calling our mayors ‘Your Worship’
(Image: CFJC Today)
An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.
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.
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.
ArmchairMayor.ca 
I attended a council meeting in which Coun. Karpuk kept calling Mr. Hamer-Jackson “mayor.” It was obvious that there was no respect there. Therefore I understand and agree with Mayor Hamer-Jackson’s wish that he not be addressed by titles other than his name if they’re going to be used pejoratively or sarcastically.
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The easy way of looking at the title “Your Worship” is that every citizen of Kamloops had the opportunity to run for mayor but most didn’t.
Those who chose to run against Reid Hamer-Jackson didn’t get enough votes to earn the title of Mayor and the privilege of sitting in the Mayor’s chair and occupying the Mayor’s office.
Eight citizens ran as individuals and each got enough votes to be elected as a councillor. Each one of them had the opportunity to run for Mayor, but they didn’t. Previous councillors referred to previous Mayors as “Your Worship”; maybe out of tradition or maybe as a title that shows respect for the office. Councillors know or should know there is a particular prominence with the office of Mayor.
Did His Worship Hamer-Jackson surprise the establishment by winning the Mayor’s chair? I think so. And we seem to be writing a new chapter in the history of our sleepy little community.
Maybe some day, “His Worship Reid” will happen upon me and Buddy when we are walking on Rivers Trail. If he does, he can simply call Buddy “Buddy” instead of “Candidate Buddy” but perhaps compliment Buddy on his choice of wearing a red silk tie.
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