What is The Hamiltonian After Dark, and How is it Different from The Hamiltonian?

The Hamiltonian is our public square.

It is where we cover Hamilton's politics, civic affairs, community issues, and the stories that shape our city. It is intended to inform, challenge, question, and occasionally provoke. It is where we do our journalism.

The Hamiltonian After Dark is something else entirely.

Imagine pulling up a chair at the end of a long day. The coffee is still hot. The lights are low. The city is quieter than usual. The conversation drifts from politics to life, from headlines to the things that really matter.

You know the kind of discussion. The ones that happen late at night when the world

A Quick Note About Feedback, Criticism, and The Hamiltonian

Every now and then, someone contacts me or staff at The Hamiltonian because they disagree with something a candidate, councillor, community leader, or other contributor has said in one of our interviews or articles. Sometimes, it's a comment on Facebook. 

That is completely fair.

People are entitled to disagree. Healthy disagreement is part of what makes democracy work.

What some may not realize, however, is that The Hamiltonian's role is not to referee every debate or investigate every claim made by every person who appears on our platform. Our role is to provide a space where people can speak, share their views, and engage in the public conversation.

If we attempted to go back and forth with everyone who objected to something that was said, we would spend all of our time debating the content and very little time producing it.

The Hamiltonian is operated with limited resources, and those resources are best spent creating opportunities for Hamiltonians to hear directly from the people who wish to represent them, lead them, or influence public life.

That does not mean we are dismissing criticism. Far from it. We welcome thoughtful feedback and appreciate hearing different perspectives.

But there comes a point where readers, voters, and residents must be trusted to do what thoughtful citizens have always done: listen, question, research, compare viewpoints, and draw their own conclusions.

Our job is not to tell people what to think.

Our job is to help ensure they have something worth thinking about.

Cal

My Choice for Mayor

Do I Have a Choice for Mayor?

Of course I do. But if I am being candid, what I have right now is less a firm choice and more a leaning. My decision is far from made.

In fact, I am watching the Before the Ballot – Questions for Hamilton's Next Mayor series very closely.

I am not a critic of Mayor Horwath, nor am I an enthusiastic supporter. The truth is that I remain largely indifferent at this stage. I am keeping an open mind and waiting to be persuaded.

What am I looking for?

Two things.

First, vision.

Second, a credible understanding of how to transform that vision into reality.

It is easy to look at Hamilton today and focus on its problems. Indeed, that is necessary. Any serious candidate must be prepared to confront the issues facing our city. But leadership requires more than identifying what is wrong. It requires the ability to rise above the immediate challenges, imagine what Hamilton could become, and inspire others to move toward that future.

The vision itself must be the right one for Hamilton. It must be practical, ambitious, and grounded in the realities of our city. History has repeatedly shown that visionary leadership accomplishes far more than simply managing the status quo.

Hamilton does not need more of the same. It needs ideas, direction, and the courage to pursue them.

For now, I remain open-minded.

Let's see what happens next.

Nine grass cuts versus twelve. Potholes. Long grass- Short Sightedness

Nine grass cuts versus twelve. Potholes. Long grass.

I am not suggesting these issues are unimportant. They matter to residents and they deserve attention.

What is concerning is that so much political discussion seems focused on relatively minor operational issues while far more significant matters receive comparatively little scrutiny.

In round numbers, Hamilton taxpayers spend approximately $2 million annually on the remuneration of the Mayor and the fifteen members of City Council.

According to the Ontario Sunshine List, Hamilton City Manager Marnie Cluckie received compensation of $318,852.77 in 2025.

Yet, despite the magnitude of the responsibilities associated with the position, the City

Things That Candidate's Say and Do That They Probably Shouldn't

You may have guessed by now that The Hamiltonian's Before the Ballot – The Candidate's Guide has a deliberate purpose behind it.

I recognize that incumbents enjoy a significant advantage over first-time candidates. 

That imbalance has never sat particularly well with me, nor had it with Teresa. 

The Candidate's Guide is a small attempt to help level the playing field. If you are running for office for the first time, I genuinely believe it may become one of the most valuable resources you encounter during your campaign.

But let's leave the formal tips and advice to the series itself.

Instead, allow me to share a few observations from behind the curtain. These are things people tell us, submit to us, or do during campaigns that often reveal more than they realize.

In no particular order...

"I am not a politician. I'm just an ordinary person."

I hear this all the time.

Now, I am not suggesting that statement is right or wrong. In fact, voters often appreciate