"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Tuesday 2 December 2014

Paradoozy

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen":

I know you do not read the papers much, Evelyn. But perhaps you could get someone who gets the Globe online- I do not- to print off their article on how the new mayor of Brampton is planning to clean up the mess she has on her hands. She is going to use the first 100 days & wants an integrity tzar that cannot be ignored. They sacked one already there.
sound familiar ? 
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 1 December 2014 13:Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleme


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The  media's been busy with stories of change and  renewal in the GTA . The Globe and Mail has an account of an interview with Linda Jeffrey the new Mayor of Brampton.

Oh My!

The Mayor-elect had nothing positive to say .

Brampton has a Mayor and ten Councillors. Several are Peel Region  Reps. Seven are newly elected.

Re-elected Councillors (3) may not be benignly inclined toward the still-unsworn Mayor's broad strokes of vilification and promise of retribution...

Andre  Marin ,Ontario's Ombudsman of repute, has already been consulted  and looms large in the story along with a  new Integrity Tzar who must be obeyed in Brampton  though not elsewhere in
Ontario because the Act does not require it.

Brampton is Peel's Regional seat.

The city's public service has not been left unscathed in the Globe interview . I'm no expert on labour relations but fairness indicates a grievance procedure might be in order.

Either way, it's not a cheerful wave  in their direction and  a Merry Ho -Ho -Ho  from the City's new magistrate


I don't read newspapers much. I do keep tabs on headlines and follow stories that  shout at me.

Over the years , we heard of  the former Mayor Of Brampton. First  story was of  a feud with the
redoubtable Mayor of Mississauga with the latter 's publicly  expressed desire to secede from the Region

Then it was Brampton Mayor's Golf Tournament  and personal control of proceeds that hit the fan

 Code of Conduct complaints in Brampton seem to have stayed under the radar.

The last and final controversy  about improper spending in the Mayor's office came in time for the election.

As paradox goes, this one is a doozy.

Since February 2013 until  March 2014, mayoralty  challenger  Linda Jeffrey was Chair of
Provincial Cabinet and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing  As such, various Acts were
under her jurisdiction.  Conflict of Interest ,Code of Conduct and Integrity Commissioner legislation are but  a smidgin.

If they failed to serve their purpose and we know they did, The Honorable Minister had power to change them.

That never happened.

The  Minister resigned her post prior to the Provincial election which  did not look hopeful at the time and threw her hat in the ring for the better paying  job of Mayor of The City.

A new start is always fraught with challenge. Accusations against rivals in an election are par for the course.

The public service is not considered a worthy foe by any self-respecting politician.

They can't fight back.

True or false, the new Mayor  painted everyone with the same brush.

In the hands of a legislator,  reckless is an appropriate definition..

The Mayor has already disclosed consultation with Andre Marin,Ontario Provincial Ombudsman of repute.

Her preference for an Integrity Commissioner with power and authority whose decision cannot be ignored  is strongly stated.

We have had experience with Code of Conduct and IntegrityCommissioner legislation . We are  singularly unimpressed with effectiveness in the area intended .

Experience with Conflict of Interest Legislation has  taught us what not  to expect.

We read the Province intends to ban S.L.A.P.P.  litigation. But the focus of  their concern does not relate to our experience .

If Mayor Jeffrey's intent was to destroy Brampton's confidence in the integrity of the municipal
administration, I think we can safely say she succeeded.

It will not be so easy to maintain  the self-assigned role of Warrior Queen for four years.

A reservoir of good will is always handy.

There was no noticeable dent when the new Mayor of Brampton  left  Queen's Park  and Office of
Minister of Municipal Affairs.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

She does seem determined to create animosity. It appears to have slipped her mind that she will only have the one vote on council. Her announcement about dedicating the first hundred days of this term to cleaning house may run counter to what other councillors would prefer.
Still, if I were in any way involved as a staffer with Brampton council's book-keeping in the recent past, I would be looking for safer pastures,

Anonymous said...

I think that the Mayor of Brampton was one of the highest paid mayors in Canada. The incumbent plans to take less as her salary & is expecting the councillors to do likewise. They may be disinclined unless they actually ran on such a pledge.

Anonymous said...

Four years is a looong time to be seen as the Warrior Queen. I had not realized that so many of the Brampton councillors were new so she might be use them.

Anonymous said...

Brampton booted a worse 'nightmayor' than we had, and it's the "new broom" that's coming under criticism?!

Anonymous said...

Should she have consulted with Mr Marin without even having being sworn in ?

Anonymous said...

17:21

"worse "
That's a fighting word.
Did she sue her residents ?

Anonymous said...

Another event at the Town Hall not announced on their web site or streamed.
Why did I think it would change ?

Anonymous said...

20:03- There's so much to be proud of with our communications dept. Nice to see our hard earned tax money hard at work.... Pathetic.

Anonymous said...

20:51
They did announce the tree lighting this year. I s'pose that it progress of a sort.

Anonymous said...

Yesterday afternoon I asked the Town web site for the inauguration info. They questioned my spelling and said there was none available.

Anonymous said...

You didn't miss much. Cllr Sandra was all emotional & Cllr Wendy gave what sounded like a doomsday prophesy.

Anonymous said...

christopher

Anonymous said...

Someone forgot to tell Cllr Wendy that she won the election.

Anonymous said...

I expected as much from Cllr Sandra. She seemed like she wanted to cry at least a dozen times at council in the last term. But then….I wanted to cry too when I found out she got re-elected.

Anonymous said...

@15:43

"...subjecting us to appallingly amateurish and error plagued output deserves no celebration."

Anonymous said...

19:32
He really does get to you, doesn't he ?
Too bad you never bother to correct the perceived errors.......

Anonymous said...

@19:32
According to your somewhat convoluted reasoning, we should regard the Banner as a reliable source of information and the Centre is on its way to self-sustainability. I do not think so.

Anonymous said...



21:10

I think we should ban both from our minds and live happier ever after.