"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

Sunday 18 November 2012

Two C words...Complicity and Corruption.

I've read what the Toronto Star has on offer about the Mayor's trial over  use of  word.
Nowhere did I find what  was sought.
When the lease in question was being decided, details were sparse.  
Why was  there a  twenty-year lease?
Why is it being  extended twenty years.
That's not a lease That's "in perpetuity" 
Controversy was abroad  when the first  twenty year lease was signed
I  had assumed the city owned the property. 
I'm familar with the boardwalk
When  we took the streetcar and spent  summer  days  at Kew Beach,  ice cream, snacks and drinks were available at a wooden  hut  by the boardwalk.
We brought  frozen lemonade and  snacks and didn't have ice cream.
I couldn't visualise a  City-owned pub on the boardwalk. 
Now it's established the pub is privately owned.
The lease  gives the owner a monopoly to  provide victuals.
Further, the city has provided  another twenty year  lease without opening  the competition to others.
I would call that questionable. I  likely would not use the word corruption. But my meaning would be clear.
I have challenged  a similar circumstance.  
If discussion is behind closed doors,no rational is offered for preferential  treatment, what other conclusion  is there
Generous donations to a Councillor's campaign make the question  more relevant. 
Mayor Ford appears to be pin-pointing the Ward Councillor. 
Municipal Councillors are required to publish campaign donations ?
To make the connection between donations and decisions
Having a monopoly, courtesy of the City, for provision  of victuals in the board walk area  is likely a valuable prize. 
Reports do not reveal  extent of the territory.
A twenty-year extension of a twenty year lease  for sole source provision must be worth a dollar-or-two.
What does the City receive?
How far would a business owner be prepared to go to tie that up? 
How does a City find itself in that situation?
The word " corruption" is common parlance in municipal circles.
"Graft and corruption" is probably a phrase in Roger's Thesaurus
Toronto has a couple of  highly paid, non-elected officials complete with entourage, with authority from elected officials, to make judgements  about conduct of elected officials. 
How pure! How virtuous!  What utter nincompoopery 
Aurora Council  found  itself  a target  for opening  to competition, town-owned facilities for a single summer week-end  of musical entertainment. 
Province-wide disapprobation in festival circles  is  said to be our just dessert for attempts to be clean and above board. 
Go figger! 
           
 .

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mayor Ford is walking a fine line but I believe it was the awarding of the contract to a company without any other bids being allowed that angered him. Not sure if he even mentioned the name of the man who is suing him. There is also a credibility problem for the complainant. He cites being injured because he felt as if he was being called a criminal. But, in an unrelated case, a Judge did decide that the family have been involved in a fraud. So one case can impact others.

Anonymous said...

A bunch of adult tattle-tales. Our 2 Integrity Tzars were as different as possible. Neither survived Aurora. I suspect they both consider themselves fortunate and continue to pay attention to ongoing events.

Anonymous said...

Christopher has an excellent summary of the problems with Aurora's Centre. Not that we are not fully aware of most of them. If Mayor Dawe and his little, growing, coterie, would spend just a fraction of their time dealing with that, taxpayers would be appreciative. But, no, he has to go off to slay false demons in our name and with our money.

Anonymous said...

Interesting though the Aurora's 2nd integrity commissioner is still engaged with Richmond Hill see http://www.yorkregion.com/news/article/1535415--richmond-hill-extends-integrity-commissioner-contract

Great job if you can find it!

Anonymous said...

Maybe someone who understands the legal stuff could explain why Former didn't use the #2 Integrity Type in her SLAPP? I think he is a lawyer. No?

Anonymous said...

Dear 5:28 PM
It could cease but will remain an open sore. Pity. But I do like your selection of a ' purchase agreement '. I am assuming you were being ironical?

Anonymous said...

$1.00 a year rental cannot be termed a ' purchase '. I have other terms but in view of the local banking problem will refrain. Wonder how much a Hostess product costs.

Anonymous said...

Reading about the Youth Centre in the Auroran, I am struck by the fact that Aurora Council has money to throw at that without refining the details while the same folk cannot beat down the tax rate. But, then, that is different money in their eyes. They are counting on the RESERVE Hydro Funds.

Thick As Two Short Planks? said...

It's a purchase of cultural services agreement, 8:07 PM. There's no purchase of real estate involved.

Anonymous said...

Of course, not. That outfit do not purchase anything. Nor do they contribute anything to the town's revenue. Which was the point of the remark I think.

Anonymous said...

Well, if you have to shlep around aurora from place to place, this is probably a really nice day for it. Fools walk in where angels do not venture. so silly. Take care.