Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "About
Repeating Facts":
It must be very frustrating to try & talk
sense to those who will not/ can not listen. Every since the Mayor was quoted in
the Auroran stating that he had ignored advice from the Town's lawyer and would
do so again, that deal has been tainted. I know nothing whatever about all the
municipal rules that are in play here, nor whether there has been any
impropriety. But it sure looks very ugly.
*************
As frustrating as it is, I have to tell you it is far better than it was in the previous term.
Councillors do want to do things right.
They are getting different signals.
In February, a motion was put forward for notice of termination
of a bad agreement with the Culture Centre Board .
Support for the motion was clear and well articulated around the table.
But when it came time for the vote, the Mayor paused. The motion was amended.
What was intended was scuttled.
Eight months later, a revised draft agreement was presented to Council in committee, prepared by an ad hoc committee of staff and board representatives.
It appears to be new and improved.
It will not happen until January 2014.
It is status quo.
In 2011, frustrated in my efforts to have the current agreement scrapped, I moved the town solicitor review the agreement and report to Council any shortcomings.
The Mayor demurred. Thought the solicitor had too much work to do.
Council concurred. A report was submitted, revealing substantial shortcomings. Public interest was not represented .
Change was recommended.
As noted, in February of 2012. a motion was brought forward to give 12 months notice to terminate the agreement.
As noted, it was sabotaged. The Mayor failed to call the question and eventually an amendment was approved that changed the direction.
Last week Council received a revised draft agreement,
The Solicitor's Report on the current agreement and other relevant documentation is attached.
Access to the material gives any sensible resident a full understanding of what Council must decide,
If the town's web site and communication division has a purpose, I think it should be to ensure public access to all relevant documents.
I'm not sure that's the case.
I do believe the library has a copy of the full agenda for last Tuesday.
I believe also, residents can help Council make the decision by being aware and providing informed input. .
Saturday, 20 October 2012
About Repeating Facts
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "It's
Not True That A Statement Repeated Often Enou...":
"I have repeated the facts (sic) many times."
.. and don't we know it!
*****************
If you do, what you know is not apparent.
A couple of other minor matters are:
Televised meetings allow people to listen to what passes for debate and make their own decision.
They hear arguments. They make judgements.
They would surely not be watching without keen interest.
They are the opinion-makers.
Despite the tired ennui expressed above, the people I meet tell me
first; keep doing what you're doing. Second; take care of yourself.
I do so, confident of support and that I am doing what is expected of me.
Sometimes things are said in a meeting that can't be pursued at the time
Like last Tuesday;the question on the table was the purchase of cultural services agreement ..
The Mayor repeated the agreement had been written by a law clerk and lack of legal counsel was the reason for its shortcomings.
The Mayor was not on Council when the contract was prepared.. He could only have been told.
The town's administration is managed by an Executive Leadership Team,formerly known as Management Team., headed by a Chief Administrative Officer.
Each Spring , a roster of external legal firms are approved by Council.
There is no time when legal counsel is not available.
No time when it might be necessary to assign the task of creating a legal agreement to a law clerk.
Never a time when responsibility for a shoddy agreement negating the town's interest could be laid at the feet of that law clerk.
Shame .......Shame.
Let me repeat once more;
The night the agreement was presented for approval, I stated, I could only vote for it on the basis of blind trust.There had not been time for council review.
The mover of the motion,former Councillor MacEachern added an amendment, the contract be reviewed by the newly appointed
town solicitor to report to Council if there was a need.
It's in the record." Check the transcript "
We assume the contract was reviewed by the solicitor.
No errors or omissions were ever reported to Council.
The town did have legal counsel when the agreement was signed.
The town was paying a whole crew of high-price experts to ensure the town's interest was protected.
The town's interest was not protected.
It was not the fault of a lowly law clerk.
It is beneath the Office of Mayor to keep repeating something untrue in the hopes people will believe it if repeated often enough.
One other small detail to add in the closing argument.
Council is currently huddling behind closed doors with an unclean audit because of the risk of identifying an identifiable individual.
No such concern is evident when blame for the purchase of culture services agreement is laid by management and the Mayor himself, at the feet of a law clerk.
We have two.
"I have repeated the facts (sic) many times."
.. and don't we know it!
*****************
If you do, what you know is not apparent.
A couple of other minor matters are:
Televised meetings allow people to listen to what passes for debate and make their own decision.
They hear arguments. They make judgements.
They would surely not be watching without keen interest.
They are the opinion-makers.
Despite the tired ennui expressed above, the people I meet tell me
first; keep doing what you're doing. Second; take care of yourself.
I do so, confident of support and that I am doing what is expected of me.
Sometimes things are said in a meeting that can't be pursued at the time
Like last Tuesday;the question on the table was the purchase of cultural services agreement ..
The Mayor repeated the agreement had been written by a law clerk and lack of legal counsel was the reason for its shortcomings.
The Mayor was not on Council when the contract was prepared.. He could only have been told.
The town's administration is managed by an Executive Leadership Team,formerly known as Management Team., headed by a Chief Administrative Officer.
Each Spring , a roster of external legal firms are approved by Council.
There is no time when legal counsel is not available.
No time when it might be necessary to assign the task of creating a legal agreement to a law clerk.
Never a time when responsibility for a shoddy agreement negating the town's interest could be laid at the feet of that law clerk.
Shame .......Shame.
Let me repeat once more;
The night the agreement was presented for approval, I stated, I could only vote for it on the basis of blind trust.There had not been time for council review.
The mover of the motion,former Councillor MacEachern added an amendment, the contract be reviewed by the newly appointed
town solicitor to report to Council if there was a need.
It's in the record." Check the transcript "
We assume the contract was reviewed by the solicitor.
No errors or omissions were ever reported to Council.
The town did have legal counsel when the agreement was signed.
The town was paying a whole crew of high-price experts to ensure the town's interest was protected.
The town's interest was not protected.
It was not the fault of a lowly law clerk.
It is beneath the Office of Mayor to keep repeating something untrue in the hopes people will believe it if repeated often enough.
One other small detail to add in the closing argument.
Council is currently huddling behind closed doors with an unclean audit because of the risk of identifying an identifiable individual.
No such concern is evident when blame for the purchase of culture services agreement is laid by management and the Mayor himself, at the feet of a law clerk.
We have two.
Friday, 19 October 2012
It's Not True That A Statement Repeated Often Enough
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Logic
or The Lack Thereoff":
Let's take a look at Christopher Watts' latest post, dealing with the "artifacts" of the Aurora Historical Society.
If the photographs that he has used to illustrate some of this material are representative, it almost appears that the best course of action would be to turf the entire collection. You could turf the Society at the same time and stop paying either $50,000 or $100,000 per year toward it's operating cost. Might as well pitch the curator while you're at it.
And depending on the suitability and acceptability of the Ad Hoc Centre 'tedium' one might give consideration to pitching it as well and start over with a vacant old, fully restored building. With the adjoining land owned by the town you could build a theatre/concert hall and have a world class facility right at the heart of our town.
*********************
Here lies irony.
The history of the Historical Society grant has been told many times. How it started, how it deviated into something that was never intended and how it currently relates to nothing .
In Council ,it matters not a whit.
People in the community understand it perfectly.
As the comment above illustrates.
Last week, the Mayor commented that if a statement is repeated often enough eventually it's accepted as the truth.
Why not if it's true ?
If it's not convenient to deal with the truth what does it matter?
The Aurora Historical Society was given the second floor of Church Street School for a museum when the Board of Education moved out in 1976. A provincial grant was available to pay rent for a museum.
An application was made, he grant was paid to the town and the Historical Society had a facility rent free. .
A curator was hired. The museum became more than a static display. Programs were available to schools and history summer camp were created. . Professional research service was provided to the town's planning department.
In the eighties ,I discovered the grant received that offset cost of operating Church Street School had morphed into a grant from the treasury to the Historical Society.
No rent was being received but a professional curator was providing services.
My questions about how that had eveolved were never answered. At the time, it wasn't an issue. The community was receiving value in return for the funding.
When I returned again in 2003, a different scenario greeted me. There was no museum. The collection was packed away. .
The curator was still providing services to the planning department .
But then after twenty-five years of service came a retirement.
The grant continued. The curator position was refilled. The Historical Society claimed ownership of the curator.
The grant continued .Without the museum, the classroom program or the summer camps.
The town hired a heritage planner for research. A hundred thou combined added to the payroll.
The new curator was instrumental in obtaining a $750,000 grant for the new museum facility being created in the Church Street School.
Also served as resource person on the Ad Hoc Heritage and Culture committee chaired by Councillor Gaertner.
Shortly after left to accept a position in the town of Markham.
Before that the Historical Society withdrew thecommitment to manage the new museum. They had a legal agreement with the town to protect their financial investment in the Church Street School.
They surrendered that on advice from financial services.
No museum materialized after the Culture Centre Board agreement was signed.
The grant continued and and a new person appointed to fill the departed curator's place, with a new title of Business Manager.
In 2012, the town provided an additional $50,000 grant to the Historical Society to celebrate the Sesquicentennial of HiIlary House.
And that's the story of that;s the glory of how we come to be handing all that money over to a small group of residents who form the Aurora Historical Society, without receiving a specific definitive benefit in return.
We don't even have a cockamamie purchase of service agreement.
We repeatedly hear the suggestion the Historical Society and the Culture Centre Board should have the same status as the Library Board and receive a budget from the town.
Responsible management of town finances? I don't see it.
I have repeated the facts many times.
Even though they are verifiable, it seems no one is inclined to accept them as true. .
Which of course means, another issue where the Mayor and I disagree.
It isn't a question of statements being repeated often enough eventually being accepted as true.
It doesn't matter whether or not they are true.
If the Mayor and Council are not inclined to deal with it
Let's take a look at Christopher Watts' latest post, dealing with the "artifacts" of the Aurora Historical Society.
If the photographs that he has used to illustrate some of this material are representative, it almost appears that the best course of action would be to turf the entire collection. You could turf the Society at the same time and stop paying either $50,000 or $100,000 per year toward it's operating cost. Might as well pitch the curator while you're at it.
And depending on the suitability and acceptability of the Ad Hoc Centre 'tedium' one might give consideration to pitching it as well and start over with a vacant old, fully restored building. With the adjoining land owned by the town you could build a theatre/concert hall and have a world class facility right at the heart of our town.
*********************
Here lies irony.
The history of the Historical Society grant has been told many times. How it started, how it deviated into something that was never intended and how it currently relates to nothing .
In Council ,it matters not a whit.
People in the community understand it perfectly.
As the comment above illustrates.
Last week, the Mayor commented that if a statement is repeated often enough eventually it's accepted as the truth.
Why not if it's true ?
If it's not convenient to deal with the truth what does it matter?
The Aurora Historical Society was given the second floor of Church Street School for a museum when the Board of Education moved out in 1976. A provincial grant was available to pay rent for a museum.
An application was made, he grant was paid to the town and the Historical Society had a facility rent free. .
A curator was hired. The museum became more than a static display. Programs were available to schools and history summer camp were created. . Professional research service was provided to the town's planning department.
In the eighties ,I discovered the grant received that offset cost of operating Church Street School had morphed into a grant from the treasury to the Historical Society.
No rent was being received but a professional curator was providing services.
My questions about how that had eveolved were never answered. At the time, it wasn't an issue. The community was receiving value in return for the funding.
When I returned again in 2003, a different scenario greeted me. There was no museum. The collection was packed away. .
The curator was still providing services to the planning department .
But then after twenty-five years of service came a retirement.
The grant continued. The curator position was refilled. The Historical Society claimed ownership of the curator.
The grant continued .Without the museum, the classroom program or the summer camps.
The town hired a heritage planner for research. A hundred thou combined added to the payroll.
The new curator was instrumental in obtaining a $750,000 grant for the new museum facility being created in the Church Street School.
Also served as resource person on the Ad Hoc Heritage and Culture committee chaired by Councillor Gaertner.
Shortly after left to accept a position in the town of Markham.
Before that the Historical Society withdrew thecommitment to manage the new museum. They had a legal agreement with the town to protect their financial investment in the Church Street School.
They surrendered that on advice from financial services.
No museum materialized after the Culture Centre Board agreement was signed.
The grant continued and and a new person appointed to fill the departed curator's place, with a new title of Business Manager.
In 2012, the town provided an additional $50,000 grant to the Historical Society to celebrate the Sesquicentennial of HiIlary House.
And that's the story of that;s the glory of how we come to be handing all that money over to a small group of residents who form the Aurora Historical Society, without receiving a specific definitive benefit in return.
We don't even have a cockamamie purchase of service agreement.
We repeatedly hear the suggestion the Historical Society and the Culture Centre Board should have the same status as the Library Board and receive a budget from the town.
Responsible management of town finances? I don't see it.
I have repeated the facts many times.
Even though they are verifiable, it seems no one is inclined to accept them as true. .
Which of course means, another issue where the Mayor and I disagree.
It isn't a question of statements being repeated often enough eventually being accepted as true.
It doesn't matter whether or not they are true.
If the Mayor and Council are not inclined to deal with it
Logic or The Lack Thereoff
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Much
Appreciated":
Your question about who might be advising Mr Onley is still valid. He has to try & get this right. And he has to do so quickly.
************
Thank you. You allow me to pursue the question.
Dalton Mc Guinty made the commitment to the electorate to serve as Premier for four years.
We may take that as the reason for the partially successful outcome of the election.
On what basis , did Mr. Onley, who must agree , approve suspension of democratic governing , simply at the request of Mr. McGuinty.
How can such a significant alteration of the will of the people,be so simple?
Is the institution of government so inexact, so frail, that the electorate's right to choose can be so easily be set aside.
I don't think so.
In Markham, a few years ago, with Djag Bhaduria, we watched the struggle to unseat a federal member of parliament for conduct
unbecoming.
The only action possible was to expulsion from the political party that formed the government.
He had no input into government decisions for the rest of the term.
But his election by the riding's electorate could not be set aside.
We are seeing now more than half of all members elected to the legislative assembly a short time ago, rendered ineffective by a decision to suspend their role for an unspecified period, by an appointed official, who apparently has no obligation to explain.
It can't be just because Mr. McGuinty asked for it.
Dalton Mc Guinty's legacy is certainly a story to be told. I suspect it is not yet finished.
But it is only a chapter in the larger story about how easily our government can be brought tumbling down by a decision of a single appointed individual whose role until now has been and was seen to be, largely ceremonial.
Mr. Onley did it,
Mr. Onley should be compelled to answer for it.
Monarchy has not had that kind of power for the last several centuries.
Come to think of it, the last one who tried lost his head as a consequence.
What a gruesome thought !
Your question about who might be advising Mr Onley is still valid. He has to try & get this right. And he has to do so quickly.
************
Thank you. You allow me to pursue the question.
Dalton Mc Guinty made the commitment to the electorate to serve as Premier for four years.
We may take that as the reason for the partially successful outcome of the election.
On what basis , did Mr. Onley, who must agree , approve suspension of democratic governing , simply at the request of Mr. McGuinty.
How can such a significant alteration of the will of the people,be so simple?
Is the institution of government so inexact, so frail, that the electorate's right to choose can be so easily be set aside.
I don't think so.
In Markham, a few years ago, with Djag Bhaduria, we watched the struggle to unseat a federal member of parliament for conduct
unbecoming.
The only action possible was to expulsion from the political party that formed the government.
He had no input into government decisions for the rest of the term.
But his election by the riding's electorate could not be set aside.
We are seeing now more than half of all members elected to the legislative assembly a short time ago, rendered ineffective by a decision to suspend their role for an unspecified period, by an appointed official, who apparently has no obligation to explain.
It can't be just because Mr. McGuinty asked for it.
Dalton Mc Guinty's legacy is certainly a story to be told. I suspect it is not yet finished.
But it is only a chapter in the larger story about how easily our government can be brought tumbling down by a decision of a single appointed individual whose role until now has been and was seen to be, largely ceremonial.
Mr. Onley did it,
Mr. Onley should be compelled to answer for it.
Monarchy has not had that kind of power for the last several centuries.
Come to think of it, the last one who tried lost his head as a consequence.
What a gruesome thought !
Thursday, 18 October 2012
Another Star Story
Toronto Star
Judge faces disciplinary hearing for throwing out tardy Crown’s cases
The Ontario Judicial Council has ordered a hearing for Nov. 26 that could lead to the removal of controversial Newmarket Judge Howard Chisvin, who threw out a slate of cases last year when an assistant Crown attorney was late returning from a break.The announcement of the hearing, to be held at a Bay St. hearing room, comes months after the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that Chisvin’s actions on July 21, 2011 were “high-handed” and did a disservice to the administration of justice.
A week after Chisvin’s dismissal of the cases, chief prosecutor John Ayre complained about his conduct to the Ontario Judicial Council.
In March 2012, the Court of Appeal overturned Chisvin’s ruling and substituted convictions based on the guilty pleas.
Transcripts from July 21, 2011 showed that the Newmarket court recessed at 11:23 a.m. When the judge returned at 11:46 a.m., the Crown wasn’t in court and he was paged on the intercom.
“Tell them they have 30 seconds,” Chisvin instructed his clerk.
However, less than a minute later, Chisvin told court it wasn’t his clerk’s job. “It’s not her function ... to call the Crown's office,” he announced.
At 11:47.48 — 1 minute and 27 seconds after court resumed — the judge announced: “All right, all provincial matters are dismissed for want of prosecution.”
At 11:53.44, Crown attorney Brian McCallion appeared in court, only to be told that it was too late.
“Mr. McCallion, all provincial matters have been dealt with by want of prosecution,” the judge told him. “There was no Crown in here for some 10 minutes and you were paged and paged and paged.”
McCallion apologized and began to talk about a prisoner's psychiatric report he had been studying.
“That might be,” the judge replied. “Court comes when court is back. You were paged. You were paged in the hallway, the Crown’s office was called, no Crown. They’re dismissed for want of prosecution.”
Some of the people Chisvin set free had already pleaded guilty and were simply awaiting sentencing.
Among those set free were a man believed to be a violent paranoid schizophrenic and an alleged drunk driver.
Three complaints to the judicial council were investigated by a two-person complaint subcommittee consisting of a judge and a community member.
A review panel that included two judges, a lawyer member and a community member ordered the hearing.
Chisvin’s hearing before the judicial panel has been scheduled for Nov. 26.
The panel may make a recommendation to the Attorney General that the judge be removed from office.
The hearing panel will be composed of a judge of the Court of Appeal for Ontario, who will chair the panel; a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice; a lawyer member and a community member
Pensions And Other Priorities
Toronto Star
Ontario’s cuts to funds for poor sends miserable message
To govern is to choose among a host
of competing programs crying for public dollars. That’s especially true
in hard times, like these, when money is in scarce supply. And
regardless of the way it’s spun — in a news release, or by a PR flack —
how a government chooses lays bare its true priorities.
Much was revealed when Premier Dalton McGuinty’s government opted to slash funding for the poor while spending at least $230 million on the politically motivated closing of two gas-fired generating plants. The province faces a $14.4-billion deficit but, even in these cash-strapped times, there’s money for what really matters.
In fairness to McGuinty, the poor never figure high on any leader’s list of political priorities. Yet no one in Ontario deserves help more than those who struggle, day after day, even for basic necessities.
Take people who are about to be evicted but need a bit of funding to bridge them to stability, or those in a similar situation with their heat or electricity cut off, or people just leaving an institution and lacking money for a fresh start. The province is cutting its money for them by $12.8 million in Toronto — not because there’s any less need but due to Ontario’s “very serious fiscal crisis.”
As reported by the Star’s Daniel Dale, it’s part of a $21-million reduction in provincial support for local homelessness prevention. That’s all part of a larger re-jigging of the way Queen’s Park is handling the homeless, with more responsibility being downloaded onto municipalities in the interest of greater flexibility and local decision-making — and to save money.
More poor people are at risk of losing their homes, as a result, and social advocates warn that more could slip into homelessness. Former premier Mike Harris must surely be smiling. He was a master at pressing additional tasks onto cities while withholding the money needed to carry them out.
In explaining the province’s move, Community and Social Services Minister John Milloy was up-front about the need to save cash. A better “balance” simply had to be found, he said. “It would have been nice not to have done this.”
Nice indeed. But this wasn’t the result of a hostage-taking. The government’s decision was a political choice,a determination to cut here and spend somewhere else. Its willingness to target the poor sends a miserable message.
Much was revealed when Premier Dalton McGuinty’s government opted to slash funding for the poor while spending at least $230 million on the politically motivated closing of two gas-fired generating plants. The province faces a $14.4-billion deficit but, even in these cash-strapped times, there’s money for what really matters.
In fairness to McGuinty, the poor never figure high on any leader’s list of political priorities. Yet no one in Ontario deserves help more than those who struggle, day after day, even for basic necessities.
Take people who are about to be evicted but need a bit of funding to bridge them to stability, or those in a similar situation with their heat or electricity cut off, or people just leaving an institution and lacking money for a fresh start. The province is cutting its money for them by $12.8 million in Toronto — not because there’s any less need but due to Ontario’s “very serious fiscal crisis.”
As reported by the Star’s Daniel Dale, it’s part of a $21-million reduction in provincial support for local homelessness prevention. That’s all part of a larger re-jigging of the way Queen’s Park is handling the homeless, with more responsibility being downloaded onto municipalities in the interest of greater flexibility and local decision-making — and to save money.
More poor people are at risk of losing their homes, as a result, and social advocates warn that more could slip into homelessness. Former premier Mike Harris must surely be smiling. He was a master at pressing additional tasks onto cities while withholding the money needed to carry them out.
In explaining the province’s move, Community and Social Services Minister John Milloy was up-front about the need to save cash. A better “balance” simply had to be found, he said. “It would have been nice not to have done this.”
Nice indeed. But this wasn’t the result of a hostage-taking. The government’s decision was a political choice,a determination to cut here and spend somewhere else. Its willingness to target the poor sends a miserable message.
GRRRR
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "In
Politics":
I find the mayor's and councillor Abel's comments very interesting. I don't have to say "it often enough" so that people may begin to believe it. I was a witness to it - 4 times with different individual councillors no less!
Makes me think they "doth protest too much" in their attempts to convince us that it didn't happen.
****************
I can't believe how little understood is the attention Council activities receive from the community.
The lobbyists made no secret of meetings had with most of the Councillors.
Councillors received separate invitations from Suzanne Reiner
Councillor Humphryes attended without having any idea it was inappropriate.
The promoters told the press about the goings on and said there was Council support for their scheme.
Gradually, over the summer they built the pyramid .
The Mayor's name first on the list of high-profile citizens in support of the scheme , in principle, if not with personal fortunes.
The plan was for the town to be backed into it.
Like a horse being guided into the shafts of a carriage.
Right up to the point, of the presentation two weeks ago when Councillor Abel made the motion to receive and refer to staff.
Tomorrow night, on the agenda , for all to read, the staff recommendation that was made without further direction from Council.
From the beginning, I regarded the machination entirely inappropriate and said so. Everybody knew where I stood. I did not mince words.
No matter. .
They think of me as tired, without energy, not up to the challenge of new ideas.
I have seen schemes like this before.
They are not hard to recognise.
The only surprise that remains is how easily, otherwise apparently intelligent people are taken in by the bullshit.
I swear, some people should never be let out of the house by themselves. .
I find the mayor's and councillor Abel's comments very interesting. I don't have to say "it often enough" so that people may begin to believe it. I was a witness to it - 4 times with different individual councillors no less!
Makes me think they "doth protest too much" in their attempts to convince us that it didn't happen.
****************
I can't believe how little understood is the attention Council activities receive from the community.
The lobbyists made no secret of meetings had with most of the Councillors.
Councillors received separate invitations from Suzanne Reiner
Councillor Humphryes attended without having any idea it was inappropriate.
The promoters told the press about the goings on and said there was Council support for their scheme.
Gradually, over the summer they built the pyramid .
The Mayor's name first on the list of high-profile citizens in support of the scheme , in principle, if not with personal fortunes.
The plan was for the town to be backed into it.
Like a horse being guided into the shafts of a carriage.
Right up to the point, of the presentation two weeks ago when Councillor Abel made the motion to receive and refer to staff.
Tomorrow night, on the agenda , for all to read, the staff recommendation that was made without further direction from Council.
From the beginning, I regarded the machination entirely inappropriate and said so. Everybody knew where I stood. I did not mince words.
No matter. .
They think of me as tired, without energy, not up to the challenge of new ideas.
I have seen schemes like this before.
They are not hard to recognise.
The only surprise that remains is how easily, otherwise apparently intelligent people are taken in by the bullshit.
I swear, some people should never be let out of the house by themselves. .
Much Appreciated
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "$40.million...$64.million...$164million...multi-bi...":
Evelyn... You really need to do research.
David Onley has a degree in Political Science. He is a journalist - originally radio but moved to TV.
He is a published author.
I think he may know something about the job he has.
I first met him in the mid-80's when he formed the Aerospace Heritage Foundation in an effort to maintain the history of Canada's aerospace industry.
*************
Thank you . That's good to know.
But it's not definitive.
If I were being paid as a professional journalist, and Blog was anything but vehicle for conversation, I would agree . I should do the research. But if I did I might never get around to the writing.
I'm glad of people like yourself to help put some weight on the bones. I think most people in this space feel it's a collective effort.
I didn't plan it that way but I'm glad that's how it has evolved.
Thanks again.
Evelyn... You really need to do research.
David Onley has a degree in Political Science. He is a journalist - originally radio but moved to TV.
He is a published author.
I think he may know something about the job he has.
I first met him in the mid-80's when he formed the Aerospace Heritage Foundation in an effort to maintain the history of Canada's aerospace industry.
*************
Thank you . That's good to know.
But it's not definitive.
If I were being paid as a professional journalist, and Blog was anything but vehicle for conversation, I would agree . I should do the research. But if I did I might never get around to the writing.
I'm glad of people like yourself to help put some weight on the bones. I think most people in this space feel it's a collective effort.
I didn't plan it that way but I'm glad that's how it has evolved.
Thanks again.
A Delicious Problem To Contemplate From The Sidelines.
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Dalon
Resigns":
I saw Kathleen Wynne on The Agenda (TVO) last night and of all the names touted as possible contenders for the liberal leadership I think mymoney would go on her. She was there to speak to aboriginal issues as that is part of her current portfolio but all her allotted time could not slipby without being asked about her interest - or not - in running for the leadership. She has held several large, high profile ministerial portfolios and I think she has done a pretty decent job, not the least of which is to avoid scandal under her watch. Unlike George Smitherman and the e-health scandal; Deb Matthews and the Ornge scandal; Laurel Broton and the "removal of the right to collective bargaining by the unions involved in education" scandal.
Ms. Wynne always comes across to me as being intelligent, well-informed, articulate and sensible.
I am not a liberal and never have been but if I were, I would support her.
*************
Kathleen Wynne impresses me too. I attended a meeting at the Regional building with the Minister as special guest.
Municipal Affairs is her post now but there has been no time for an impact there.
I would be surprised if many of the men make a bid for the job.
It's the typical situation for a woman to have it for the asking.
A defeat , for whatever reason, is not something to be sought.
Gut instinct tells me the R. and P. is a desperate measure for time to salvage the gas generation plants or in good part, the money expended.
We shouldn't rule out legal recourse by the opposition parties to change this circumstance.
If Dalton Mc Guinty had persisted with the Bill to freeze public service salaries, there would likely have been a non-confidence vote in the house.
In the minority situation, with an election so recent, the opposition might have had an opportunity to indicate a workable coalition before the L.G. agreed to prorogue the Legislative Assembly.
The government may not be secure in taking six months out of Ontario's right to government to allow them to re-arrange the Liberal Party's political fortune.
The situation is not common. .
It may not be assumed to be natural. l.
If not natural, it may not be legal.
If Kathleen Wynne were to make a bid for the Leadership, it would be better to do it when the Party's chances are not in the toilet.
She should stay put in the cabinet post and watch how things evolve.
I saw Kathleen Wynne on The Agenda (TVO) last night and of all the names touted as possible contenders for the liberal leadership I think mymoney would go on her. She was there to speak to aboriginal issues as that is part of her current portfolio but all her allotted time could not slipby without being asked about her interest - or not - in running for the leadership. She has held several large, high profile ministerial portfolios and I think she has done a pretty decent job, not the least of which is to avoid scandal under her watch. Unlike George Smitherman and the e-health scandal; Deb Matthews and the Ornge scandal; Laurel Broton and the "removal of the right to collective bargaining by the unions involved in education" scandal.
Ms. Wynne always comes across to me as being intelligent, well-informed, articulate and sensible.
I am not a liberal and never have been but if I were, I would support her.
*************
Kathleen Wynne impresses me too. I attended a meeting at the Regional building with the Minister as special guest.
Municipal Affairs is her post now but there has been no time for an impact there.
I would be surprised if many of the men make a bid for the job.
It's the typical situation for a woman to have it for the asking.
A defeat , for whatever reason, is not something to be sought.
Gut instinct tells me the R. and P. is a desperate measure for time to salvage the gas generation plants or in good part, the money expended.
We shouldn't rule out legal recourse by the opposition parties to change this circumstance.
If Dalton Mc Guinty had persisted with the Bill to freeze public service salaries, there would likely have been a non-confidence vote in the house.
In the minority situation, with an election so recent, the opposition might have had an opportunity to indicate a workable coalition before the L.G. agreed to prorogue the Legislative Assembly.
The government may not be secure in taking six months out of Ontario's right to government to allow them to re-arrange the Liberal Party's political fortune.
The situation is not common. .
It may not be assumed to be natural. l.
If not natural, it may not be legal.
If Kathleen Wynne were to make a bid for the Leadership, it would be better to do it when the Party's chances are not in the toilet.
She should stay put in the cabinet post and watch how things evolve.
$40.million...$64.million...$164million...multi-billion
From Today's Globe and Mail
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty’s office established a high-level initiative codenamed Project Vapour to manage the fallout from the government’s decision to pull the plug on a multibillion-dollar power plant, documents show.
A dozen e-mails, contained in thousands of pages of correspondence made public days before Mr. McGuinty resigned, show that the Premier’s closest advisers were directly involved in sensitive talks with TransCanada Corp., the Calgary energy giant that was to build the province’s third-largest gas-fired power plant in Oakville.
***********
Oh My Lord! Common sense told us that decision could not be justified.
The chickens would have to come home to roost.
We have seen but the tip of the iceberg.
The request to prorogue the assembly to escape accountability, even at the cost of his own resignation ,will not save Dalton McGuinty.
There's something weird about Lieutenant- Governor David Onley agreeing to prorogue the house to allow the Premier to resign and a new Liberal leader to be chosen.
Political parties have no status in the legislature.
The winning side is identified as the Government.
The other side is Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition.
Ballots do not identify candidates by political affiliation.
How can the convenience of a political party be justification for suspending accountability of the government?
L.G. David Onley is a television journalist by profession.Who would be his adviser in the matter?
If the government asked to end the government because of a non-confidence vote, the L.G. would ask if a coalition could be formed to continue to govern without the need and cost of an election before its time.
Legislation was passed for fixed terms of four years. Isn't it barely a year since the last election?
The premier has stated any cabinet minister who would seek the leadership would have to resign his/her cabinet post.
Somebody new would have to be appointed. Presumably the
Province will be governed by the Cabinet.
What if they all resign to compete for the leadership?Or even half of them?
So many questions. So few answers.
It's not right.
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty’s office established a high-level initiative codenamed Project Vapour to manage the fallout from the government’s decision to pull the plug on a multibillion-dollar power plant, documents show.
A dozen e-mails, contained in thousands of pages of correspondence made public days before Mr. McGuinty resigned, show that the Premier’s closest advisers were directly involved in sensitive talks with TransCanada Corp., the Calgary energy giant that was to build the province’s third-largest gas-fired power plant in Oakville.
***********
Oh My Lord! Common sense told us that decision could not be justified.
The chickens would have to come home to roost.
We have seen but the tip of the iceberg.
The request to prorogue the assembly to escape accountability, even at the cost of his own resignation ,will not save Dalton McGuinty.
There's something weird about Lieutenant- Governor David Onley agreeing to prorogue the house to allow the Premier to resign and a new Liberal leader to be chosen.
Political parties have no status in the legislature.
The winning side is identified as the Government.
The other side is Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition.
Ballots do not identify candidates by political affiliation.
How can the convenience of a political party be justification for suspending accountability of the government?
L.G. David Onley is a television journalist by profession.Who would be his adviser in the matter?
If the government asked to end the government because of a non-confidence vote, the L.G. would ask if a coalition could be formed to continue to govern without the need and cost of an election before its time.
Legislation was passed for fixed terms of four years. Isn't it barely a year since the last election?
The premier has stated any cabinet minister who would seek the leadership would have to resign his/her cabinet post.
Somebody new would have to be appointed. Presumably the
Province will be governed by the Cabinet.
What if they all resign to compete for the leadership?Or even half of them?
So many questions. So few answers.
It's not right.
Wednesday, 17 October 2012
By Their Deeds Ye Shall Know Them
Out of politics a long time, Mr. Davis is still a popular guest at charitable fund raisers.
He is humorous and kind, completely empathetic and much appreciated by the people he meets.
He is humorous and kind, completely empathetic and much appreciated by the people he meets.
In Politics
Last night's Council meeting was interesting. Streaming has begun.
I first proposed it in 2003/2006.term of office.
It only took seven years. It's a six month trial. It will continue if it is well received and used I 'm sure.
We could have turned a corner in communication.
It was an interesting evening. Councillor Pirri was in the chair. He may be the only one on Council who understands what debate looks like. It's not how we do it.
So ,with his limited opportunity he tried to make a difference. I'm not sure what it would take to bring Aurora Council back to a semblance of debate. But I don't think it's going to happen any time soon.
Maybe we should hire a tutor. Somebody from outside the political process.
I ticked off a record number of Councillors last night. Councillor Pirri might have been one,
Councillor Ballard stated I was nottelling the truth at one point. The rules do not permit a Councillor to accuse another.
I called for withdrawal and an apology. The Councillor was obliged to conform.
The Mayor was ticked off because I referred to private meetings to promote a scheme held outside the domain of Council.
He said if something is repeated often enough people tend to believe it. And so they should if that repeated is true.And it was true.
Councillor Abel complained I was making insinuations.
I was doing no such thing.
I was saying straight out.
Councillors should not be meeting individually with a bunch of snake-charming real estate promoters with an eye on our Hydro fund , subjecting themselves one by one ,to three-on-one blandishments.
It's a tactic.
The Culture Centre Board did it.
The Arboretum Group did it.
Now a couple of fast talking would-be promoters and President of the Historical Society have tried it.
I received an invitation. I didn't go.
Councillor Gaertner didn't receive an invitation and didn't go.
The movers and shakers compiled a list of prominent citizens ,including the Mayor, in support of the project and informed all and sundry , the project had Councillors' support .
There had been no public meetings so the conclusion is obvious.
Councillors were stroked.
They fell into the trap.
It should turn out to be one of those hard lessons, one can only learn by doing.
.
I first proposed it in 2003/2006.term of office.
It only took seven years. It's a six month trial. It will continue if it is well received and used I 'm sure.
We could have turned a corner in communication.
It was an interesting evening. Councillor Pirri was in the chair. He may be the only one on Council who understands what debate looks like. It's not how we do it.
So ,with his limited opportunity he tried to make a difference. I'm not sure what it would take to bring Aurora Council back to a semblance of debate. But I don't think it's going to happen any time soon.
Maybe we should hire a tutor. Somebody from outside the political process.
I ticked off a record number of Councillors last night. Councillor Pirri might have been one,
Councillor Ballard stated I was nottelling the truth at one point. The rules do not permit a Councillor to accuse another.
I called for withdrawal and an apology. The Councillor was obliged to conform.
The Mayor was ticked off because I referred to private meetings to promote a scheme held outside the domain of Council.
He said if something is repeated often enough people tend to believe it. And so they should if that repeated is true.And it was true.
Councillor Abel complained I was making insinuations.
I was doing no such thing.
I was saying straight out.
Councillors should not be meeting individually with a bunch of snake-charming real estate promoters with an eye on our Hydro fund , subjecting themselves one by one ,to three-on-one blandishments.
It's a tactic.
The Culture Centre Board did it.
The Arboretum Group did it.
Now a couple of fast talking would-be promoters and President of the Historical Society have tried it.
I received an invitation. I didn't go.
Councillor Gaertner didn't receive an invitation and didn't go.
The movers and shakers compiled a list of prominent citizens ,including the Mayor, in support of the project and informed all and sundry , the project had Councillors' support .
There had been no public meetings so the conclusion is obvious.
Councillors were stroked.
They fell into the trap.
It should turn out to be one of those hard lessons, one can only learn by doing.
.
Memories
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Some
Are Best Forgotten":
.... and Mussolini made the trains run on time!Bob Rae was a boob. I remember the Toronto Sun's editorial cartoons of him with his mittens on a string hanging out his sleeves. We are on the Evelyn Buck blog so I will take an opportunity to yearn for the return of the good old days. Bill Davis as Premeir, Bette Stephenson in Education, James Snow in transportation. Oh, if we only had those people again....
***************
and Hitler built Volkswagen and the Autobahn and brought Germany out of the Depression. I think that happened.
So what changed.
The Toronto Sun changed the face of journalism.
It was modelled on the Daily Mirror, a British tabloid that one could hold and read while hanging on to the strap above one's head, on the bus, on the way to work every morning.
It was one of a dozen morning newspapers.
One of a couple of dozen dailies
I read it every morning.
Became so depressed about the state of things, I emigrated with my husband and two sons to Canada.
Never looked back.
I do not read the Toronto Sun,.
Number One Son is currently living in Paris. He has noticed how everybody reads all the time wherever they happen to be.It seems little has changed.
I talk to him on Skype.
He sends pictures of where he is on Facebook
.... and Mussolini made the trains run on time!Bob Rae was a boob. I remember the Toronto Sun's editorial cartoons of him with his mittens on a string hanging out his sleeves. We are on the Evelyn Buck blog so I will take an opportunity to yearn for the return of the good old days. Bill Davis as Premeir, Bette Stephenson in Education, James Snow in transportation. Oh, if we only had those people again....
***************
and Hitler built Volkswagen and the Autobahn and brought Germany out of the Depression. I think that happened.
So what changed.
The Toronto Sun changed the face of journalism.
It was modelled on the Daily Mirror, a British tabloid that one could hold and read while hanging on to the strap above one's head, on the bus, on the way to work every morning.
It was one of a dozen morning newspapers.
One of a couple of dozen dailies
I read it every morning.
Became so depressed about the state of things, I emigrated with my husband and two sons to Canada.
Never looked back.
I do not read the Toronto Sun,.
Number One Son is currently living in Paris. He has noticed how everybody reads all the time wherever they happen to be.It seems little has changed.
I talk to him on Skype.
He sends pictures of where he is on Facebook
Drama Is Where You Find It
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Dalon
Resigns":
I should know, but do not. Does Dalton have decent French? If he is considering running to lead a national party, he really needs both languages
***********
Mr, McGuinty is an Ottawa man. Fully bilingual. he is one of seven sons, I think. His brother is a federal M.P.
I believe him when he says he has no plans to be candidate for the federal leaderhip.
That could change of course.
But he has the same baggage now that Bob Rae has.
I don't think he's an extrovert. He grew to the job.
They are both good men. Both would make excellent leaders. They would not make the same mistake twice.
But in politics,you don't get that chance.
Which is a shame because there aren't that many good men willing to come to the aid of the party.
************************
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Dalton Resigns":
Would it be possible to put the two generating plants back on line? Perhaps something could be saved after all that money has been paid out? Everything is so confused that I can't figure out who will be running that place. Hudak has issued a couple of weird ' manifestos ' and the NDP is an unknown to me. What a mess! So far, no Liberal name has been offered but it is not likely they will get a chance to make amends - for years
********************
Again in politics, everything depends on choice.
This comment has made me think of another possible reason for the current scenario
If the decision to cancel the contract for natural gas generation plants could be reversed, Dalton couldn't be the one.
It would have to be someone else.
Or maybe not.
Regret has been expressed all round about the cost.
We haven't even heard the full implication.
Maybe the contract could be salvaged by an outgoing Premier who has prorogued the House.
Whatever happens, we are going to be engaged in real drama .
Fasten your seat belts. You are in for a bumpy ride.
*********************
I just had a conversation with my grand-daughter, erstwhile candidate for the Green party in the last election.
Sometimes, I hear myself say things I'd forgotten I knew.
It's an interesting aspect of having lived a long time.
In some circumstances, perhaps prorogue of the House, a privy council governs.
Things do not grind to a halt. Governing must continue.
The Queen of England is titular head of the U.K. government.
If the Queen left on one of her tours, a privy council governed and the Queen Mother took her place.
When Stephen Harper prorogued Parliament, there was a tremendous uproar.
It meant he had dispensed with the House and had the power to govern without them.
Nobody was there to call him to account.
But he did not govern alone.
This is high drama.
We await the other shoe to drop.
I should know, but do not. Does Dalton have decent French? If he is considering running to lead a national party, he really needs both languages
***********
Mr, McGuinty is an Ottawa man. Fully bilingual. he is one of seven sons, I think. His brother is a federal M.P.
I believe him when he says he has no plans to be candidate for the federal leaderhip.
That could change of course.
But he has the same baggage now that Bob Rae has.
I don't think he's an extrovert. He grew to the job.
They are both good men. Both would make excellent leaders. They would not make the same mistake twice.
But in politics,you don't get that chance.
Which is a shame because there aren't that many good men willing to come to the aid of the party.
************************
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Dalton Resigns":
Would it be possible to put the two generating plants back on line? Perhaps something could be saved after all that money has been paid out? Everything is so confused that I can't figure out who will be running that place. Hudak has issued a couple of weird ' manifestos ' and the NDP is an unknown to me. What a mess! So far, no Liberal name has been offered but it is not likely they will get a chance to make amends - for years
********************
Again in politics, everything depends on choice.
This comment has made me think of another possible reason for the current scenario
If the decision to cancel the contract for natural gas generation plants could be reversed, Dalton couldn't be the one.
It would have to be someone else.
Or maybe not.
Regret has been expressed all round about the cost.
We haven't even heard the full implication.
Maybe the contract could be salvaged by an outgoing Premier who has prorogued the House.
Whatever happens, we are going to be engaged in real drama .
Fasten your seat belts. You are in for a bumpy ride.
*********************
I just had a conversation with my grand-daughter, erstwhile candidate for the Green party in the last election.
Sometimes, I hear myself say things I'd forgotten I knew.
It's an interesting aspect of having lived a long time.
In some circumstances, perhaps prorogue of the House, a privy council governs.
Things do not grind to a halt. Governing must continue.
The Queen of England is titular head of the U.K. government.
If the Queen left on one of her tours, a privy council governed and the Queen Mother took her place.
When Stephen Harper prorogued Parliament, there was a tremendous uproar.
It meant he had dispensed with the House and had the power to govern without them.
Nobody was there to call him to account.
But he did not govern alone.
This is high drama.
We await the other shoe to drop.
Tuesday, 16 October 2012
Some Are Best Forgotten
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Anonymous
has left a new comment on your post "Dal...":
"I cannot believe it. Someone has already made a comment referring back to Bob Rae. He is still to blame for this too? That was how many governments and years ago? The man held office for a single term."
How many times do we still here references (especially from municipal political types) about Mike Harris?
*************
Not many.
I think we might prefer to forget Mr. Harris.
His successor isn't making too good an impression either.
"I cannot believe it. Someone has already made a comment referring back to Bob Rae. He is still to blame for this too? That was how many governments and years ago? The man held office for a single term."
How many times do we still here references (especially from municipal political types) about Mike Harris?
*************
Not many.
I think we might prefer to forget Mr. Harris.
His successor isn't making too good an impression either.
How Topsy Grows
October 15, 2012
Policy Update –Local Food Act may create additional municipal
reporting requirements
A provincial bill to promote local food has laudable goals, but AMO
is cautioning the Province about how it could add to municipal reporting
requirements and reach outside of municipal governments’ roles and
responsibilities.
Bill 130, known in short
as the Promoting Local Food Act, 2012, was
introduced on October 4th by Minister Ted McMeekin, Minister of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
The
draft legislation would allow the Minister, after consultation, to establish
aspirational goals or targets regarding local food. Under the proposed legislation, the Minister
may require a public sector organization – a municipality, hospital, long-term
care home, school, college or university, etc. - to provide information
related
to increasing awareness, access and sales of local food. This may include
providing information to assist in:
·
Establishing a goal or target or determining the actions required
to meet a goal or target;
·
Understanding the steps being taken to meet a goal or target;
or
·
Assessing the progress toward meeting a goal or
target.
*****************
The above is copied from an AMO bulletin
Bob Rae was being interviewed last night on the news. He was talking about Dalton McGuinty's resigation .
In the course of the discussion he stated the vast majority of the provincial government's budget is salaries. There is no othjer place to look when the need is to cut costs.
The same thing applies to most government budgets.
We do not manufacture products . We provide service.
Service equates to manpower.
When he inherited a deficit, Mr. Rae decided the best thing to do, in order to save jobs, was to ask the public service to take days off without pay.
His virtuous intent was misunderstood. The work force rose up in outrage and sent him packing.
Mr. Rae and Dalton Mc Guinty's shared the same problem. They recognized the same solution. But they went about it in a different way.
With the same reaction from the work force.
So what is the answer.
I would refer the reader to the bulletin from AMO about Bill 130;
I suggest it took a whole team of workers scurrying back and forth to come up with Bill 130.
AMO warns it wil lead to more requirement for reporting at the municipal level.
That would naturaully mean more works. More employees.
I read the goal set by the Minister.
Frankly, I can't make head nor tail of it.
Except for one thing. It will add to payroll costs.
Even as the government is looking for ways to cut payroll costs.
Where's the logic.
Is the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs not pat of the same government looking for ways to cut costs.
Or is he just looking for ways to justify his own job?
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Daltin
Resigns":
This just goes to show you that politics is a blood-sport, at times an ugly thing.
Politicians are, after all, mere humans.
The only way to get elected is to make promises that impress more than 50% of voters.
The way to remain in office is to break the fewest promises or else explain why they could not be kept.
Often the books reveal hidden deficits or commitments made by the previous government that have been kept secret.
Bob Rae knows this very well.
Look at Mitt Romney's complete about face during the first presidential debate. Does the American voter know the man any better now? I don't think so. He is merely a hypocrite.
************
That wasn't my argument.
The weekend before, his announcement , the Premier won a vote of confidence from the party.
After the previous election, he kept a promise and closed the coal fired plants. He went further and moved to replace them with clean gas-fired generating plants.
Here in Aurora, we are familiar with the logic.
What Dalton Mc Guinty did on the eve of the last election, when he cancelled at horrendous expense, the consruction of the gas fired generating plants.
Quite simply, the decision was inexplicable.
He kept the seat but he did not win a majority.
We do not yet know the final tally.
All it cost Mr. McGuinty is the decision to wash his hands of the problem and resign.
He can't fix it.
I doubt anyone can.
No,no,we don't see a mess like that every day.
Nobody did it to him.
He did it to us.
This just goes to show you that politics is a blood-sport, at times an ugly thing.
Politicians are, after all, mere humans.
The only way to get elected is to make promises that impress more than 50% of voters.
The way to remain in office is to break the fewest promises or else explain why they could not be kept.
Often the books reveal hidden deficits or commitments made by the previous government that have been kept secret.
Bob Rae knows this very well.
Look at Mitt Romney's complete about face during the first presidential debate. Does the American voter know the man any better now? I don't think so. He is merely a hypocrite.
************
That wasn't my argument.
The weekend before, his announcement , the Premier won a vote of confidence from the party.
After the previous election, he kept a promise and closed the coal fired plants. He went further and moved to replace them with clean gas-fired generating plants.
Here in Aurora, we are familiar with the logic.
What Dalton Mc Guinty did on the eve of the last election, when he cancelled at horrendous expense, the consruction of the gas fired generating plants.
Quite simply, the decision was inexplicable.
He kept the seat but he did not win a majority.
We do not yet know the final tally.
All it cost Mr. McGuinty is the decision to wash his hands of the problem and resign.
He can't fix it.
I doubt anyone can.
No,no,we don't see a mess like that every day.
Nobody did it to him.
He did it to us.
Dalon Resigns
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "What
Does The Cancer Society Do With It All?":
Dalton Resigns
***********
I didn't see that coming.
The jackpot was obvious.
The problem was created when the gas generating plants were cancelled on the eve of the last election, to hold on to a seat.
I could not believe he did that.
In the previous election he committed to closing down the coal-fired generating plants to keep a seat.
There were valid arguments but it was still not completely kosher .
Everybody who knows anything about contracts , knows they can't be cancelled at that stage. .
Well they can But if they are, the cost is the same as if they are built.
In effect we would spend the money and still not have the generating capacity. It would have to be spent again.
The decision was bound to come back and bite him.
It did.
The government was slow to produce the numbers.
The heat did not go away. Not like the money and the gas generating plants.
First we heard $40 million .
Then $164 million.
Then we heard of a motion against them for Contempt of the House for refusing to divulge information.
At the week-end we heard of 40,000 documents which had been with-held and a new figure of $650 million.
We heard Minister of Energy,Chris Bentley had apologized to the House.But we knew Chris Bentley was not to blame.
We knew the Bill dealing with public service workers wages was not getting Conservative support.
It was too far forward to draw back.
The Circumstances called for an election.
With sixty thousand teachers on the campaign trail with Sid Ryan's giant-killer public service workers, an election now would not present as a good risk.
The Premier had to fall on his sword but do it gracefully.
He didn't.
He prorogued the house.
He said he wanted to spend time with his family. They all say that.
After nineteen years, nine as Premier, he said it was time for fresh thinking.
He couldn't see his way out.
Everybody else said he is a very nice man.
I believe that. He is so nice he couldn't say no to the pressure group in Missuassaga, Hazel McCallion's fiefdom.
Hazel was the one to demand the coal-fired generating plants be shut down before there was a plan for replacement.
So............. another one bites the dust.
In the cloud that rises, the future is far from clear.
Dalton Resigns
***********
I didn't see that coming.
The jackpot was obvious.
The problem was created when the gas generating plants were cancelled on the eve of the last election, to hold on to a seat.
I could not believe he did that.
In the previous election he committed to closing down the coal-fired generating plants to keep a seat.
There were valid arguments but it was still not completely kosher .
Everybody who knows anything about contracts , knows they can't be cancelled at that stage. .
Well they can But if they are, the cost is the same as if they are built.
In effect we would spend the money and still not have the generating capacity. It would have to be spent again.
The decision was bound to come back and bite him.
It did.
The government was slow to produce the numbers.
The heat did not go away. Not like the money and the gas generating plants.
First we heard $40 million .
Then $164 million.
Then we heard of a motion against them for Contempt of the House for refusing to divulge information.
At the week-end we heard of 40,000 documents which had been with-held and a new figure of $650 million.
We heard Minister of Energy,Chris Bentley had apologized to the House.But we knew Chris Bentley was not to blame.
We knew the Bill dealing with public service workers wages was not getting Conservative support.
It was too far forward to draw back.
The Circumstances called for an election.
With sixty thousand teachers on the campaign trail with Sid Ryan's giant-killer public service workers, an election now would not present as a good risk.
The Premier had to fall on his sword but do it gracefully.
He didn't.
He prorogued the house.
He said he wanted to spend time with his family. They all say that.
After nineteen years, nine as Premier, he said it was time for fresh thinking.
He couldn't see his way out.
Everybody else said he is a very nice man.
I believe that. He is so nice he couldn't say no to the pressure group in Missuassaga, Hazel McCallion's fiefdom.
Hazel was the one to demand the coal-fired generating plants be shut down before there was a plan for replacement.
So............. another one bites the dust.
In the cloud that rises, the future is far from clear.
Monday, 15 October 2012
What Does The Cancer Society Do With It All?
I lost the thread of discussion about he/she/alone a long time ago .So I'm not publishing the tails.
I understand why the person with the passion for the food bank persists in making a connection to money provided by the town for free arts and culture. Which isn't free at all.
I make the same connection.
That's not to say politicians should decided for anybody which charity should be supported.
It's one of the few decisions still ours to make.
I acknowledge no person's right to put a hand in my pocket and take out whatever to support a charity.
But we do it all the same.
Every time a request is made to waive fees for a town facility, we are, in effect making a donation of the fee to the charity.
The books are not correctly kept.
A facility is used, a fee should be recorded..
If the fee is waived , it should be recorded as a grant.
Revenue for facility use should tally with times used and fees charged.
Funds raised for cancer might be $40,000. If user fee of $300 was paid, the tally would be $39,700.
What's wrong with that?
Why can't politicians say no ?
If we don't waive the fee, does it mean we don't care about families
dealing with cancer in their lives. I think not.
People I meet, who participate in raising funds in memory of a loved one, in the hope another family can be spared the grief, wonder more about what the Cancer Society is doing with the funds than about paying the user fee for a facility.
I understand why the person with the passion for the food bank persists in making a connection to money provided by the town for free arts and culture. Which isn't free at all.
I make the same connection.
That's not to say politicians should decided for anybody which charity should be supported.
It's one of the few decisions still ours to make.
I acknowledge no person's right to put a hand in my pocket and take out whatever to support a charity.
But we do it all the same.
Every time a request is made to waive fees for a town facility, we are, in effect making a donation of the fee to the charity.
The books are not correctly kept.
A facility is used, a fee should be recorded..
If the fee is waived , it should be recorded as a grant.
Revenue for facility use should tally with times used and fees charged.
Funds raised for cancer might be $40,000. If user fee of $300 was paid, the tally would be $39,700.
What's wrong with that?
Why can't politicians say no ?
If we don't waive the fee, does it mean we don't care about families
dealing with cancer in their lives. I think not.
People I meet, who participate in raising funds in memory of a loved one, in the hope another family can be spared the grief, wonder more about what the Cancer Society is doing with the funds than about paying the user fee for a facility.
No Misunderstanding Here
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Heart
And Soul":
"I find the suggestion that people who do pay attention to municipal affairs should be discounted entirely because so many do not."
No such suggestion was made; you must have misunderstood the contention being refuted. A commenter who obviously pays "attention to municipal affairs" would hardly discount those that do.
************
Sorry but that's how it read.You said " only a tiny fraction of the people calling for change and those responding to it"
In that statement "those calling for change'' are dismissed as insignificant because they are " a tiny fraction"
There's no room for misunderstanding.
Error perhaps. But not misunderstanding.
This weekend , I heard of a concern I suspected must be there
but not hearing it, meant I could not speak of it.
Rib Fest is very popular. It's American.
People come from miles around. It's on for three days. Thousands hunker down at picnic tables to feast on ribs and other delicacies.
Others carry it off in stacked clam shells to enjoy at home.
No fees are paid for use of the park.
No local taxes are derived. No jobs are created.
What about people in the restaurant business, who do pay taxes to and provide employment?
Who can't speak out for themselves because of the absolute imperative of good relations with potential customers.
The same people who enjoy Rib Fest.
Well this week-end I did hear about it. In a round about way.
The impact is devastating.Restaurants might as well close their doors.
Should that concern Aurora Council?
I think so.
Because we have created the problem.
We did not create Rib Fest
We provide the free venue that allows it to flourish and for three days, wipe out a segment of our local business.
It's competition you say.
Well no, it is not.
Not when one group pays nothing and scoops up and carries away hundreds of thousands of available dollars courtesy of the local municipality.
"I find the suggestion that people who do pay attention to municipal affairs should be discounted entirely because so many do not."
No such suggestion was made; you must have misunderstood the contention being refuted. A commenter who obviously pays "attention to municipal affairs" would hardly discount those that do.
************
Sorry but that's how it read.You said " only a tiny fraction of the people calling for change and those responding to it"
In that statement "those calling for change'' are dismissed as insignificant because they are " a tiny fraction"
There's no room for misunderstanding.
Error perhaps. But not misunderstanding.
This weekend , I heard of a concern I suspected must be there
but not hearing it, meant I could not speak of it.
Rib Fest is very popular. It's American.
People come from miles around. It's on for three days. Thousands hunker down at picnic tables to feast on ribs and other delicacies.
Others carry it off in stacked clam shells to enjoy at home.
No fees are paid for use of the park.
No local taxes are derived. No jobs are created.
What about people in the restaurant business, who do pay taxes to and provide employment?
Who can't speak out for themselves because of the absolute imperative of good relations with potential customers.
The same people who enjoy Rib Fest.
Well this week-end I did hear about it. In a round about way.
The impact is devastating.Restaurants might as well close their doors.
Should that concern Aurora Council?
I think so.
Because we have created the problem.
We did not create Rib Fest
We provide the free venue that allows it to flourish and for three days, wipe out a segment of our local business.
It's competition you say.
Well no, it is not.
Not when one group pays nothing and scoops up and carries away hundreds of thousands of available dollars courtesy of the local municipality.
The Heart And Soul
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A Febrile
Argument":
The engaged and political measure only a small number of our town's residents. A dispute or issue amongst that group can't be claimed to be town-wide.
Those calling for change and those responding to that call were only a tiny fraction of the populace. The overwhelming majority of Aurorans just went about their daily lives without an inkling of any kerfuffle.
You may find that sad, or hard to believe, but that's the situation. How many even bother to get out and vote one day every four years?
*****************
"How many even bother to get out and vote one day every four years"
I don't find it sad or hard to believe. It's a simple statement of reality.
I find the suggestion that people who do pay attention to municipal affairs should be discounted entirely because so many do not.
Every time we have an election, I hear the lament about how few do go out to vote. And what can be done about it.
I think about changes in the years I've been involved.
.
The first was to have elections every twenty-four months instead of twelve Then it was thirty -six months. Then forty-eight months
.
They were not about encouraging people to get involved.
They were always about accommodating the City of Toronto.
Voting privilege was extended down to age eighteen .
It increased the voters list. Not the percentage of people voting. Probably shrank it.
Early on , I realised apartment buildings were not productive places to spend time and literature.They were comfortable and quick on a cold November night. But they did not produce votes.
Analyses of polls indicate tenants have less inclination to vote than property owners.
I was a tenant once. I understand. I never thought of rent being influenced by anyone except the landlord
The principle applies to people between ages of eighteen and twenty-one. If property isn't owned , property taxes are not paid. Decisions related to property taxes are not relevant. Ergo! why should they vote in municipal elections.
I hereby acknowledge I never related to municipal elections until I owned a property.
Dates for the election were changed. Twice It would be easier for seniors to get out and vote earlier, they argued.
Seniors didn't need encouragement to vote. They always turned out first at the polls.Always knew what was going on.Even when they were tenants.
There was a time, before my time, when only property owners were allowed to vote on a money vote. If a Council was contemplating a significant expenditure, only those who paid taxes were allowed to vote on the expenditure.
What a novel idea. If the money isn't coming out of your pocket, you got nuthin' to say about it.
We have something still called "Local Improvement "tax.
If a group wanted something like a quarter of a million traffic calming plan, the municipality had to implement a formal petition exactly describing the plan and attendant cost.
A minimum of seventy-five per cent of the property owners had to agree to the tax being attached to their properties.
Bearing the cost for a project has a salutary effect on support for a project.
People had to be informed. They had to sign on the dotted line.
The last change is how voters lists are prepared. No longer do people go out in pairs knocking on doors to obtain names of voters within the home.
Census lists are used. The census names residents in Canada. Not all residents have a right to vote. Only Canadians.
The voters list is larger than it ought to be.
It's not known at any given time how many on the list have no right to vote.
But the list is longer than it ought to be so the percentage of people who vote is smaller.
When we first bought a home in Aurora, we quickly became aware of how often people moved .In a new subdivision for sale signs stand out.
There were many reasons. It was a fact of Canadian life.
How long does it take for a place to feel like home? Like you belong. Why let yourself feel it, if there is no permanence in your situation.
If a study was worth doing, I think it would show the percentage of people who vote is the same percentage, who feel this is their place, their home, the place they will raise their children and hopefully enjoy their grandchildren .
Is it a large percentage?
Considering growth, impermanence of jobs. marriages, life's vicissitudes, shifting populations, I don't think so.
Do they count? Most certainly they do.
They are the heart and soul of the community.
The engaged and political measure only a small number of our town's residents. A dispute or issue amongst that group can't be claimed to be town-wide.
Those calling for change and those responding to that call were only a tiny fraction of the populace. The overwhelming majority of Aurorans just went about their daily lives without an inkling of any kerfuffle.
You may find that sad, or hard to believe, but that's the situation. How many even bother to get out and vote one day every four years?
*****************
"How many even bother to get out and vote one day every four years"
I don't find it sad or hard to believe. It's a simple statement of reality.
I find the suggestion that people who do pay attention to municipal affairs should be discounted entirely because so many do not.
Every time we have an election, I hear the lament about how few do go out to vote. And what can be done about it.
I think about changes in the years I've been involved.
.
The first was to have elections every twenty-four months instead of twelve Then it was thirty -six months. Then forty-eight months
.
They were not about encouraging people to get involved.
They were always about accommodating the City of Toronto.
Voting privilege was extended down to age eighteen .
It increased the voters list. Not the percentage of people voting. Probably shrank it.
Early on , I realised apartment buildings were not productive places to spend time and literature.They were comfortable and quick on a cold November night. But they did not produce votes.
Analyses of polls indicate tenants have less inclination to vote than property owners.
I was a tenant once. I understand. I never thought of rent being influenced by anyone except the landlord
The principle applies to people between ages of eighteen and twenty-one. If property isn't owned , property taxes are not paid. Decisions related to property taxes are not relevant. Ergo! why should they vote in municipal elections.
I hereby acknowledge I never related to municipal elections until I owned a property.
Dates for the election were changed. Twice It would be easier for seniors to get out and vote earlier, they argued.
Seniors didn't need encouragement to vote. They always turned out first at the polls.Always knew what was going on.Even when they were tenants.
There was a time, before my time, when only property owners were allowed to vote on a money vote. If a Council was contemplating a significant expenditure, only those who paid taxes were allowed to vote on the expenditure.
What a novel idea. If the money isn't coming out of your pocket, you got nuthin' to say about it.
We have something still called "Local Improvement "tax.
If a group wanted something like a quarter of a million traffic calming plan, the municipality had to implement a formal petition exactly describing the plan and attendant cost.
A minimum of seventy-five per cent of the property owners had to agree to the tax being attached to their properties.
Bearing the cost for a project has a salutary effect on support for a project.
People had to be informed. They had to sign on the dotted line.
The last change is how voters lists are prepared. No longer do people go out in pairs knocking on doors to obtain names of voters within the home.
Census lists are used. The census names residents in Canada. Not all residents have a right to vote. Only Canadians.
The voters list is larger than it ought to be.
It's not known at any given time how many on the list have no right to vote.
But the list is longer than it ought to be so the percentage of people who vote is smaller.
When we first bought a home in Aurora, we quickly became aware of how often people moved .In a new subdivision for sale signs stand out.
There were many reasons. It was a fact of Canadian life.
How long does it take for a place to feel like home? Like you belong. Why let yourself feel it, if there is no permanence in your situation.
If a study was worth doing, I think it would show the percentage of people who vote is the same percentage, who feel this is their place, their home, the place they will raise their children and hopefully enjoy their grandchildren .
Is it a large percentage?
Considering growth, impermanence of jobs. marriages, life's vicissitudes, shifting populations, I don't think so.
Do they count? Most certainly they do.
They are the heart and soul of the community.
Sunday, 14 October 2012
A Febrile Argument
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Three
Questions And Answers":
"It's reasonable therefore to take that to mean strong sentiment within the community."
No, it isn't reasonable to make that extrapolation. A group of people (with various concerns and motivations) putting pressure on a smaller group (Council) doesn't equate to widespread dissatisfaction. The vast majority of the "the community" is disengaged and/or apolitical - they remained oblivious to any issue.
************
So, if the "vast majority" is "disengaged and apolitical" it means those who are engaged should be discounted.
Town Council, although elected to represent the entire community , equates to a "smaller group" and doesn't count either.
So it is argued, by default, the community supports a three point annual increase in the tax rate to support free access to art and culture and free facilities to pedal non-adjudicated art and culture from throughout York Region and beyond.
Facilities that already provided space for groups pursuing artistic endeavour could be raided to fill space at Church Street School
to make it seem like a success.
Even the Seniors' Singalong was encouraged to abandon the beautiful facility provided , also at taxpayers expense, to be held at the pirated museum facility, to justify thievery.
So that the elite among us could tilt their noses and claim to be the elite among us.
"Out, Out , damned spot" you say
But nay!
All the Waters of Arabia, do not sweeten the sell-out
"It's reasonable therefore to take that to mean strong sentiment within the community."
No, it isn't reasonable to make that extrapolation. A group of people (with various concerns and motivations) putting pressure on a smaller group (Council) doesn't equate to widespread dissatisfaction. The vast majority of the "the community" is disengaged and/or apolitical - they remained oblivious to any issue.
************
So, if the "vast majority" is "disengaged and apolitical" it means those who are engaged should be discounted.
Town Council, although elected to represent the entire community , equates to a "smaller group" and doesn't count either.
So it is argued, by default, the community supports a three point annual increase in the tax rate to support free access to art and culture and free facilities to pedal non-adjudicated art and culture from throughout York Region and beyond.
Facilities that already provided space for groups pursuing artistic endeavour could be raided to fill space at Church Street School
to make it seem like a success.
Even the Seniors' Singalong was encouraged to abandon the beautiful facility provided , also at taxpayers expense, to be held at the pirated museum facility, to justify thievery.
So that the elite among us could tilt their noses and claim to be the elite among us.
"Out, Out , damned spot" you say
But nay!
All the Waters of Arabia, do not sweeten the sell-out
Three Questions And Answers
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The
Draft Agreement is On Hand":
How do you arrive at that million dollar cost? You usually quote a half million, but isn't the actual tab in the $300 thousand range?
***********
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Draft Agreement is On Hand":
"The one we had was not acceptable to the majority of Council and the community."
The community? I don't recall any poll or vote involving all the residents seeking a majority of opinion.
*******************
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Draft Agreement is On Hand":
And just how is His Mayorship doing with that promise to have streaming by early fall? We had hail today - time's running out on his assertion. I keep hearing and reading about the need to involve Aurorans. Could we just do this one little thing? I still have a bet that the cheque for the ' trial run ' has been cashed. Tuesday is also a Presidential Debate. Attention is not just waiting for Council to collect. If there is a conflict, we should be able to get both. Please.
*******************
First; The annual grant started at $340,000.
The agreement called for the town to match any donations received by the Culture Centre Board
A donation was made by, I want to say the Toronto Dominion Bank but I'm not sure they were still under that name.
The town matched it.
Maintenance of the facility was $147,000. the first year.
Allocation for renovating and furnishing the facility for a museum still had $261,000 remaining in the budget. It was intended for display cases. The Board got that.
No rent was charged for the building. No reserve fund created to provide for ongoing structure maintenance.
That first year, funds and space provided for the board's use was certainly in the million dollar range.
$261,000 was not repeated. Nor matching funds for a $50,000 donation.
Still the grant was increased by 3%. to $347,000.
Donations received by the Centre were $12,000 one year and $15,000 another. Both would be matched by the town according to the terms of the agreement.
Maintenance of the building would rise by increases in the union contract; probably 2,5 %. No doubt supplies saw an equal increase.
Rent was still; not charged.
Still no fund was created to pay for potential repairs.
Exhibitions and displays were advertised as free .
Had there been return on capital investment in the building calculated , no doubt the annual cost to the town was close if not over a million.
$2.5 million was taken from the Hydro fund . Interest as return on capital is the least that could be charged as cost of occupation.
Had I known of plans to steal the building out from under the museum, and spend a million dollars a year on a contract to purchase art and culture services, there would certainly have been no support from this Councillor to rob the Hydro Asset Fund for that purpose.
Damn Right the contract needs to be tossed.
Despite all resources on the payroll to ensure the community's interest was served.
The community's interest was betrayed. .
***************************
Second; The majority of Council has indicated dis-satisfaction with the contract and direction has been given to change it. .
I believe it should be tossed.
It's reasonable therefore to take that to mean strong sentiment within the community.
Representative of both parties have worked together for six months to come up with a draft new agreement.
It can be acknowledged the intent is to change the agreement to better serve the community's interest.
*************
Third: The pilot study for streaming meetings is for six months. That's what we are paying for.
Whatever date it starts, I hope will be Tuesday. it will be six months from then when it ends.
The leaves are still on my maple tree.
I am in no hurry to herald the winter.
How do you arrive at that million dollar cost? You usually quote a half million, but isn't the actual tab in the $300 thousand range?
***********
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Draft Agreement is On Hand":
"The one we had was not acceptable to the majority of Council and the community."
The community? I don't recall any poll or vote involving all the residents seeking a majority of opinion.
*******************
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Draft Agreement is On Hand":
And just how is His Mayorship doing with that promise to have streaming by early fall? We had hail today - time's running out on his assertion. I keep hearing and reading about the need to involve Aurorans. Could we just do this one little thing? I still have a bet that the cheque for the ' trial run ' has been cashed. Tuesday is also a Presidential Debate. Attention is not just waiting for Council to collect. If there is a conflict, we should be able to get both. Please.
*******************
First; The annual grant started at $340,000.
The agreement called for the town to match any donations received by the Culture Centre Board
A donation was made by, I want to say the Toronto Dominion Bank but I'm not sure they were still under that name.
The town matched it.
Maintenance of the facility was $147,000. the first year.
Allocation for renovating and furnishing the facility for a museum still had $261,000 remaining in the budget. It was intended for display cases. The Board got that.
No rent was charged for the building. No reserve fund created to provide for ongoing structure maintenance.
That first year, funds and space provided for the board's use was certainly in the million dollar range.
$261,000 was not repeated. Nor matching funds for a $50,000 donation.
Still the grant was increased by 3%. to $347,000.
Donations received by the Centre were $12,000 one year and $15,000 another. Both would be matched by the town according to the terms of the agreement.
Maintenance of the building would rise by increases in the union contract; probably 2,5 %. No doubt supplies saw an equal increase.
Rent was still; not charged.
Still no fund was created to pay for potential repairs.
Exhibitions and displays were advertised as free .
Had there been return on capital investment in the building calculated , no doubt the annual cost to the town was close if not over a million.
$2.5 million was taken from the Hydro fund . Interest as return on capital is the least that could be charged as cost of occupation.
Had I known of plans to steal the building out from under the museum, and spend a million dollars a year on a contract to purchase art and culture services, there would certainly have been no support from this Councillor to rob the Hydro Asset Fund for that purpose.
Damn Right the contract needs to be tossed.
Despite all resources on the payroll to ensure the community's interest was served.
The community's interest was betrayed. .
***************************
Second; The majority of Council has indicated dis-satisfaction with the contract and direction has been given to change it. .
I believe it should be tossed.
It's reasonable therefore to take that to mean strong sentiment within the community.
Representative of both parties have worked together for six months to come up with a draft new agreement.
It can be acknowledged the intent is to change the agreement to better serve the community's interest.
*************
Third: The pilot study for streaming meetings is for six months. That's what we are paying for.
Whatever date it starts, I hope will be Tuesday. it will be six months from then when it ends.
The leaves are still on my maple tree.
I am in no hurry to herald the winter.
Saturday, 13 October 2012
The Draft Agreement is On Hand
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "We
Are Getting There":
9:56 PM
I am just getting to this. It sounds very much like there is STILL no new working arrangement. Something has apparently been proposed as of several weeks ago. It has not been accepted as yet, at least not outside of a possible closed session. And it might be on the G.C. next week. Hence, the initial comment about there being no existent working agreement would be the correct one. No? Lots of things are in the hands of Council. Doesn't mean they are in effect.
**********
Here's a re-cap.
In March, Council directed staff to meet with the Board of the Culture Centre and develop a new working arrangement for management of the Culture Centre.
The one we had was not acceptable to the majority of Council and the community.
That section of the Art community of the Greater York Region,
dependent on giveaways, was hugely charned by it. It catered to their wildest dreams of fame and fortune.No other municipality had anything like it.
They rallied to the cause and the Culture Board in opposition to Council taking action to represent the interest of the people forking out close to a million dollars a year in taxes to support the special interest of art and lofty culture.
Even while other people in the community can't afford to put food on the table and pay exorbitant property taxes.
But I digress.
The Chief Administrative Officer and the Director of Leisure Services were authorised to meet with two board members and draft a new agreement.
The draft was ready and circulated to Council a couple of weeks ago for time to digest.
Item 11 on the agenda of this week's general committee is the mew draft.
It is 73 pages long.
It is currently on the web site with the agenda.
Anyone with a computer who is on line can access it.
I am not sure you are automatically on line if you have a computer . That's why I qualify that last comment.
The draft is recommended to Council by staff .
Council will discuss the pros and cons and make the decision.
Until the following Tuesday, when Council is likely to make the final decision, the community has opportunity for input.
Read it and let us know your reaction.
9:56 PM
I am just getting to this. It sounds very much like there is STILL no new working arrangement. Something has apparently been proposed as of several weeks ago. It has not been accepted as yet, at least not outside of a possible closed session. And it might be on the G.C. next week. Hence, the initial comment about there being no existent working agreement would be the correct one. No? Lots of things are in the hands of Council. Doesn't mean they are in effect.
**********
Here's a re-cap.
In March, Council directed staff to meet with the Board of the Culture Centre and develop a new working arrangement for management of the Culture Centre.
The one we had was not acceptable to the majority of Council and the community.
That section of the Art community of the Greater York Region,
dependent on giveaways, was hugely charned by it. It catered to their wildest dreams of fame and fortune.No other municipality had anything like it.
They rallied to the cause and the Culture Board in opposition to Council taking action to represent the interest of the people forking out close to a million dollars a year in taxes to support the special interest of art and lofty culture.
Even while other people in the community can't afford to put food on the table and pay exorbitant property taxes.
But I digress.
The Chief Administrative Officer and the Director of Leisure Services were authorised to meet with two board members and draft a new agreement.
The draft was ready and circulated to Council a couple of weeks ago for time to digest.
Item 11 on the agenda of this week's general committee is the mew draft.
It is 73 pages long.
It is currently on the web site with the agenda.
Anyone with a computer who is on line can access it.
I am not sure you are automatically on line if you have a computer . That's why I qualify that last comment.
The draft is recommended to Council by staff .
Council will discuss the pros and cons and make the decision.
Until the following Tuesday, when Council is likely to make the final decision, the community has opportunity for input.
Read it and let us know your reaction.
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