 By Pepper Parr
July 27, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
There are many views on the reformed Economic Development Corporation that has just held its first Board meeting. That occasion may have been the first time these men and women have met each other.
It takes time for a board to gel but Burlington doesn’t appear to want to give them even a little breathing room. At a city council workshop on commercial strategies and how zoning could be used to entice development to the city, much was made of the role the EDC was going to play in all this.
 Frank McKeown, then the Mayors Chief of Staff explains a concept to Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman, when the city was developing its Strategic Plan. Sharman is now in a race for his council seat, while McKeown serves as Executive Director of the reformed Economic Development Corporation of which Sharman is a city representative. EDC Executive Director Frank McKeown was in the audience and he wasn’t taking any notes. Much of the comment on what the EDC could do was coming from ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman who also sits as one of the city representatives on the EDC Board. When that Board met a week after the city workshop there would surely have been much comment on where the direction for the EDC was to come from.
It is an arm’s length organization, funded by the city and responsible for carrying out the mandate the city gives it. What hasn’t been spelled it in really simple language is just what that mandate is.
There are some who know what it is, but they’ve not said very much about how they intend to deliver on the mandate.
To be fair, the EDC board will need some time to get its act together. The members of the Board do get paid for the work they do – there was some grumbling about that. Should they be paid? The private sector members are entitled to payment – those who hold elected office or represent a city agency should not be paid; that is called double dipping.
 One source, who has a considerable amount of experience with both the Planning Act and Community Improvements Programs, spoke on the condition that he not be identified, said that in “Burlington CIP’s are idea driven, not market driven . A CIP should not be presented without risk consideration – look around – the biggest empty office tower and shopping centre in downtown Hamilton was a community renewal plan; and so too, the downtown disaster mall in Brantford. At least for these projects we had three levels of government carefully reviewing the plans, full public participation is required, and the funding risks shared among three levels of government – the feds paying 50 cents on the dollar. All the marketing research firms said these projects would not fail – same guys who built the Titanic I guess.”
 Mayor Rick Goldring: He has a pro-active mode and when he’s confident he puts it to good use. . “So now, a new Burlington BEDC that has no cash flow, no experience, paying its Board, and modeled after the non-competitive Hydro utility which should be sold ASAP – go figure? Is it a panacea or political placebo?
“I have a lot of respect for both the Executive Director and the people in the planning department, but let’s not go in with rose colored glasses.”
Indeed let us go into this with our eyes wide open and with as much information as possible. McKeown has said the EDC he runs will be transparent; the hope is that he will be forthcoming with information on a timely basis.
 Councillor Jack Dennison, running again in ward 4 serves as a city representative on the Economic Development Corporation. Dennison has yet to see a deal he did not like. McKeown works with an 11 person board with just one member kept over from the previous board that has Gary Graham, Chairman Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP; Rick Goldring City of Burlington; Paul Sharman City of Burlington; Jack Dennison, City of Burlington; Ruta Stauskas, Boehringer Ingelhein (Canada) Ltd.; Bonnie Prior; Appraisal Institute of Canada; Randall Smallbone Portland Investment Counsel; Michael Hanna Kylin Developments Inc.; Gordon Knack, MHPM Project Managers Inc.; Dr. David Conrath, Conrath Communications Ltd.;– President; Patrick Moyle City of Burlington.
We don’t know much about these people other than they applied to be members of the board. Dr. Conrath appears to have a very interesting resume while Kylin Developments has a web site that says they will do almost anything you want and they will do it well.
 By Staff
July 27, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
With no ward debates planned, except for ward 4 where a debate is scheduled for October 1 with Maureen Tilson-Dyment moderating a panel of three journalists, who will have questions for the candidates. Get a ticket to this one.
Without debates in each ward, all the best candidates can do is knock on doors and hope that people spread the word.
What we might be seeing is a media release campaign where candidates send out their statements and positions on issues and hope that media pick up what they produce.
The Gazette will be publishing almost everything it gets.
Some candidates, notably Jennifer Hlusko running in ward 6, are making exceptional use of social media. Hlusko gets something out on her blog almost daily and covers a wide range of issues.
 The Skyway Plaza is seen as a location with an absentee landlord who does not want to talk to anyone about improving the property. The city has wanted to see something done with this location and the sitting council member appears to have made it an election issue in his ward. Direct the Director of Planning and Building and request the Executive Director of the Burlington Economic Development Corporation as follows:
Prepare a series of re-development options for the site based on intensive mixed use re-development and approach the owners of the property with the redevelopment plans; and
Investigate and report on the authority available to permit the use of incentives for re-developing the site, and
Provide an estimate of the resources needed to prepare and implement a Community Improvement Plan.
And it didn’t take the planner very long to pull together a committee and start figuring out what they could take back to Council in September. They had a committee set up within a week.
The Economic Development Corporation had yet to hold its first board meeting when the Staff Direction was approved. It would be interesting to hear what the Board thought of the Sharman idea.
Not quite so fast was Smith’s response. There is a public that has to be involved. “In preparing to run for city council” Smith said, “I have studied Community Planning in other cities, notably in Toronto. I can tell council that Burlington needs to do a couple of things to establish any Community Improvement Planning (CIP) process; we need to have a CIP specifically sanctioned in our Official Plan – and that is already in place. However; according to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing: “The Planning Act requires that public meetings be held before a community improvement plan can be considered by council”.
Smith has been campaigning since April on a 3 for 5 platform; three policy ideas for Burlington’s Ward 5. Basically he is focusing on how the city plans, how people get around the city and how we pay for the city we want.
 There is a single ice pad arena at the rear of the plaza that the city felt could be part of a land assembly to do something significant. Smith however has several major concerns including the failure to follow proper council procedure. The staff direction “was not presented to the public for discussion – unless you count my proposal on my website (3for5.ca) nor was the idea presented to a committee as is the accepted and normal practice.”
Smith adds that: “This proposal for a staff direction to study a CIP was also not circulated to council prior to their last meeting of the summer. Rather it came as a surprise agenda item. This oversight makes me question the skill, ability and experience of a sitting city Councillor at the end, rather the beginning of his term and makes me further question his motives.”
Smith points out that the East End of Burlington is a gateway to the City for the vast majority of residents, businesses, and visitors. Lakeside plaza is only one of many under-utilized resources in the East End. The present Councillor may not agree, but the East End should be playing a major role in the development of the city.”
Smith wants whatever is done “to be a legitimate process”, and adds that we “need to remember Burlington has an engagement charter that is supposed to be city policy, Community Planning is too important to the future of our city and to Ward 5 to have it be predetermined by yet another secret back room deal, we’ve had enough of those in the past few years.”
 A very large park space is adjacent to the recreation centre which is at the rear of the plaza – which many feel has the makings of a significant opportunity to develop the east end of the city.
 Frank McKeown, then the Mayors Chief of Staff explains a concept to Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman. McKeown went on to become the Executive Director of the reformed Economic Development Corporation which Sharman wants to do something to revive the east end of the city. Smith added: “Far too often with the present Ward 5 Councillor, public meetings and engagement mean window dressing; in other words, tell citizens what the city has decided after decisions have already been made. We can’t let this continue to happen! We need to go beyond the present Ward 5 councilor’s timid and sneaky proposal, a proposal that illustrates his record as a city Councillor, a record that can be summed up best as Ready, Fire, Aim!”
The gloves are off in ward 5.
Background links:
How that staff direction got passed.
 By Pepper Parr
July 21, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
He will begin his second year of life on Tuesday. HRH Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge, the fourth in line to the Throne and the person, who will at some point become the Monarch of Canada, is also the recipient of a handsomely bound Book of Best Wishes from the people of Burlington.
The idea for the Book of Best Wishes came from the community and was made real by a small committee of four people: Joe Veitch, Susan Fraser, Selina McCall and publisher of the Burlington Gazette Pepper Parr.
Once the fundamentals were in place the group met with the Mayor to get a buy in at that level. While the initiative came from the community, it was important for the city to be onside. The Mayor loved the idea – “cool” he said, and then suggested that the signing period be extended a few days to include Canada Day.
 No fancy “apps” in the classic binding business. Our binder is in the business of restoring ancient volumes and making presentation copies of original work. We are looking forward to their doing our binding for 50 years and then some. Joe Veitch recruited the volunteers needed to be at the tables, where people could sign the sheets and write their greeting.
 This banner, which stood 7 feet high was set out wherever the public was invited to sign the Book of Best Wishes. The challenge now is for the “trust” running this project, to determine what the picture will be for next year. Joan Krygsman and Selina McCaul, designed the banner. First time out on this project, we learned a lot of lessons – almost everything ended up costing more than we had planned.
Many wondered why they couldn’t see the finished product, when they were signing. We had people at a number of places on the same day – and we didn’t know how many signatures we were going to manage to collect – and thus didn’t know how thick the book was going to be.
Special metal plates had to be made for the gold embossing that was to be stamped into the leather. We would set the type, send it to the book binder, who would have the metal plate made. We had to do some guessing as to how many signatures might be collected – that would determine the thickness of the book and also the size of the plate that had to be made.
The book couldn’t be shown to anyone until it was bound and it couldn’t be bound until all the pages with signatures had been collected..
To get around this problem we endured the expense of having a demonstration copy made – a book bound the way the actual version was to be bound, but with blank pages inside.
One doesn’t just send a book to a Prince. Anything of any significance that gets sent to members of the Royal family, goes through the offices of the Governor General at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. Rideau Hall, home of the Governor General has staff that communicates with the various members of the Royal family – well not the Dukes or Princes or the Duchesses personally – but with their staff. All this communication is bound by more protocol than you can imagine.
Because the Book of Best Wishes was a new idea, it took a bit of talking to convince Rideau Hall to go along with us; it wasn’t until they saw a picture of a sample binding that they understood just what we had in mind.
 Citizens signing the Book of Best Wishes at the Burlington Library on New Street. The Mayor convinced us to set up in Spencer Smith Park on Canada Day – that worked out very well.
 Burlington Gazette publisher Pepper Parr works with binder Keith Felton on the way pages will be gathered together for binding into the first Book of Best Wishes being sent to HRH Prince George Alexander Louis to celebrate his first birthday. The volume was ready in a few days and shipped to Ottawa where it had to be x-rayed before it could be accepted and then sent off to Kensington Palace where the Prince will celebrate his very first birthday.
We have no idea if the Prince will actually see the book – who knows how Royal Families work, but we believe that the parents will see and handle the book – and perhaps wonder just where Burlington is anyway.
The project has been organized as a “trust” so that its members can replicate themselves and ensure that a Book of Best Wishes is sent to the Prince every birthday of his life.
There is more to the project – stay tuned.
 By Pepper Parr
July 21, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The Skyway Plaza, an east end commercial location that is as close to a suburban slum as Burlington is going to see, has suddenly become headline news – especially in ward 5, where Councillor Paul Sharman senses he might be facing a tough opponent in the October municipal election.
 Forlorn looking Skyway Plaza – looking for someone to save the place – but the owners seems content to leave it as it is. Has the Council member made the site an election issue? There is a basement bowling alley that hasn’t been used in years. There was once a Swiss Chalet; the Shoppers Drug Mart has a very faded sign and you’ll not have a problem getting a parking spot. To the rear of the plaza, there is a single pad arena that could use an upgrade.
Councillor Sharman has been doing everything he can for the past three years to get something going, but has gotten absolutely no traction with the absentee owner of the property. At one Standing Committee meeting, then city manager, Jeff Fielding suggested that the city could pool the property it has to the rear of the plaza and come up with a major development opportunity. What would it take to get to that point, asked Sharman? A staff direction would get us started, replied Fielding. But that wasn’t enough.
Sharman has made phone calls – dropped into offices in Toronto – nothing.
When Council went into a Workshop setting a week or so ago to look at ideas and opportunities to put some oomph into the commercial side of the city’s finances – Sharman was all over the idea of doing something with the best opportunity he has of raising his profile during an election year.
During that Workshop July 7th, mention was made of Community Improvement Programs (CIP). There wasn’t much more than a mention of CIP’s during the Workshop, but that mention was enough to get Sharman moving.
At the city council meeting of the 14th, Councillor Sharman put forward what Councillor Taylor called a Walk On motion, that few saw before it was actually presented. Sharman didn’t inform his colleagues – other than the mayor – but he did manage to get a majority of council to allow the motion.
Sharman explained in a telephone conversation. that getting the memo on the motion he had planned to put forward was left in the hands of the Clerk. Apparently planner Bruce Kruchelnicki was drafting at least a part of the document and was to send it along to the Clerk – who apparently failed to get it out to the other members of Council.
That comes pretty close to saying the dog ate my homework excuse – limp and lame if you ask me.
Much of the debate on the Sharman motion was at times contentious, if not nasty, but they managed to agree on a Staff Direction that went as follows:
DIRECTION REGARDING LAKESIDE PLAZA
Direct the Director of Planning and Building and request the Executive Director of the Burlington Economic Development Corporation as follows:
- Prepare a series of re-development options for the site based on intensive mixed use re-development and approach the owners of the property with the redevelopment plans; and
- Investigate and report on the authority available to permit the use of incentives for re-developing the site, and
- Provide an estimate of the resources needed to prepare and implement a Community Improvement Plan. (SD-23-14)
A Recorded Vote was requested by Councillor Dennison on the above recommendation, resulting in the following:
IN FAVOUR: Councilors Craven, Dennison, Sharman, Lancaster and Mayor Goldring
No one in Halton has done a CIP in more than 20 years; no one seemed to know all that much about the things – until Councillor Meed Ward informed Council that the downtown development group knew all about the things and that all they had to do was ask Special Business Area Coordinator Jody Wellings, who has been looking for ways to make a CIP work for the downtown core and Aldershot, but no one has actually asked Ms Wellings to do anything – yet.
Back in the 70’s and 80’s the provincial government made some money available for CIP type projects – but that tap got turned off and it isn’t likely to get turned on again.
However Wellings knows her stuff and she will get more than a chance to set out some of the potential at a meeting planned for tomorrow. Unusual for a team to get put together quite that fast. Is the force behind all this the Sharman Staff Direction or is it the EDC exercising some of the muscle it is supposed to have?
What was evident during the debate was the total lack of process – matters like this get brought to a Standing Committee, where input from staff enhances the debate. But that wasn’t the route Councillor Sharman wanted to take – he has an election he wants to win, and he needs an issue that puts more space between him and what looks like a strong contender.
The city owned area, with a very large play field area is right behind the plaza – this is what the city hopes to attract developers to – possible? With discussion about spending money for community improvement elsewhere in Burlington on the table, Ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven mentioned that Aldershot likes the look of those Community Improvement Projects as well.
The reformed Economic Development Corporation (EDC) looks as if it is going to become the financial saviour of the city. During the workshop on the 7th – several references were made on how the EDC could work with the city and the role it would play in getting the Skyway Plaza situation fixed. Executive Director Frank McKeown was in the audience, but he wasn’t taking notes.
The EDC board met for the first time on the 15th – the day after Council approved the Staff Direction requesting that it jump into bed with the city on this one. Sharman is a city representative on the EDC board.
 The elephant in the room is the massive shopping centre planned for the other side of the Burlington/ Oakville border – blocks away from Skyway. Why all the fuss and bother over a Council Workshop and a Staff Direction? Burlington now knows that it cannot expect to pull in the kind of revenue it used to on development charges – it now has to expand the tax base on the Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (ICI) sector and it has reformed the EDC to make that happen.
The end run that Sharman did at Council before it rose for the summer looked like corporate shenanigans – not a good sign.
The expropriation done at Plains Road left at lot to be desired in terms of the way a property owner was treated. More on that on another day.
 By Staff
July 20, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
There is something about a pleasant summer evening when one can take in some entertainment and smell the trees and the mid summer blossoms.
 A summer dance event – eight choreographed pieces with an impromptu flash mob event anyone can take part in. Could be fun. KooGle Theatre Company is presenting “A Magical Evening of Dance”, supported by Dance Ontario and the Halton Dance Network through an Ontario Trillium Grant. Co-Directed by Leslie Gray and Joanne Ferguson. Burlington’s outdoor dance event features the works of 8 local professional and emerging choreographers, with over 40 local dancers, ages 9-senior.
The event will take place on August 12, 14, 19 and 21, 2014 at 7pm, Central Park Bandshell, 2311 New Street, Burlington. Pay-What-You-Can (suggested $5-10). If it rains the show will move inside the Music Centre.
Also looking for all ages to join a flash mob. One of the dances in A Magical Evening of Dance will have a flash mob portion for local community, dancers and non-dancers to participate. Rehearsals will take place on Sunday July 20 from 7-9pm, Saturday August 9 from 1-3pm and Tuesday August 12 approx 2-4pm. Email info@koogletheatre.com for more information. You do not need to be available for all show dates (August 12, 14, 19 and 21 at 7pm) but the more the merrier.
Flash mobs are a different form of social organization. The Gray’s have to be given credit for using this approach to an event. The eight choreographers will be doing something they have thought through and worked on for some time. The flash mob will come out of the audience at an appropriate time in the program and do their thing. Leslie Gray has absolutely no idea what she is going to have to work with. Whoever shows up is in. The fist opportunity to be part of this event – which could be a lot of fun – is Sunday evening. I know – short notice but there are other evenings when you can show up and get your time in the limelight. Dates are in bold above.
Try it.
By Staff
July 20, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The latest challenge to Enbridge’s plans to expand the flow in its Sarnia to Montreal pipeline and begin shipping diluted bitumen from the Alberta tar sands took place at a dig on a portion of the Line 9 pipeline in North Dumfries Thursday morning.
 Line 9 runs right through rural Burlington; a break would leak highly toxic oil into creeks and streams that run through the city into Lake Ontario. There was a similar action earlier this week in Etobicoke. The Chippewas of the Thames First Nation has won the right to appeal the March National Energy Board decision that had seemed to clear the way for the controversial project.
And in a further blow to Enbridge’s potential bitumen export plans through an ocean port in Maine, massive public intervention has convinced the South Portland city council to block tar sands passage through that city. On July 9, the council voted 6-1 to “prohibit loading crude oil, including tar sands, in bulk onto marine tank vessels and would block construction or expansion of terminals and other facilities for that purpose” at a meeting attended by nearly 500 people. A ratification vote is scheduled for July 21.
Burlington hasn’t been quite that aggressive – it isn’t in our DNA, but we did send a letter to Enbridge telling them we weren’t very happy and the city did organize a meeting at which residents were able to talk directly to Enbridge staff. Line 9 runs right through rural Burlington and while it hasn’t sprung a leak yet – or at least not one the public knows about – ther is a concern that many feel is just not being addressed.
“This isn’t just about line 9 – or Northern Gateway. Should there ever be a break in the line it will have an immediate and direct impact on the creeks that run from the Escarpment to Lake Ontario.”
In a statement the protesters said: “We know that there is a lot of public debate about oil pipelines because we are beginning to see that the old ways of doing business are no longer acceptable because of issues like global climate change and species extinction.”
In an echo of Enbridge’s actions in Hamilton and elsewhere along Line 9, it has been revealed that Trans Canada has given $30,000 to one of the Ontario towns in the path of its pipeline in return for a promise that the town will not comment on Energy East. Enbridge handed out monies along Line 9 to municipal governments and police forces including nearly $45,000 to the Hamilton police department.
 Line 9 crossing on Walkers \Line – also happens to be a favourite spot for the Regional Police to hide their speed traps – talk about toxic! The grant to Mattawa came with a written agreement that stated “the Town of Mattawa will not publicly comment on TransCanada’s operations or business projects. It has never been revealed if there were conditions attached to the Hamilton grants from Enbridge, but the Hamilton 350 Committee is continuing to seek provincial intervention to block the police from accepting corporate donations.
Background links:
Did Burlington get bought off?
Listen to the evidence.
 By Pepper Parr
July 18, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The fat is about to get dropped into the fire.
The Burlington Executive Air Park Inc., has hired a locally based firm of consulting engineers to guide them as they seek site plan approval.
 Vince Rossi, president of the Burlington Executive Air Park and believed to be the sole shareholder of the private company, has hired a firm of local engineers to help him prepare an application for a site plan. Amazing – after paying out more than $60,000 in fees to the city of Burlington for court cases that needn’t have taken place, Vince Rossi has seen the light and decided that he will seek permission to change the lay of the land he owns between Appleby Line and Bell School Line.
The city was in the last stages of a process that will result in the imposition of a revised site plan by law which was due to go to the Development and Infrastructure Sanding Committee last week. That report was apparently withdrawn and it will not go to Standing Committee until the fall by which time the Air Park will have filed their site plan and come under the old bylaw rather the one that has been vetted by every agency and council within the Region.
Is the city letting an opportunity slip through their fingers?
Will it ever see a site plan application from Burlington Air Park Inc.?
 There is a reported $400 million + in mortgages on the property. More questions than answers on this file. The elephant in the room is the 200 acres of land and the $4 + million in mortgages on the property.
What is now out on the table is Mr. Rossi’s latest gesture to the community – perhaps a let’s kiss and make up? His Letter to the Editor, published yesterday irritated a few people but appears to be a yawn to most.
Link to the Letter
By Staff
July 16, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
John Sweeney has said he will not be running for office even though he blew $100 to nominate himself as a council member in ward 4. He hasn’t withdrawn – yet. He wants to keep his name out there and be able to comment on what he feels are matters of interest – and he certainly has things to say about the structure of the new Economic Development Corporation.
 wev Sweeney asked Mayor Goldring and Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison to comment on several questions:
Here is what they had to say:
Sweeney points out that “they did not answer all of the questions. They did some of the politician “side-step” or just answering the portion of a question that they wanted to instead of just answering in its entirety. They do however confirm that the Board of the BEDC will be compensated and the costs will increase but they are not sure by how much.
Dennison points out that he, Councillor Sharman, the Mayor, the city manager and General Manger Scott Stewart will sit on the board – Stewart will not have a vote.
“The burning platform, according to Dennison “is the fact that Burlington is the slowest growing city in the GTA and the oldest city.
As a result, our increase in assessment growth is projected to be .50% in 2014 compared to 1.5%, 3 years ago and 3% 10 years ago.
This slow growth, if not acted upon, will create tax rate increases higher than we would like and service reduction as well.
In addition any additional growth we can get from the ICI Sector pays approximately double what residential pays for identical assessment, while generally not putting additional strain on infrastructure.
Sweeney wanted to know: Why the rush to get this done? Is there a phased option? Repurpose BEDC right now and then spend some more time on the specifics of the hold/devco options. The current budget for BEDC is established and approved why not wait until next year and makes this part of the OP and also secures the support of the Council in place after the election since they will be executing it.
The response: The new BEDC will be a more structured, focused and purposeful organization that will take some time to transition.
Councillor Jack Dennison sits on the board of the reformed Economic Development Corporation – expect him to urge that they be both direct and aggressive. First, get the new board and CEO in place. Secondly, focus on more aggressive strategies around attraction and retention and then pursue development opportunities that could include land banking and partnering with developers
Why is it “For Profit”? Why not a “Non-profit” structure?
We want BEDC to have the potential to act as a developer if necessary. That does not mean that BEDC has to generate profits no matter what.
If the end result is to have a Servco capability, this could save tax payers money and potentially have a for profit component that could also reduce the continual strain on the city operating budget.
3/ Is there an increased cost? Different skill sets, higher salaries, more people?
Yes – although the specific details are yet to be clearly defined.
4/ Is the current BEDC Board compensated? Will the new BEDC Board be compensated? How much? Will the members of the interim board be eligible for the new board?
The governance of the new BEDC will be created similar to Burlington Hydro which does pay directors. Last year, directors were compensated in the $10 – $12k range.
5/ Who will have the “controlling” interest on the board of directors?
The board will report to council in the same way Burlington Hydro reports to council.
There will be 3 reps from the city on a board including the City Manager or designate, Mayor and one Councillor.
6/ How will we measure and ensure that we focus on economic development and jobs instead of making profit for the various “ventures”?
The focus will be on jobs and assessment growth. Making “profit” could be a secondary outcome.
7/ If I am a private developer that does not want to/need to work with BEDC Inc., am I at a disadvantage? How will I be supported? Do I have to pay for it?
 Mayor Rick Goldring may find himself talking to a lot of business people about the new economic development corporation. Absolutely not. The role of BEDC will be to guide developers through the process. In fact, I see the potential for a rep from BEDC to literally knock on doors of landowners to advise them of the tremendous potential they have and offer to help. Existing, aging strip malls are a classic example of an opportunity to rezone as mixed use with retail and office below and residential above, all using existing services.
8/ Is it really appropriate to have allow this organization to spend up to $1,000,000 without going to council?
Currently the budget of BEDC is over $1 million so they can spend their budget the way they see fit. Another view was that the budget approval does have a level of specifics and Council is expecting that funds be spent with-in those guidelines.
Expect to hear more on this once the public, particularly the business community gets a clearer idea as to just what is happening at BEDC. Executive Director (why didn’t’ they make him president) Frank McKeown has his work cut out for the next few months getting some clarity out into the public realm.
By Vince Rossi
July 15, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
It has been suggested that I am suing a number of people who have publicly opposed the expansion of the Burlington Executive Airpark to try to shut them up. Nothing could be further from the truth.
 Mr. Rossi focuses on the water testing reports – which are a serious concern. Most people think it is far too early to tell if the water table is being contaminated. Little is known about where much of the landfill came from. \that it was dumped with out a site plan is seen as outrageous to almost everyone. Mr. Rossi makes no mention of his “unlicensed landfill operation”. The fact is I welcome debate on the future of the Airpark, the important role it plays in our community, and the future potential it represents in terms of jobs and economic opportunity.
The reason I am suing is because despite repeated attempts to reason with this small group of people, they continue to knowingly spread false information that is damaging both to the Airpark and to me personally.
Seven different reports by independent third-parties including Halton Region, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Environment Canada, and Pinchin Environmental have found no safety issues with the commercial fill we have been using as part of the planned expansion of the Airpark. These same reports conclude that local well water and soil quality are not being negatively affected by any of our expansion activities.
Despite this overwhelming evidence, the opponents of the Airpark continue to engage in fear-mongering. They rely on a single report that is full of errors and omissions – so much so that it has been discredited by the provincial environment ministry.
If they were being completely transparent, they would admit that this is a run-of-the-mill commercial dispute. Nothing more.
The leader of this group owns a horse farm just north of the Airpark. She apparently feels that we cannot co-exist even though the Airpark at its current location since 1962. It’s equally apparent that she feels she is unlikely to gain much sympathy if the public knew the true nature of the dispute, and that it revolves around her own financial interests.
 There is the belief in the minds of many that the tonnes of landfill dumped on air park property without adequate testing has the potential to seriously damage the water table. Rossi argues that six of seven reports prove him right – then why the problems with Freedom of Information requests ask the citizens of rural Burlington. Despite all the evidence to the contrary she and others insist in referring to the single flawed report. Trust me, if I could get them to stop suggesting that local well water is being contaminated without having to go to court, I wouldn’t be in court. As it is, going to court is my only recourse.
 Vince Rossi, president of the Burlington Executive Air Park and believed to be the sole shareholder of the private company, at a meeting in a barn one property away from the end of one of his two runways. The Airpark is a key transportation and training facility that also provides a vital humanitarian role, facilitating organ donation flights and patient transfers to local hospitals that don’t have heli-pads or landing facilities. Police, military and search and rescue teams regularly use the Airpark, as well.
In short, the Airpark is an essential community and regional asset, and the case for expansion is compelling. It will create even more opportunities for employment, training and economic development in our area.
I welcome discussion on the future of the Airpark and I am more than happy to work with my neighbours and the community at large to find a way forward. My only request is that we stick to the facts.
Vince Rossi is the owner of the Burlington Executive Airpark.
 By Pepper Parr
July 10, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
Now it gets interesting. We got an email from a source who says: “So I am involved in a lawsuit involving a downtown Burlington Restaurant owner. I am currently trying to put him in jail.”
The writer had my attention. First thing I had to do was verify that the writer actually wrote the email. Yup – it was real.
The writer continues: “His lawyer emails me the other day and states: “My client has recently advised me of his friendship and political connection with Councillor Rick Craven.
The source goes on to add that there a was a meeting with “the litigant” (that’s the guy the source wants to put in jail) and Councillor Craven regarding downtown events. To be open, I told the arts person I was having coffee with that I was in the process of trying to put “the litigant” in jail.
Now that is a hot news item. Don’t know yet who the restaurateur is, do know that the source of the information is running for office as well. We expect to speak with others on this story later in the week.
By Pepper Parr
July 10, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
He needed a little while to reset his compass but Frank McKeown has found his bearings and will focus on what he knows best – business. He was appointed Executive Director of the BEDC Inc., the city’s arm’s length operation created to drum up business for the city. And goodness knows we need it.
The organization has been without a rudder since last October when, on All Hallows Eve, then Executive Director Kyle Benham was shown to his parking space and sent home with his keys to the office in someone else’s hands.
McKeown is one of those quiet, very effective guys, who goes about his business asking incisive questions and taking notes.
 Frank McKeown, former Chief of Staff to Mayor Rick Goldring asked about how politicians can handle complex issues, when voters tend not to be informed and don’t have the background needed to arrive at decisions. He was involved in Rick Goldring’s 2010 election campaign and wrote most of the position papers that Goldring put out. McKeown will tell you that the Mayor managed to deliver on most of those.
Shortly after being elected Goldring appointed McKeown as his Chief of Staff, which at the time seemed odd – staff consisted of 4 people. Turns out Frank was really the chief thinker on the 8th floor.
 He was heavily involved in the Strategic Plan discussions in 2011, where he was frequently referred to as the “seventh council member” at times disparagingly by others, who took part in those prolonged meetings.
McKeown’s job was a political one. He was there to think and to run interference for the Mayor. But two years into the job McKeown got despondent and came to the conclusion, he couldn’t get much done with the culture at both city hall and the eighth floor. He gave the Mayor six months’ notice and headed back to the private sector.
There was a period of time when McKeown was talked about as a possible candidate for public office – first as a council member and then as Mayor. McKeown gave it serious thought, but decided instead to take the opportunity to head up the rejuvenated economic development operation.
Much of the rejuvenation that organization is going to get will be driven by McKeown – and he has a mammoth task on his hands.
He has a brand new board that has to learn how it wants to function. That board has to figure out how it wants to operate; what it is going to take to city council to get their rubber stamp placed on – and by the way, who will the BEDC be presenting to? Which councillors will be keeping those seats warm?
There is a small staff that has been poorly led in the past, badly served by the large board that was in place and now wonders what the future holds for them.
McKeown, who fully understands the need to nurture, mentor and grow staff, has his hands full. Nothing wrong with the people on the payroll – they have all done their best. They now need to know, what it is they are going to be expected to do – and that is not yet clear. We are about to see just how good the McKeown skill set is.
McKeown now takes the position that he is no longer a “public” figure and that he doesn’t have a public profile. Nice try – the job McKeown is taking on is one of the most critical and vital to the economic health of the city and what kind of a city Burlington is going to be economically.
In the past the BEDC has not been very good at telling not only their own story, but that of the city to the rest of the world. They got pulled into the same trap as the politicians and touted our being the “best medium sized city in Canada”.
But major corporate organizations were leaving the city and there wasn’t much being said about those that were setting up shop here.
The past iteration of the BEDC focused on networking and producing report after report and telling the public that the new tomorrow was just over the horizon.
McKeown is going to need until the end of this year to get all his ducks lined up. His board has yet to learn to work together as a team and the public needs to know, who they are and why they are there.
The business community tends to get rather shy when it comes to media and public scrutiny – they prefer to issue media releases and say as little as possible.
It is not yet clear as to just how transparent the operation will be. McKeown says he will be fully transparent, but was reluctant to release the names of the new board members. They are known – but for some reason McKeown wants to wait a bit before going public. That doesn’t fit with any definition of transparency we are aware of.
The new board consists of:
Gary Graham, Chair, Partner with Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP; Rick Goldring, Mayor, Paul Sharman, Councillor; Jack Dennison, Councillor; Ruta Staukas, VP – Human Resources Boehringer Ingelhein; Bonnie Prior Executive Director, Appraisal Institute of Canada; Randall Smallbone, Dealing Representative, Portland Investment Council; J. Michael Hanna, president, Kylin Developments; Gordon Knack, VP operations, MHPM Project Managers Inc.; D. David Conrath, president, Conrath Communications; Pat Moyle interim city manager, Burlington.
In their first public statement The Board of Directors of The Burlington Economic Development Corporation has announced that business executive Frank McKeown has been named the BEDC’s executive director.
“I want to welcome Frank to the position of executive director on behalf of the staff and the board of directors of the Burlington Economic Development Corporation,” said Gary Graham, the BEDC’s board chair. “Frank’s leadership skills match the BEDC’s needs as it takes an invigorated and proactive approach to the recruitment and retention of employers and those willing to invest in the development of employment lands.”
McKeown was chosen by the BEDC board at a June 24 meeting. The BEDC is being transformed to better align with the objectives of the city’s strategic plan, which include meeting the city’s economic prosperity goals and creating more jobs.
McKeown is an experienced business executive, who has held several executive roles, leading companies through restructuring, investment and public offering processes. He is a former chief of staff for Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring.
McKeown is the founder of KnowledgePark Technologies, a business mentor with HalTechRIC, an advisor to CONNEXXUS, and a mentor to Innovate Burlington.
“I am thankful to the board of directors for giving me this opportunity,” McKeown said. “I am committed to the economic development of the city and recognize how important these activities are for the long-term prosperity for residents.”
“Jobs and investment are critical to our future,” McKeown said. “Our economy is changing and we must meet these challenges. I look forward to working with the BEDC staff and Board to achieve our mandate together.”
BEDC is a non-profit, private-public partnership that promotes economic development on behalf of the City of Burlington, by creating a positive business environment that encourages new investment, supports Burlington’s local businesses, and facilitates opportunities for local growth and prosperity. BEDC is the first point of contact for companies seeking assistance, advice, and localized business solutions.
This is the same old baffle-gab that the corporate sector uses, mushy stuff that makes your mother proud, but doesn’t really say very much.
Let’s give them some breathing room and see where they are in a month or so.
By Pepper Parr
July 9, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The pages, with signatures from more than 3000 Burlingtonians, who signed the Book of Best Wishes, celebrating the first birthday of HRH Prince George Alexander Louis were sent to the book binder in Georgetown.
With everything prepared beforehand the pages were sewn together and the case that holds the pages was completed and couriered to Rideau Hall in Ottawa.
 Everything that goes to Rideau Hall gets x-rayed before anyone opens anything. That kept the Book of Best Wishes out of the hands of the people who will arrange to get it to Prince George for his birthday, which will be celebrated at Kensington Palace in London, England on July 22nd
 A splendid volume with a fine message and the best wishes of thousands of Burlingtonians inside. We don’t know yet just how the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are going to handle the Book of Best Wishes, when it arrives. We believe Burlington is the only city in Canada that has prepared such a volume.
It was touch and go for the small committee that made this happen and there was some thought to skipping the first year – but we decided that if this was going to be a Burlington tradition, then we had to be there for the first year and every year thereafter.
 Classic binding is an ancient craft – there are few that do this kind of work in Canada. The firm we used, repairs old books as well as binding titles in leather for presentation purposes. They do the binding for the Giller Awards each year.
Keith Felton, the Master Binder who undertook our project, advised on the leather and the approach to the binding. His Georgetown shop is filled with equipment that has been used by the binding trade for centuries.
 Some of the calligraphy used to convey birthday greetings to a Prince. Cora Brittan did the calligraphy for the Book of Best Wishes. She chose the type style she wanted to use and added 22 karate gold decorations to many of the letters. Cora has done work for a number of different denominational Bishops.
She takes on a number of commissions each year and teaches calligraphy as well. Cora and her husband Eric are established, respected artists who hold an annual show in the Beach Blvd community in Hamilton. They have sold at the Art Gallery of Burlington at their annual auction.
By Staff
July 8, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
If you want to get it done you go to the guy everyone calls. The fellow that is busy, busy but who somehow always finds the time – and manages to keep his life sane at the same time. Guys like that have a sense of humour and they not only think outside the box – they live outside the box.
 At its annual general meeting, the Burlington Community Foundation (BCF) confirmed the appointment of Ron Foxcroft, Owner of Fox40 International Inc. and Owner of Fluke Transportation since 1982, and Haydn Northey, Vice President, Operations and Chief Privacy Officer, Pioneer Energy, to the board of directors.
2014 is a milestone year for BCF as it celebrates 15 years of strengthening Burlington. Chair Tim Dobbie said he was “ very pleased to welcome Ron to Burlington Community Foundation’s board during our anniversary year.”
Best known for inventing the internationally celebrated Fox 40 whistle – which is officially sanctioned by the NFL, CFL, NCAA and the NBA – Ron was a professional basketball official for three decades. Off the court, he’s also a legend among community supporters – recognized as the 1997 Hamilton Citizen of the Year, 2011 Burlington Entrepreneur of the Year and holds an Honorary Doctor of Law from McMaster University.
The BCF celebrates 15 years of service to Burlington and currently manages more than $8.4 million in assets. Since inception the BCF has provided over $2.7 million in grants to the community – that’s a lot of potential for good for every corner of our community. BCF responds to many of our city’s hidden needs and I’m proud to help advance BCF’s mission to strengthen Burlington, today and for the future.”
  Also joining the board is Haydn Northey, a 28-year veteran of the retail petroleum industry. Currently Vice President of Operations and Chief Privacy Officer at Pioneer Energy, Haydn held leadership roles with Texaco Canada, Imperial Oil and Suncor Energy (Sunoco). An avid hockey and lacrosse coach, Haydn shares, “I’m delighted to join BCF’s board of directors and help connect funds to vital needs across our great city. Each and every Burlington Community Foundation grant truly makes a difference to people’s lives.”
Established in 1999 as a centre for philanthropy, 2014 marks a celebration of Burlington Community Foundation’s 15 years of service to Burlington residents. BCF collaborates with donors to build endowments, address vital community needs and support areas of personal philanthropic interest. To learn more visit the BCF website.
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By Pepper Parr
July 5, 2104
BURLINGTON, ON.
It was Council showing leadership and venturing into policy that it has not always been comfortable with.
We are hearing the phrase “big city amenities with a small town feel” which plays well into the mindset of most of the Burlington population.
The legal issues surrounding the air park are certainly big city – we don’t find ourselves in front of the Ontario Court of Appeal all that often.
 The property in this photograph has been raised about seven feet – other parts of the air park property have been raised more than 30 feet – all without site plan approval. Last week council found itself being asked to support a Resolution that would have Burlington asking the province to get on with legislation that apparently has all party approval – it died on the Order paper when the election was called.
Should the province enact the legislation – it won’t mean a pinch of difference for the people who face legal claims by the air park and for the average resident who wants to ensure that the school their child will attend has the programs they need and that there will be room on the soccer team as well – the legislation is about as remote as the creation of a Caliphate in the Middle East. Less than 1% of Burlington’s population even knows what a Caliphate is.
But it is nevertheless important and it was time for Burlington to get behind the legislation.
The resolution debated at council last Monday was for the city to urge to province to pass legislation that would prevent SLAPP suits. A SLAPP suit is: “A meritless legal action brought to intimidate opponents, deplete their resources, reduce their ability to participate in public affairs, and deter others from participating in discussion on matters of public interest.”
Burlington had an opportunity to pass such a resolution in the 2008-2009 fiscal year – it chose not to do so.
The SLAPP legislation is a good thing; a very good thing. Ward 6 candidate Vanessa Warren delegated on the issue and gave one of the most stirring delegations I have heard in some time.
It is important enough for the Gazette to publish it in full. Stuff like this matters and Burlington is fortunate to have people like Warren who will fight the good fight.
That it might cost the city a bit of money to support this resolution – we’ve spent much more money for less worthy matters.
Here is what Vanessa Warren had to say:
 Vanessa Warren, one of the three libel suit defendants and perhaps the best delegater this city has seen at a city council meeting, is a candidate for the ward 6 seat – home of the air park. Citizen Advocates have played critical roles in environmental and social protection throughout the post-Kovachik history at the Airpark, and indeed all over our City. In 2008, local residents rallied to stop Vince Rossi’s proposal for an 8000 car auto-auction lot, and then regrouped to stop a 65 m high cell phone tower to be located next to their residences on Appleby Line.
You all know the very recent history at the Airpark, and I think you are also aware of the enormous amount of citizen advocacy that has contributed tireless hours to trying to bring appropriate oversight to the Airpark.
After Justice Murray’s ruling in October 2013 that the Airpark comply with environmental enforcements by the City and Province, there was no cooperation. The seemingly thin legal arguments that were the foundation of the Airpark’s appeal this month didn’t even get the Ontario Court of Appeal judges through to lunch.
That should have been the end of the story, but still, no compliance. Currently, for example, the Region of Halton has hired a consulting firm to investigate the repeated wash outs occurring after rain events on Appleby line, and they are having difficulty getting permission to access Airpark property to complete their review.
However, there is one set of laws that the Airpark does think are valid, and those are Ontario’s onerous libel laws.
 Vince Rossi, president of the Burlington Air Park Inc., and believed to be the sole shareholder of the private company, has sued three Burlington residents who spoke out against the development, which he did without the site plan approval the city said was needed. Rossi has since indicated he will seek site plan approval. On April 16th of this year, the Hamilton Spectator published an opinion piece by Vince Rossi, owner of the Airpark. It seemed almost delusional in its attempt to re brand and spin the grim history he had presided over, and was so misleading and insulting that it stuck in the craw of the community that had been under siege for the previous 5 years.
I published a response the following day on my own blog that addressed the information I believed to be specious, point by point. I felt then, as I do know, that the Airpark could not be allowed to advance a glib “business as usual” promotional policy with the wake of so much damage still rocking our Protected Countryside.
I have never lied, I have merely stood witness and tried to not allow a developer to operate in the absence of scrutiny, and as reward, I get to be a defendant in a lawsuit.
 Monte Dennis, one of the three libel suit defendants. David Donnelly of Donnelly Law, and Brian MacLeod Rogers, a leading libel lawyer and member of the Attorney General’s Anti-SLAPP Advisory Panel, are representing myself, Monte Dennis and the RBGC in this case, and they characterize this claim for libel as a SLAPP suit (Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation). SLAPP suits are meritless legal actions brought to intimidate opponents, deplete their resources, reduce their ability to participate in public affairs, and deter others from participating in discussion on matters of public interest.
Ask yourself how many times you’ve seen advocacy bring about great change in Burlington – or prevent deleterious change. Ask yourself what Burlington looks like if SLAPP suits become a useful tool for developers to silence counterarguments. How could we hope to maintain our green space and our Rural North against development in that reality? How do we maintain our quality of life if we are not allowed to speak to it?
Ask yourself what you would do if a developer was trying to silence all-candidate dialogue on a project by gagging one candidate with a meritless suit?
How damaged does dialogue in the public realm become when discussion on critical issues is muzzled because it is ‘before the courts’?
This amounts to corporate censorship.
I am now faced with the real emotional and financial stress of a $100,000.00 claim. We will, of course, be vigorously defending the lawsuit, and I’m confident that we’ll ultimately be successful, but in the meantime my resources will be taken away from the public and political work that I should be focusing on – which is just what a SLAPP suit is intended to do.
 It is site changes like this – made without site plan approval, that upset rural Burlington residents who then found themselves facing libel claims for speaking out. It took some discussion for the city to decide to support legislation that would prevent such libel claims. The city hasn’t decided if it wants to ask for standing as a friend of the court when there is a trial – some ask – if there is a trial? This is a deeply destructive force, and it must not be allowed to silence other citizens. Quebec and 28 US States have passed anti-SLAPP legislation to protect their journalists and citizen advocates.
Anti-SLAPP legislation provides speedy redress for civil claims against people engaging in legitimate speech and public participation, as is certainly the case here.
Please unanimously support this resolution tonight so that we can send a clear message to the Province on the need for anti-SLAPP legislation. I would also ask that, as our 7 Regional representatives, you champion this type of resolution at the next possible Regional Council.
In addition to this resolution, I would ask that the City intervene in this lawsuit as Amicus Curiae or Friend of the Court. You, the City, are in a unique position to speak to the context of this case, having been engaged with the Airpark over the past 18 months. This does not require you become a party to the case, but it would help to frame the defense of fair public comment and it would send exactly the right message to your advocacy community, perhaps thawing the ‘libel chill’ that threatens public dialogue and engagement.
Just like in the Airpark dispute, I believe right and wrong are very clear here, and by passing this resolution, and becoming a friend of the court, you can take a strong position on this case, but more importantly, you can publicly acknowledge the role that our City’s great advocacy community plays in our mutual well-being.
 Pat Moyle, interim city manager put the rationale for passing a resolution that supported SLAPP legislation being passed by the province. At one point, in the discussion that followed the delegations, it looked as if there was going to be a little difficulty getting the resolution approved. But after interim city manager Pat Moyle spoke on two occasions, council began to come to the conclusion that this was a good thing to do. And it was – and it was passed unanimously on a recorded vote. There were a couple of Council members who may have had to hold their noses when they stood – but there was no way they were going to be on the wrong side of a Motherhood issue.
During the debate Monte Dennis, one of the defendants said there was fear in the minds of many in the community. Councillor Craven said that in his 14 years as a member of Council he had never heard of any intimidation in the community. The people in the Beachway would beg to differ on that score.
Warren has asked the city to consider participating in the libel court case when it takes place as an Amicus Curiae or Friend of the Court, which was another very good idea, but Councillor Dennison wasn’t comfortable with that idea. He wanted to hear what the city’s solicitor had to say – and that indeed would be interesting to hear. There are arguments for and against seeking standing in a court case as a “friend of the court”.
It would be very interesting to hear what solicitor Nancy Shea Nicol would have to say – it would give the public a sense as to the kind of legal mind she has; something that is not always clear, when she makes presentations – far too many of which get heard in closed sessions.
 By Pepper Parr
June 29, 2104
BURLINGTON, ON.
Not a lot being heard about what is happening at the Air Park these days. Other than the damage done to Appleby Line during the May rain storms where parts of the shoulder of the road were washed away there hasn’t been much news.
The Region went after the air park and wanted to know what was being done to manage the flow of water from a site that had been altered without site plan approval from the city. There are reasons for the city asking that a site plan be submitted when the contours and elevations of a property are changed.
 This is the drawing on the air park web site for a heli pad. They report that they are just waiting for potential tenants to sign on the dotted line. When the air park lost their appeal of the decision from a lower court their legal team had to review their options; one of which is to seek leave to appeal the appeal court decision to the Supreme Court. There is some scuttlebutt out there suggesting that Peter E. J. Wells and his colleague Glenn Grenier are no longer “on the case”.
 Glenn Grenier, second from the left, gets an earful from former city manager Jeff Fielding while city solicitor Nancy Shea Nicol and Blake Hurley look on. So now what?
Well if you go to the air park web site Vince Rossi has a notice of his plans for developing a heliport. The following appears on the air park web site:
If you’ve been out to the airport recently, you will notice work starting on the southwest portion of the filed. This area is predetermined as a dedicated heliport area and we’re excited about getting things going on that portion of the field.
Since we started advertising the plans for that phase 2 area, we have been fielding calls from interested tenants, and we are sure that there will be a few helicopters located there soon.
As things develop there, and we actually do secure some tenants we will do our best to keep all informed about traffic and the mix of fixed wing and rotary aircraft.
That is interesting news. The city has pulled together its legal team and is working through their options once the deadline for a Supreme Court appeal has passed.
Given what the city has invested in this file – it is reasonable to expect they will stay the course and do what should have been done five years ago when Rossi was peddling the “we are federally regulated” line that held water for a number of years at both the Regional and city level.
What should give the people of rural Burlington considerable comfort is that General manager Scott Stewart is on this file. Stewart is a bit of a bull dog, he earned his stripes in Hamilton where he was part of that city’s administration. He tends not to take prisoners. H e threw his hat in the ring when the city had to go looking for a new city manager after parting ways with former city manager Roman Martiuk. Scott wasn’t selected – council instead chose to hire Jeff Fielding and while Fielding certainly put a higher level of oxygen in the air at city hall he tended to be a 30,000 foot thinker and relied heavily on Scott Stewart to execute the big picture.
The two worked very well together. With Fielding in Calgary and Pat Moyle serving as interim city manager even more of the decision making falls on Stewart’s shoulders. Moyle will certainly understand the bigger picture and brings his six years as CAO at the Region to the table – but it is Stewart who knows where all the bones are buried.
Expect him to be very smart and very firm. The city probably still has Ian Blue on some form of retainer able to give sound advice.
It is going to be a different game once it is clear the case will not be going to the Supreme Court.
What can the public expect? Is Rossi going to be able to build a heliport that is less than 25 yards away from the driveway of a private residence?
 Is there some additional land assembly that should be done here? Where do the sound by laws come into play here? When Michael Lee Chin flies into his property on Kerns Road with his private helicopter city hall hears about it real quick if the noise is too loud and the necessary accommodations are worked it. The people of Appleby Line deserve the same treatment the good folks over at Tyendaga get.
Our sense is that Michael Lee Chin has a lot more clout than Vince Rossi and if Lee Chin can respect the rights of other, Vince Rossi can learn to do the same thing.
The Sheldon house was built in 1850 on what was then a 200 acres farm. At some point the land was severed into a nice rural lot and the house with a fed pond. The rest is now part of the air park.
The Sheldon house has been there much longer than the air park. If the air park wants to develop their property let them do what every other developer has to do – buy out those properties that are needed for expansion or to be able to comply with regional and municipal planning.
Rossi seems to have decided that he will harass and do work on his property that limits the ability of a property owner to enjoy the rights everyone else in Burlington has with the way they are able to enjoy peace and quiet.
The Rossi development has devalued the property at the edges of the air park. Rossi is doing what slum landlords do – damage the value of property to lower its price and then go in and buy it as a fire sale price.
There are three property owners on Appleby Line who need to be done right by. Let’s see how city hall fights for the rights of these property owners and what it does to ensure that air park development works for the city and not just a developer who has difficulty with the city’s bylaws.
 By Pepper Parr
June 30, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The Rural Burlington Greenbelt Coalition (RBGC) has created a web site to raise funds for what they are calling the Burlington Airpark SLAPP Suit Defense Fund.
A SLAPP Suit (Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation) is a merit-less legal action brought to intimidate opponents, deplete their resources, reduce their ability to participate in public affairs, and deter others from participating in discussion on matters of public interest.
We, the Burlington Gazette and me, Pepper Parr seem to be a part of it – but until a colleague told us about this fund raising web site – we knew nothing about it other than there were plans to put up a web site to solicit funds to help with the legal costs to defend ourselves against the law suit that has been filed against us by the Burlington Executive Air Park Inc.
Support is certainly going to be needed but this is not the way to get it.
First, the web site focuses on what it calls a SLAPP suit, unfortunately in law there is no such thing at this point in time. There should be such a thing but in a court of law what should be and what is – are two very, very different things. Judges go on evidence and precedent.
There is no SLAPP suit; there are no such things as SLAPP suits. The legal counsel representing Vanessa Warren and Monte Dennis have a vested interests in promoting legislation that would prevent SLAPP suits – and good on them. What they are advocating is necessary; should have been done years ago.
David Donnelly of Donnelly Environmental Law, and Brian MacLeod Rogers, a leading libel lawyer and member of the Attorney General’s Anti-SLAPP Advisory Panel have been advocating for SLAPP legislation for some time. Both will become specialists in this niche market and do some good work. We assume some of the funds donated will go to Donnelly and Rogers.
Rogers represents both Warren and Dennis. Parr and the Gazette have different legal counsel and a different legal strategy. The word SLAPP will never leave our lips in our defence arguemts.
What the Gazette, Parr, Warren and Monte are facing is a libel suit where the plaintiff is seeking $100,000 in exemplary damages from the three of us. It’s a significant case and only fools try to pretend the case is something other than what it is.
At some point there may be anti SLAPP legislation. But we do not have that now. What we do have now is a court case – and some financial support fighting that case would be welcome. But from the Gazette’s point of view, not under the terms and conditions the Rural Burlington Greenbelt Coalition is asking for donations.
The RBGC does not say what will be done with the funds; they do not say how any funds received will be distributed; they do not say they will be accountable to the donors and report on exactly where every nickel goes.
It is just a request for financial support – and I guess they are saying trust us. Neither the Gazette nor Pepper Parr will be accepting any funds you may choose to donate until there are solid rules in place for the accounting of funds.
It looks as if the funds are going to the RBGC – but that isn’t clear. Were it not for the fact that I know these people personally I would look upon this as one of the dozens of internet scams that show up in my email box every day.
I expect the highest possible level of transparency and accountability from the people mounting this fund raising campaign. The web site they have up right now is the equivalent of what a couple of high school students might do because they didn’t know any better.
RBGC should know better – the candidate for public office should know better; if this is the way Vanessa Warren is going to conduct herself as a member of city council – she will be worse than the incumbent. The city Clerk has a form available for those who feel they want to withdraw from the election.
The fund raising web site does an excellent job of setting out the problem and what the issues are about – they just lost their focus and are talking about something that doesn’t exist – yet.
The Rural Burlington Greenbelt Coalition fund raising web site .
By Pepper Parr
June 29th
BURLINGTON, ON
There will be tens of thousands of people strolling along the promenade of Spencer Smith Park on Canada Day as we celebrate our 147 year of existence as a country.
And what a marvelous country we have. We are a wealthy country and we are a free country able to elect who we want to represent us and lead us. Two home grown examples are the seven candidates running in ward 6 and the decision of the voters in Burlington to end more than 70 years of Progressive Conservative rule – with a shot being fired from something as small as a pea shooter.
Contrast that to the hundreds, make that thousands, who are being killed, to day, now, in far off countries. There are a reported five million people in refugee camps in the Middle East because they cannot go home – there homes were destroyed or they face death if they do return.
 Spine of the classically bound book of Best Wishes for Prince George. Tuesday is expected to be a sunny day – so when you stroll along the edge of Lake Ontario – revel in how fortunate we are and realize that the freedom you have was earned by men and woman who paid the ultimate price.
Canada is a constitutional monarchy. This means that the powers of the monarchy in Canada are limited by the Constitution. The Constitution is a set of basic principles, laws and rules that explain the powers and duties of the government and the rights and freedoms of the citizens. Our formal head of state is a monarch. Our monarch is now Elizabeth II, who is also the Queen of the United Kingdom.
Seven foot banner that will be on the Spencer Smith Park promenade on Canada. It will be hard to miss. A group of Burlington citizens came up with the idea of creating a Book of Best Wishes that would be available for everyone to sign and convey their Best Wishes to the Prince on his birthday.
Thousands of citizens have already signed and provided a greeting. Monday evening, members of Council will sign the Book of Best Wishes. City staff will have an opportunity to sign the Book which will be at city hall during the day on Monday the 30th.
 Commemorative bookmark for those who sign the Book of Best Wishes.
On Canada Day the Book of Best Wishes will be set up in a booth on the waterfront where anyone passing by can sign. You won’t be able to miss the seven foot high banner. Everyone who signs the Book of Best Wishes will be given a commemorative bookmark.
When the pages have been bound the book will be taken by Burlington MP Mike Wallace to Rideau Hall, the home of the Governor General who will have it transported to Kensington Palace, where the Prince currently lives with his parents the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
 Cover of the leather bound 14 x 11 inch Book of Best Wishes that will be delivered to the Prince on his first birthday. The group that started this initiative will be organized as a trust – the Burlington Royal Reading Trust, that will exist until the day the Prince dies. Given the length of time his Great Great Grandmother lived Burlingtonians can expect to be signing a Book of Best Wished well into the next century. Queen Elizabeth, the wife of King George VI, known as the Queen Mother in her later years visited Canada many times. Canadians, can expect the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to visit Canada frequently. When do you think the Prince and his parents will come to Burlington?
 By Staff
June 28, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Burlington’s Art in Action Studio Tour decided a number of years ago to create a scholarship for an art student in the Region and this year awarded the $1500 award to Sarah Tom, a Robert Bateman High School student who will be attending Sheridan College in September for Visual & Creative Studies.
Along with the scholarship is free admission as a participant in the Art in Action tour the first weekend of November
 Darlene Throop, on the right, presents Bateman High School students Sarah Tom with the 2014 Art in Action $1500. scholarship. The award was presented to Ms Tom at the Robert Bateman Commencement, June 26th where Darlene Throop ( Art in Action Scholarship Chair) handed out this year’s Scholarship.
There were seven talented applicants from four schools; two from the public sector and two from the separate sector – all pursuing an arts focused future.
 Sarah Tom uses an interesting approach to normal portrait work – reflects a generation that is more digital than their predecessors. The public is invited to take part in the fall at the Pre Tour Show on October 19th, at Teresa Seaton’s Studio & Gallery, 654 Spring Gardens Road.
Assante Wealth Management, TD Canada Trust, ICCC/Rustol, Just Cremations & Burial, Keith Strong, Sheri Sutherland, Royal LePage, Ardent Motor, Smiths Funeral Home, Rob McKichan at Royal LePAge, The Healing Path, Dr. Beth Nixon, Coulter Building Consultants Ltd, Corby Custom Framing and Burlington Toyota Scion were financial supporters of both he tour and the scholarship program.
 By Pepper Parr
June 26, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Henry Schilthuis got his turn to tell the public what the Brant Street Pier settlement was all about. His picture was a little different than that of the Mayor and interim city manager Pat Moyle, who was acting as a spokesperson for the city.
“Quite frankly” said Schilthuis, in a prepared statement “ we believe this process could have and should have been avoided. We did what we had to do to protect our company, and feel vindicated in all we have done to achieve the settlement. We wish the people of Burlington much enjoyment of their waterfront.”
 Henry Schilthuis works from a nondescript office in Ancaster continuing the hard work, honest delivery approach of the 60 year old family firm. There were numerous occasions, when the dispute could have been settled. Former Mayor Jackson never liked the pier – it was a former Mayor Rob MacIsaac initiative, and anything that had MacIsaac’s finger prints on it, was not something Jackson could digest. He advised newly installed Mayor Goldring to tear the thing down in 2010
The settlement is complex, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out who the winner was in all this.
The city sued HSS for $10 million – they didn’t see a dime of that money – despite the Mayor assuring the public on several occasions that the city was going to get back every penny. There were a number of council members, who were adamant throughout the past three years, that the city had a strong case and would prevail.
Councillors Craven, Taylor and Dennison who were at the table, when the pier idea was first proposed, didn’t say all that much in public during the 2011 and 2012 council meetings. There were a number, far too many, closed sessions during which council and its legal advisers had long conversations behind closed doors.
 It was a much more professional team on the city side, when the second attempt to build the pier started. Nothing was left to chance and the hard questions were asked every step of the way. Here city manager Scott Stewart and Craig Stevens meet with the steel beam fabricators to ensure that the job gets done right. When the Post made a Freedom of Information request the city objected, but quickly saw the stupidity behind that move and relented – letting the public know, that they had spent $1.3 million on legal fees to date.
The city recovered $1.5 million and is going to be allowed to keep $500,000 in hold back funds it has. This is all the city will see from the three law suits it filed. They sought $10 million from AECOM their project managers; they sought $10 million from HSS and they sought $3.5 million from Zurich Insurance, the HSS bonding company.
The pool of funds set up to make payments, appears to have gone to just the city and HSS. The total amount the city will see is $2 million, while HSS will see $2.4 million, which is made up of the $1.75 million cash payment and a total of $650,000 that will be paid to HSS by other parties.
Besides the $1.75 million it will be paid, HSS will be given an additional $650,000 – for a total net benefit of $2.4 million for HSS.
“I am proud” said Schilthuis, “ of this entrepreneurial and family owned company. Our concerns about the challenges facing the pier guided us in our actions. We maintained our position with dignity and grace – simply because it was the right thing to do. The result of this settlement is proof of this.”
“I want to thank all of our staff and our community. You stuck with us the entire time despite the stress and burden of this onerous ordeal. We have remained true to our values as a 60 year old company and that makes it all worth it.”
A proud man who stuck to his principles and did what he believed to be right and feels the settlement supports his decision to walk off a project, that could not be built with the plans he was given.
The current city council might look to the way Schilthuis handled himself, throughout what he called a “long and arduous ordeal”. City staff had no problem working with Henry Schilthuis – it was the politicians that made a mess of this one. Hopefully council members will reflect on how this worked out and be honest with themselves – this was not their finest hour.
 The pier in December 2011 stripped of all the steel Schilthuis installed – with nothing but the caissons in place. The trestle to the right of the pier was used for construction equipment to lay down the new beams. During the summer when people talk about how they want to vote come October – they might be persistent and consistent in asking the incumbents, what went wrong.
The $6 million plus that was spent would have done a lot for our transit system and road maintenance work, that we are so far behind on. Hold their feet to the flames.
By Staff
June 24, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
During the past ten days the citizens of Burlington have been signing a very unique birthday card for the newest member of the Royal family: George Alexander Louis was born July 22, 2013.
An article in the Gazette shortly after his birth, set out a list of age appropriate books for the young Prince to play with as he grows up to become the monarch of Canada at some point.
 Cover of the Book of Nest Wishes: Gold embossed type on a rich wine coloured leather produced by a master bookbinder. Out of that article grew an initiative to send the Prince a Book of Best Wishes every year of his life. The Book was to be a handsome, craft bound leather book measuring 14 inches wide by 10 inches deep with pages for anyone who wanted to send a Best Wishes.
The Book will be presented to Council at the end of the month, where Council members, and anyone in the audience, can sign the book which will then get turned over to Burlington’s member of Parliament, Mike Wallace, who will take the Book of Best Wishes to Rideau Hall , home of the Governor General. The Governor General will have the book transported to Kensington Palace where the Prince lives with his mother and father; the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Getting the initiative off the ground has been a task. The originator of the idea found that he had to have a hip replaced just as the hard field work had to be done.
Joe Veitch, a recipient of the Rotary Paul Harris award, took on the task of pulling together a group of volunteers who would man the tables at the Seniors’ Centre, Tansley Woods and the public library.
Selina Jane McCall did much of the early design work and selected the type face for the project name” Royal Reading.
Susan Fraser, a nominee for one of the city’s BEST awards in 2012, took on the task of liaising with the Hayden Recreation Centre people, where she enticed people at the Centre, students at Hayden High and at the Alton library to sign the book.
Each person who signs the Book of Best Wishes is given a book mark – with a picture of the prince and wording to signify that they have signed. Expect some of those early book marks to show up on eBay someday – they will take on the value of hockey trading cards. There are those who will collect these book marks, which we will issue each year. Copies will be left with the Historical Society.
The name Royal Reading was used to signify a second part of the initiative which was to have the citizens of Burlington involved in the raising of the Prince as a Canadian.
Each year we celebrate his birthday, a few age appropriate books would be sent, not as a gift, but as a part of the process that gives the Prince a sense as to what Canada is all about.
At some point the Prince will get to read Dennis Lee’s Alligator Pie and Roch Carrier’s The Hockey Sweater. He will be introduced to the work of W.O. Mitchell and Farley Mowat as well as Mordecai Richler and Gabrielle Roy.
 The bookmark that people will take away once they have signed the Book of Best Wishes from the citizens of Burlington to the Prince on his first birthday. Three copies of each book will be purchased with one being sent to whichever Palace the Prince is living in, a second copy that will go into general circulation at the Burlington Public Library with an inscription inside explaining that the title was also sent to the Prince.
A third copy will get placed in a space at the Library that will be known as the Prince’s Bookshelf.
Given the way Royalty travels throughout the Commonwealth and indeed around the world, he will most certainly visit Canada. Our hope, and one of the things we will work towards, is bringing the Prince to Burlington where he just might choose to read from one of his books to a circle of children at the library or perhaps in a public setting at the Performing Arts Centre.
Wouldn’t that be something?
The Book of Best Wishes will be available at city hall on Friday June 3oth and in a booth in Spencer Smith Park on Canada Day. Do drop by and join the thousands that will be taking part in the making of some history.
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