 By Ray Rivers
March 6th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
“I’ll slash funding for English TV and CBC News Network, and end funding for digital news.”
(Erin O’Toole – Feb 14, 2020)
He said it plain – no love wasted for the national broadcaster, even on Valentine’s Day.
 Erin O’Toole – Defeated Andrew Scheer in the leadership contest – now he wants to form a government. There were issues which I really wanted Erin O’Toole to clarify for me when I set out to request our interview. First, O’Toole has promised that his climate change plan would deliver faster carbon emission reductions than Mr. Trudeau’s plan. And he would do it without the provision of a carbon tax, which would be relegated to the dustbin in an O’Toole government. And he’d do all this while pushing for more oil pipelines and oil.
So what and where is it – this magic plan? Well it’s still a secret. It’s still being developed. It probably has to stay that way, until he becomes PM, so the NDP don’t take credit for inventing it should the Liberals implement it. The mind boggles.
Another issue is Mr. O’Toole’s preoccupation with firearms. It’s true he spent a good part of his life in the military, but he ended up as a flight navigator. You’d think he’d know more about a compass than a gun, so perhaps this is just pistol envy. Still he has made this a major plank in his platform.
He points out that the biggest trouble with today’s gun control is the lack of public education about guns. And then in one breath he declares that Canada’s firearms control system actually works really well, and efficiently.
And then in the next breath says that his top priority would be to scrap the existing Firearms Act. And he’d cancel the requirement for vendors to keep a record of who purchased guns. And while he was at it he’d also kill the legislation the Liberals recently introduced banning assault rifles, high capacity ammunition magazines and silencers.
 Leader of the Opposition Erin O’Toole figuring it out That would mean potentially allowing powerful military-type weapons systems including the M16, AR-10, AR-15 and M4 firearms, onto our streets, or at least our gun cupboards. He has received an A grading by the lobbyist outfit CCFR (Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights).
O’Toole has gone after the Trudeau government for not doing more to stop the smuggling of firearms across the US border. And he may have the answer. Just make these weapons legal here as well, and smuggling would be unnecessary.
A third of his Tory membership are COVID action deniers. Or at least they want the governments to stop restricting economic activity and get back to normal, whatever that can be when this epidemic is killing our senior citizens and threatening to spread like wildfire. For example, Flamborough Glanbrook MP David Sweet, having himself come back, quilt-free, from a foreign vacation, says let it rip.
O”Toole himself is ignoring this growing chorus of voices around him who are telling him to be like Texas. You have to die from something anyway, right? But it does take a lot of courage to go after Trudeau for not doing enough to keep the virus out, when a sizeable chunk of his membership is saying let it be.
 It was the R. B. Bennet, a Conservative government that formed the CBC Finally what is it with O’Toole’s promise to defund the CBC? It is a little difficult to appreciate why the federal Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) has such a long standing animosity against Canada’s national broadcaster. After all, the CBC was a service originally initiated back in 1932 by R.B. Bennet, a conservative PM.
One might think the Tories object to the cost of the annual subsidy paid to the CBC, some $1.2 billion a year. But a sizeable subsidy is annually paid out to the other Canadian broadcasters, private though they are. And if it’s about the cost, why squash the English television and digital news services, ironically the only part of the corporation which brings in advertising dollars? It may actually cost more to kill the CBC than to keep it intact.
 CBC – the country’s most trusted news source. No question the other networks wouldn’t mind seeing the CBC gone. It’s still competition, even though they already have a much greater audience. But the CBC/Radio Canada is the most trusted news media in the country. And we are in the midst of a brave new world of fake news. One only needs to look south of the border and the role fake news played in the assault on the US Capitol.
In fact over 80% of Canadians support our national broadcaster and want to see the CBC continue and even expand its broadcasting agenda. So why would someone running for prime minister want to unstick the glue that in many ways keeps us all together, including our remote indigenous population and Francophone Canada.
 Erin O’Toole – knows how to fight back. We do know that this contempt the Tories harbour for the national broadcaster goes back to the troubled relationship Mr Harper had with the media, and the CBC in particular. He even tried to set up his own news system and in the end the party turned to the right wing extremist paper, The Rebel. In fact a former director of the Rebel ended up running Andrew Scheer’s campaign.
Erin O’Toole, after being criticized for his party’s association with The Rebel, swore off giving any more interviews to that right wing rag. He must have sworn off the Burlington Gazette as well, because he and his office ignored my requests for an interview. I got an immediate automatic email thanking me for contacting him, both times, but then it was crickets. So we didn’t really have a discussion, but I’m still waiting for that phone to ring.
Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was a candidate for provincial office in Burlington where he ran against Cam Jackson in 1995, the year Mike Harris and the Common Sense Revolution swept the province.
Background links:
Let the Pandemic Roll – David Sweet – Recovery Plans –
Trust in the Media – Polling – Anti-Choice –
The Rebel – Climate Plan – CCFR –
O’Toole on Guns – CBC – CBC Public Support –
 By Staff
March 5th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Correction: The figure of $281,481.62 should have been $28,481.62
The City has been ordered to pay costs in the amount of $17,088.97 plus interest, to the Applicant/Appellant, which in this case is National Homes, who are in the process of developing the property at 2100 Brant that will, upon completion, be a 233 town house development.
 The site used to be a hay field. The developer has named the property Tyandaga Heights The city got hit because way back in 2017 National Homes made an application for amendments to both the Official Plan and the zoning on the property.
Marianne Meed Ward, who was then the Council member for Ward 2, voted against the National Homes development.
National Homes took the city to LPAT (Local Planning Act Tribunal) for failing to make a decision within the required time frame.
They eventually resolved their differences at Pre-Hearing Conferences and signed Minutes of Settlement on November 20, 2018.
In October citizens had chosen a new Mayor and a significantly different Council – with just the one hold-over from the previous Council.
The inaugural meeting for the new City Council, with Meed Ward as Mayor, took place on December 4, 2018.
On December 17, 2018, the new Council held an in-camera meeting and decided to back out of the Minutes of Settlement.
We now know that the city decided to resile (which is lawyer speak for abandoning a position or a course of action) in that CLOSED meeting.
The National Homes people were ticked off and asked LPAT to award them costs of $28,481.62. They got $17,088.97.
That CLOSED meeting must have been a doozy – five of the seven people were brand new Councillors with precious little experience in matters like this. Meed Ward knew what she was doing, Councillor Sharman would have been opposed – for the others – they may have left the room scratching their heads.
Several days before they had gone along with the Mayor on the firing of James Ridge, the then city manager. Ridge certainly knew what was coming: days before he had told colleagues that if Meed Ward was elected he was toast.
The surprising part of that was – anyone who knew how to read tea leaves would have known that Meed Ward was what the public wanted.
Not as many feel the same way today.
 By Pepper Parr
March 5th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
It started out with;
Direct the Chief Financial Officer to implement a 2021 COVID-19 property tax deferral pre-authorized payment plan (by application) and report on the status as part of the ongoing monthly financial COVID-19 updates
Council approved property tax relief measures in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The assistance included extended property tax due dates, waived penalty and interest on outstanding property tax from April to August 31 and a pre-authorized payment plan to pay remaining 2020 taxes between the months of August and December 2020.
Most taxpayers continued to pay on time, while some had difficulties.
Provincial and Federal governments continue to provide residents and businesses financial assistance programs relating to COVID-19.
The Ontario government declared a Provincial COVID-19 state of emergency January 12, 2021 effective January 14, 2021, ending on February 14, 2021. The current Provincial and Public Health measures may produce a continued financial hardship for some Burlington residents and business in 2021.
Here is what Council decided to do.
 They created an application-based deferral program consisting of pre-authorized monthly withdrawals to defer payment from our regularly scheduled due dates. It would apply to all property classes (residential and non-residential) to be fair and equitable.
Balance can include any unpaid installments from March 1, 2020 and all of 2021 taxes
Taxes will be paid in full by December 1, 2021
Penalty/interest will be suspended for the duration of the deferral
Withdrawal start date chosen by the property owner.
Financial impact to the city is dependent on the number of applications and total tax payments deferred. It amounts to a shift in cash flow of property tax revenues to later in the year. The city will not collect penalty/interest revenue for months that taxes are deferred.
Taxes levied on behalf of the Region and school boards would still be paid on the normal schedule.
Eligibility criteria
 Property taxes must be current prior to the pandemic (March 1, 2020)2
Property owners would need to attest that they are experiencing financial hardship directly related to COVID-19
The expectation is that property owners with tenants should be passing on the deferral arrangement.
By Pepper Parr
March 5th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
One last look at Councillor salaries.
In an earlier report we gave data on the city side of the pay package.
The complete pay package for the seven members of Council who are also Regional Councillors is set out below.
Set out below is the full remuneration along with an explanation as to why Councillors Sharman and Bentivegna get less than the others.
Both are over 65. The reduction is due to benefits dropping off at 65, to which Councillor Sharman asks:
” is that fair?”
To be fair, this Council has worked hard. There are times when they put in twelve hours days in back-to-back in public sessions and then have to get to their desks and catch up on the paper work.
This is not a cushy job.
 These were the swearing-in-night smiles
 By Staff
March 4th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
City hall is going to get a new look – you won’t recognize the ground floor when they are finished.
Take the 33 second flyby to see what the end result is expected to look like – there will of course be changes to the design concept.
Members of Council who saw the details this morning loved the idea.
There is a lot more work to be done – but the plan is to get started late this summer or in the fall and get the work done in phases.
The phrase ‘One Window’ was applied to the plans – but there are actually two windows – one for what is now Customer Service and the other is for Development. They aren’t windows but the place you go for services; pay parking tickets, get a document commissioned, apply for a marriage license.
The idea is to make the space much more customer friendly.
The plan is to have little pods – places where people can sit and talk; there will be small meetings rooms.
The public will not get much beyond the ground floor – staff will come to you on the ground floor.
 This is a rendering of what is being thought through. The building is badly in need of an upgrade. The last renovation was in 1985 – when, as Alan Magi explained, “we were using carbon paper and there was no such things as a fax machine, never mind the internet.
Jennifer Johnson is part of the design team – she did some very good work in ward 3 at the Brant Hills sports complex where wood surfaces gave the facility a warm feeling. The early view of city hall ground floor does not appear to have that soft, comfortable look – but this is just the early stage,
The traffic flow will be very different with the open area showing the lower level covered in part by a bridge.
The focus appears to be more digital – a modern, swift look.
There was a time when former ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster thought there should be a coffee shop on the ground floor. There once was a coffee shop on the Council Chamber level but it was never used – or at least not used enough for the people who operated the space gave it up.
 There will be a new Locust Street entrance, a new “grand entrance” that will come in off Civic Square. The development window will be on the left and the Service Burlington window on the right The building is never going to be a net zero carbon site – the building is far to old.
There has been zip community engagement to this point. We heard the usual – there will be an engagement plan but no detail. It looks as if this is going to be a done deal with a ribbon cutting the day the “grands entrance” is officially used for the first time.
Councillor Sharman said that his impression of City Hall when he walked in for the first time in 2010 was that of a WWII building.
He added that the city will upgrade what they have until it is clear the building has reached the end of its life cycle. “We aren’t going to look into spending $50 million on a new city hall.
Right now 28% of the ground floor space is for public use while 72% of the space is for staff. That will shift to a 50 – 50 share when the upgrade is completed.
There will be several phases.
Phase 1 will be the work done on the development services area and the Citizen services area.
 Phase 2  Phase 3
By Pepper Parr
March 4th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
With the vaccination registration system created by the Regional Public Health Unit up and running very efficiently -many have registered and know when they are going to get their first dose AND their second dose; every one now waits for the vaccine to actually arrive.
 This is what we are being protected against – a virus that has challenged the scientists. A tremendous amount of work has gone into getting us to where we are – and this is just the beginning.
Burlington released data yesterday on how the roll out is expected to take place.
The graph below is small and not that easy to read – we pass along what we get – you can now determine what the plan is and where you fit in.
Following the simple rules and exercising some patience will get us all to the point where we are vaccinated and moving along to some state of normalcy.
Pandemics are a little like the Maple Leafs winning the Stanley Cup – these things don’t happen very often and you don’t fully appreciate what has taken place until it is over.
 This is the status of the vaccination roll out for Burlington as of March 3rd.
 By Pepper Parr
March 3rd, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
It is easy to complain. However, when the job is well done the people who did the job have to be recognized.
And this morning the Gazette wants to recognize the superb job the Public Health unit in Halton has done with the COVID vaccine registration procedure they put in place and opened up this morning.
 Dr Hamidah Meghani decided no to rely on the province and went ahead and created a vaccination registration program for Halton. She made the right decision. It works. It works. It is a little complex and some people may need some help if they are not computer literate.
Make sure you have your OHIP card – they need that number.
You get to choose the date you want – if that date is full they will give you the closest date they have. You get to choose the time you want.
You can choose any one of the four locations in the Region.
Read the questions they ask carefully. If you get something wrong – they point out where you made the mistake and you get to correct it.
When you’re done – you print it out. The document you print gives you the date you are to attend and the date for the second shot.
It works.
Thank the people at the Region for a job well done. The province is still working on a registration system. Halton decided that the province might be late so went ahead and created their own.
I’ll let you know how my jab in the arm goes when it is my turn.
Again, a job well done folks.
By Pepper Parr
March 3rd, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
After a marathon Statutory meeting that had 58 plus delegations who wanted to be heard, Council will be back at the table for a meeting that will include the setting of the tax rate for 2021.
Health, Safety and Well Being are on the agenda. Staff at city hall were surveyed.
One graph tells just how things are going.
By Staff
March 3rd, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The online booking system for residents over 80 to book an appointment for a vaccine shot launches today.
To make your appointment click HERE. Read the instructions they give you carefully. Read the balance of this article before you go to register. The link to register is also at the bottom of this article.
Starting Wednesday March 3, Halton residents who are 80 years of age and older can book their appointment to receive their COVID-19 vaccine at a Halton Region COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic.
To support residents 80 years of age and older who require transportation, Halton Region has been working with Specialized Local Municipal Transit service providers and Private Transportation (taxi) services to ensure residents can conveniently request and arrange free transportation to and from Regional clinics if required.
“Vaccinating those most at risk of complications from COVID-19 is critical,” said Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton Region’s Medical Officer of Health. “If you know someone who is 80 years of age or older and may need assistance accessing information or booking their online appointment, please reach out to them to assist. While we continue to vaccinate priority groups, I am urging everyone to keep staying home except for essential purposes, avoiding social gatherings and preparing to be vaccinated when it is your turn.”
Residents who are not currently 80 years of age and older, please do not call 311 or visit the online booking system to ensure eligible residents have access.
Appointments will be available for clinic sites in the City of Burlington, Town of Oakville, Town of Milton and Town of Halton Hills. Free transportation options will be available for all eligible residents if required. Halton’s Vaccination Clinics are not open to the public and are available by appointment only.
There will be no walk-in appointments.
To make your appointment click HERE. Follow the instructions
By Staff
March 2nd, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington is joining the rest of the Region and communities in close proximity – they are getting rid of the need to get permission to hold a tag day.
 Organizations will still be able to hold tag days – they just won’t need permission from the city to do so.
They will have to get permission from the property owners –ie, LCBO and Supermarket locations, which tend to have the kind of traffic that makes the tag day successful
The volume of Tag Day requests has significantly declined over the last few years.
In 2020, the City of Burlington issued 15 letters of permission; compared to 33 letters of permission in 2019 and 33 in 2018. Historically the numbers have been higher:
2017: 39
2014: 49
2012:111
 In 2013, a similar report recommending discontinuation of the tag day program was provided to Council and they chose not to discontinue the program at that time. If a decision is made to discontinue, the Licensing section would advise charities that moving forward in 2021, Tag Days would now be managed strictly by the property and business owners.
This goes to City Council where it will be approved – from that day forward (allow 20 days for people to file objections) and all the taggers have to do is get permission from the locations.
By Pepper Parr
March 2, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Does anyone know why this is happening?
 The site once had a gas station on it; it is believed that the Tim Horton’s people were looking at the site as a head office – that didn’t fly. Are there plans for something on the property – other than expanding Emma’s – what else could they do with it?
In the lot to the immediate east of Emma’s, which is still closed and available if you want to rent the space, there is a bulldozer pushing huge boulders over the edge.
It would appear that the shore line is being protected from any erosion.
The Conservation authority has jurisdiction over this site.
Does anyone know why the concern over possible erosion?
 By Pepper Parr
March 2, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Last week we did a piece on some research the MoH for Halton Region mentioned to members of Regional Council which she said at the time she found very startling and concerned that if the data was correct and the situation we are in was mis-handled a third wave was a possibility.
And that that third wave would not be like the first and second wave; it would spread more quickly and more people would succumb to the virus.
We did a short piece with a graph that set out what Dr Hamidah Meghani was talking about. In this article we are able to show you some of the supporting evidence . It is chilling.
The data does not mean anything is going to happen, it does, we believe, point to what could happen if we are not very careful.
 The supermarkets are doing everything they can to educate the public. Wear the mask – keep your distance. It does make a difference. Reference is made to three COVID-19 VOC have been identified, including:
PANGO lineage B.1.1.7: first detected in the United Kingdom in September, 2020;
PANGO lineage B.1.351: first detected in South Africa in October, 2020; and
PANGO lineage P.1: first detected in Brazil in January, 2021.
As of February 15, 2021, Ontario has confirmed a total of 319 COVID-19 variant of concern (VOC) cases; the vast majority (96.9%; 309/319) are PANGO lineage B.1.1.7.
COVID-19 VOC cases have been confirmed in 15/34 (44.1%) public health units across 6/7 (85.7%) geographic regions (i.e., no VOC cases have been identified in the North West region).
The Central East region accounts for 80.3% (256/319) of COVID-19 VOC cases in the province, in part due to a large outbreak in a long-term care home in Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.
The majority (81.2%; 259/319) of confirmed VOC cases are linked to outbreaks or close contact with a confirmed case.
A total of 38 fatalities have been reported (case fatality: 11.9%); all have occurred among those 60 years of age or older.
 Where did the person with the new virus pick it up? Close contacts and an outbreak. How do we combat that?
 Number of confirmed COVID-19 VOC cases by PANGO lineage, severity, and outcome: Ontario, December 1, 2020 to February 15, 2021(We believe the word EVER should have been Never)
 Number of fatalities among confirmed COVID-19 VOC cases by PANGO lineage and age group: Ontario, December 1, 2020 to February 15, 2021. It is the older people who are dying.
 Number of confirmed COVID-19 VOC cases by PANGO lineage and likely source of acquisition: Ontario, December 1, 2020 to February 15, 2021 This data has determined what the province decided to do and what is continuing to do. Take care of the elderly and when the vaccine arrive inoculate the older people and hope that we can get enough people inoculated before the variants work themselves into the general population.
It is truly a race against time.
We may have wasted much of what we had.
Related article
The MoH was startled.
By Staff
February 26th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
 Mayor Marianne Meed Ward – budget needs more work In her most recent newsletter Mayor Marianne Meed Ward reported that “Council is in the final stages of 2021 budget discussions and is currently sitting at a proposed increase of 4.14%.
“City of Burlington staff and Council all worked very hard to find ways to reduce the impact while still delivering on direct services to residents.
“We shaved approximately $1.49 million off the initial proposed operating budget while adding resources for tree preservation, extending the seniors free transit pilot, additional planning staff and more.
“That said, delivering the highest tax increase of our Council term thus far is not my goal for our community, particularly amidst a pandemic where people are still struggling. We received millions in funding from our upper levels of government over the past year and have been presented with reasonable and thoughtful options for reductions that were brought forward by our City staff. The divided vote yesterday at committee was 4 members of Council in support, and 3 opposed, myself included.
“The recommendations for the proposed 2021 operating budget head to a virtual special council meeting on March 3 for a final vote. With just a little bit more work and discussion, I’m hoping Council can come together to close the gap for a lower tax increase closer to 3.99% and deliver a budget that most, if not all, of us on Council and in the community can support.
By Staff
February 26th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
That light at the end of the tunnel may not be a train rushing towards us.
 The good folks at the Joseph Brant Museum announced they are re-opening with a limited schedule (Tuesday – Friday from 10:00am – 3:00pm) beginning Tuesday, March 2.
Currently on view are the Burlington Gallery and the Costume Gallery.
Admission rates are 50% off the regular rate until April 9. You’ll also enjoy 20% off all items in the gift shop. Masks are mandatory.
The Children’s Discovery Gallery remains closed due to COVID-19. Our next special exhibition in the Showcase Gallery will open later this spring, details to be announced.
 That cigarette wouldn’t be at a gathering these days. The Brant Inn virtual event that takes place March 12th still has room for anyone interested in what looks like a great event. The Gazette is seeing impressive interest in this event on its comments section. One reader wrote in to tell us about his experiences as a young man.
Another reader said: “One individual I know paid his way through university back in the 1950’s by selling “mickey bottles” out of the trunk of his car–just imagine, the Brant Inn didn’t have a liquor license!
Elizabeth Hamidbasha recounts her experience writing: “I remember it well! It was a great place. The 1950 Miss Canada pageant was held there. Interviews from CHML were part of every Saturday night programming. When summer came along and you couldn’t afford a ticket, you sat on the railroad tracks and just listened.
“For lots of people it was free Saturday night entertainment and just as good as being a paying guest. One time Audrey Hepburn had lunch there without being recognized. She had just made Roman Holiday and was visiting here with her fiance’, James Hanson- now Sir James Hanson. Hanson owned Hanson Transport, based in London, England, and he had established a company in Hamilton. He was visiting Harold White, manager of the Canadian office, and had brought along his fiance. While the men were having a business meeting Elsie White- Harold’s wife- took Audrey for lunch at the Brant Inn.
“Imagine – nobody recognized her! But, it was early in her career and who would have expected Audrey Hepburn to be in Burlington, Ontario!!”
By Pepper Parr
February 26th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Just over a week ago when Dr. Hamidah Meghani was speaking to the Regional Council she mentioned data she had seen very recently that she found startling and under the wrong situation could lead to a third wave of infections.
We touched base with the Region’s media support people where Julia Le is usually very good at digging out material for us.
Dr Hamidah Meghani was talking about what are referred to as VOC – Variants of Concern – these are COVID19 mutations that appear to spread very quickly and impact those pov60 and over – for the 80 and over they have a very high morbidity rate.
The 20 page report has numerous graphs – the one sums it all up, and we suspect the one that keeps Dr Meghani awake at night is below.
If the mutation were to get out and into a population – no one has been able to even guess at the damage that would be done and the lives lost. This information is one of the reasons the Mayor of the City of Toronto has said – no large public events until after Canada Day. No Pride Parade – nothing where large numbers of people would be gathered in an outdoor setting.
The graphics that accompanied the Epidemiological Summary spell out the real concern and what has the health community rushing to get people vaccinated. It is a race against time – and we are not ready.
This Epidemiological Summary covers Variants of Concern in Ontario: December 1, 2020 to February 15, 2021
The Gazette will do a follow up piece on this.
m
 By Pepper Parr
February 26th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Is there a provincial election in the wind?
The province released a media background piece on some forthcoming legislation called Ontario Taking Steps to Make it Easier and Safer to Participate in Provincial Elections.
The media release explains that new legislation would help modernize the voting process in a COVID-19 environment by taking steps to make it easier and safer for people to vote, become a candidate, and protect provincial elections against outside influence and interference.
The Protecting Ontario Elections Act, 2021, would, if passed, help guard against threats such as the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, under-regulated third-party advertising, irregular campaign spending, and collusion.
 Doug Ford – can he be re-elected? “We strongly believe that Ontario voters should determine the outcome of elections, not big corporations or unions, American-style political action groups or other outside influences,” said Attorney General Doug Downey. “That’s why we are proposing legislative action to protect Ontarians’ essential voice in campaigns and to make it easier to cast a vote safely in an advance poll or on election day. These amendments would help modernize Ontario’s electoral process and ensure it is updated to meet urgent challenges, including COVID-19.”
The proposed reforms build on the Ontario legislature’s 2016 decision to ban corporate and union donations to political parties and help ensure individuals remain at the centre of the electoral process.
To protect Ontario elections, 19 legislative amendments have been proposed to:
• Make it more convenient and safer for people to vote in a COVID-19 environment by increasing advance polling days from five to ten, changes first proposed by Ontario’s Chief Electoral Officer;
• Double the amount individuals can donate to a candidate, constituency association, leadership contestant or party from $1,650 to $3,300 per year, protecting the essential voice of Ontarians in campaigns;
• Extend third-party advertising spending limits from six to 12 months before an election period and introduce a definition of collusion to help protect Ontario’s elections from outside influence and interference; and
• Clarify the rules that allow Members of Provincial Parliament to maintain individual social media accounts before, during and after a writ period, as well as pave the way for the legislature to set other social media rules.
Elections Ontario has reported that the scale of third-party advertising in Ontario is greater than at the federal level, and Ontario is the only province in Canada where third-party spending is counted in the millions of dollars, rather than in the thousands. In 2018, third parties spent over $5 million during the election period and the six months prior to the election.
“Each and every Ontarian is a driving force of our democracy – from casting their votes to volunteering on campaigns or putting one’s name on a ballot,” said Attorney General Downey. “We want to ensure that the electoral system continues to evolve to protect their central role as individuals and promote fairness in the electoral process for everyone.”
 She can draw the crows but hasn’t been able to translate those faces into voters. Nice to know that they are keeping themselves busy at Queen’s Park. One wonders how the current Progressive Conservative government would fare if they had to face the electorate. Lots to complain about – but have you looked at the other two choices. Andrea Horwath does not seem to be able to win an election. A new leader could make a difference – is there anyone with real strength and profile on the NDP benches? Look hard and let me know what you find.
As for the Liberals – their leader has yet to run for a seat in the Legislature. Other taking a few cheap shots at the province for goofs on the Covid19 file, Del Duca hasn’t made much of a mark.
There is a group planning a policy convention – something the Liberals badly need if they are going to learn anything from the Kathryn Wynne disaster. A good stiff broom is needed if the Liberals are going to be competitive. If they can find a way to tap into and reflect what the people of Ontario really want they could form a government.
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
 By Pepper Parr
February 25th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
They wrapped it up.
We now know what the tax levy is going to be for the fiscal year: they are going to tax the public a total of $182,276,388.
We don’t know yet what that will translate into in terms of a percentage and what it will mean in terms of how much taxation for every $100,000 of property assessment.
Those details were not presented to the public during the meeting. It does not appear that the Mayor is going to be able to deliver on the promise of a tax increase over last year of not more than 3.99%
It looks like it will come in at about 4.05%
Before the lunch break the percentage over last year was 4.14%. Members of Council decided they would dive back into the budget and see if they could change their minds on some of the decisions they had made.
That’s when things got sticky. The rules of the game on a reconsideration of a vote call for a person who voted for the original motion to bring a motion that needs a 2/3rds majority to pass.
 Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan chaired the committee that handled the budget review. He is said to have his eyes on the Office of the Mayor once Meed Ward has moved on to greener pastures. Chair of the meeting, Rory Nisan, did everything he could to get around that problem.
They went for lunch before they had a solution.
There is a contingency Reserve fund that had $1.8 million put into it – which was an increase over last year. Mayor Meed Ward wanted to decrease the increase by about 10% which would have allowed them to get to her much desired 3.99% tax increase.
Her colleagues were having none of it and went after the Mayor for raiding the Reserve Funds piggy bank. The account had something in the order of $9 million it.
 Ward 1 Councillor Kelvin Galbraith listening to what his constituents have to say. Councillor Galbraith said he got far too many negative comments from his ward about the way reserve funds were being raised. He wasn’t on for more of that.
Councillor Bentivegna said raiding reserves was not what he wanted to do. If the increase was higher than the 3.99% – so be it.
City Manager Tim Commisso said that while there was some risk chipping away on what was going to be salted away the one before Council didn’t bother him that much.
Something had changed. Members of Council appeared to have stopped buying into the Mayor’s 3.99%. It took a bit for that change to sink in and while the Mayor never did say she would go with the will of her colleagues – it appears that she is going to have to find words to get her out of this one.
 This is city council, Lisa Kearns is missing. City Manager, top left and Committee Clerk bottom right. Later this week there will be a carefully worded media release giving this budget that rosy red glow that the apple polishers can do to fruit that may have gone past its best before date.
It all goes to Council on March 3rd. Several Council members chose to withhold their comments on the budget until it gets to Council on the third.
This may not be over yet.
 By Pepper Parr
February 25th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
 While waiting for City Council to come out of yet another CLOSED meeting, I was able to spend a few minutes on the Ombudsman’s web site where they set out the Top 10 tips for municipal officials
Know and follow the Municipal Act, 2001 and your procedure by-law’s open meeting requirements.
Make sure you have a procedure by-law that complies with the Municipal Act – every municipality and local board is required to have one.
Give adequate advance public notice of all meetings, including the time and location of all meetings.
Keep meetings open to the public unless closure is specifically authorized under the Municipal Act and there is a real need to exclude the public.
Pick the right s. 239 exception before closing a meeting.
Pass a resolution in public that includes meaningful information about the issue to be considered (not just the exception) – before closing the doors.
Record the meeting, including all decisions, by taking minutes, and preferably also by recording audio or video.
Stay on topic – don’t stray from the subject stated in the resolution.
Do not hold a vote in closed session unless it is for a procedural matter or to give directions to staff or officials.
To the extent possible, report back publicly in open session about what occurred in closed session.
The spirit of the law can be summed up in six words: When in doubt, open the meeting.
 Committee chair Rory Nisan – didn’t appear to remember what he read in the Procedural bylaw. The Spirit of being open, public and transparent didn’t get beyond lip service with this council as they toiled with a budget that was difficult.
The behaviour of this Council was well below disappointing and needs to be brought to the attention of the Ombudsman for some corrective action.
Bad enough that Rory Nisan, Chair of the Standing Committee, let things run wild, worse that we have a Clerk who clearly does not fully understand the purpose of the Section 239 exceptions. Clerk Kevin Arjoon needs to be sent out for some training.
By Pepper Parr
February 25th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Updated on February 25th: 11:07 am
A day off doesn’t seem to have changed a thing.
No sooner had Rory Nisan, Chair of the Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability (CSSRA) committee, gotten through the Declarations of a Pecuniary Interest (there were none) and noting that there was nothing on the consent agenda – the meeting slid over to John Ford who said Tuesday had been a long day and then passed things along to Laurie Jivan who said that the tax rate for the city spending would amount to 4.18 % (that would be the increase over the 2020 budget) and that if they wanted to get it to 3.99% they would have to find $343,000 in savings.
The meeting returned to Nisan who said the Committee was going to look at items #4 and #24 on the Budget Action Requests (BAR) forms and in order to do that the Committee would have to go into CLOSED session.
Nisan asked Galbraith to so move, Galbraith did, everyone voted yes let’s do that and the screen went to the CLOSED image.
Not one member of Council asked for detail on why they were going into a CLOSED session.
 Those who watch Council meeting webcasts would have seen this image often – too often? Item #4 on the BAR form was a provision to reduce the amount that was to go into the Contingency Reserve. Staff was recommending anything between $100,000 and $338,445. The Mayor wanted that amount to be $400,000 while Councillors Bentivegna, Kearns, Galbraith, Nisan, and Sharman wanted the amount to be $100,000
Item 24 on the Bar forms was to remove $154,470 from the spending – remove 1 legal staff who worked on Community Planning matter. Bentivegna, Galbraith and Sharman proposed this.
A former councillor at a Halton municipality pointed out to us in an email that:
A meeting or part of a meeting may be closed to the public if the subject matter being considered is:
• the security of the property of the municipality or local board
• personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal or local board employees
• a proposed or pending acquisition or disposition of land by the municipality or local board
• labour relations or employee negotiations
• litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board
• advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose
• a matter in respect of which a council, board, committee or other body may hold a closed meeting under another Act
• information explicitly supplied in confidence to the municipality or local board by Canada, a province or territory or a Crown agency of any of them
• a trade secret or scientific, technical, commercial, financial or labour relations information, supplied in confidence to the municipality or local board, which, if disclosed, could reasonably be expected to prejudice significantly the competitive position or interfere significantly with the contractual or other negotiations of a person, group of persons, or organization
• a trade secret or scientific, technical, commercial or financial information that belongs to the municipality or local board and has monetary value or potential monetary value
• a position, plan, procedure, criteria or instruction to be applied to any negotiations carried on or to be carried on by or on behalf of the municipality or local board.
In a memo to Council the Finance department provided the following comment on the Provision to Contingency Reserve – As stated in the budget reduction list provided to you on February 1st, the list included a $100,000 reduction to the provision that would flatline the amount to the 2020 budget. The note included that the uncommitted balance was approximately $9.5 million. A question was asked as to whether the amount of the provision could be reduced further given this balance. Legal staff are reviewing outstanding and potential future litigation matters. At this time, a range could be considered for Committee’s discussion. This range would be from $100,000 (results in a budget provision of $2,038,445) to $338,445 (results in a budget provision of $1,800,000).
Would item #4 and # 24 meet these conditions? At some point the provincial Ombudsman will be asked to investigate and determine if these two, along with the other multiple occasion Council went into CLOSED on this budget – which at this moment has yet to be agreed upon before it goes to Council on March 3rd – and when you will know how much of your money is going to slide out of your pocket.
 By Staff
February 24th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Tough enough being quarantined – but imagine a security guard trying to extort money from you and then sexually assault you.
 The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) has arrested and charged a security guard with multiple charges related to a quarantine compliance check.
The accused is employed by one of the four private security companies hired and trained by the Public Health Agency of Canada to be designated Screening Officers under the Quarantine Act. Screening Officers visit travellers’ quarantine locations to establish contact, confirm identify and confirm that travellers are at the place of quarantine they identified upon entry into Canada, to ensure that travellers are complying with the mandatory 14-day quarantine requirements.
Police investigation revealed that on February 18, 2021, the accused attended a residence in Oakville to conduct a quarantine compliance check. The accused informed the victim that they were in violation of the quarantine order and demanded that a fine be paid in cash. When the victim declined to pay, she was sexually assaulted by the accused.
On February 23, 2021, HRPS officers with the Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Unit located and arrested 27 year-old Hemant (full name) of Hamilton. Police will not be disclosing the name of the security company that employs Hemant, but can confirm that he has been suspended.
Hemant has been charged with the following:
• Sexual Assault
• Extortion
Hemant was released from custody pending a court appearance in Milton on March 23, 2021.
There may be additional victims, and police would encourage anyone who may have experienced something similar to contact their local police service (where the offence took place).
 Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
Note: Screening Officers contracted by the Public Health Agency of Canada are not police officers and cannot issue an offence notice (ticket) or conduct an arrest. Immediate demand for payment of any kind should never be made in the course of a quarantine compliance check.
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