A year ago today we all woke up and headed for the polling station during the day and elected ourselves a new city council.
Did we get it right?
Most people appear to think that we did. There are certainly some who think mistakes were made but on balance we have seven people who have a clear vision as to where they want to go.
Next Monday we get to go to the polls again.
Let us try and get it right.
There is a lot of small minded bickering and pettiness being voiced.
Is the dual citizenship that Andrew Scheer has really that big a deal?
Is it what the creation of a government is decided on?
The people, you and I get to decide who runs that |House of Commons. Think really hard about who you send there to do the job.
The Black face was and is a big deal – but it was 20 years ago. Has Justin Trudeau grown up? Has he learned a lesson?
Do we trust him?
That applies to all of them – do you trust them?
There are some very big, fundamental issues before us. If we don’t get them right – we are in serious trouble.
When this falls apart – we all fall apart. It will not be a pretty picture.
There is a tipping point, a point at which we cannot go back.
Are we there yet?
How close to that tipping point are we and do we really want to test it.
If we are wrong – there really isn’t a future.
There is some hard hard thinking to be done.
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.
The city wants some of the political oxygen that we are all breathing.
People are focused on the federal election.
The city wants you to remember that they too play a role in how decisions are made and they want you to take part in that process.
They have all kinds of things lined up for you.
It all starts with a feedback report summarizing what the City heard during the first phase of public engagement for the re-examination of Burlington’s adopted Official Plan; that is now available online at getinvolvedburlington.ca.
What follows is all great stuff – what is worrisome is that an earlier survey drew 308 responses from a city with a population of over 175,000 people.
Earlier this year, Burlington City Council directed City staff to re-examine the downtown policies in Burlington’s adopted Official Plan, including the height and density of buildings. As part of this work, the City hosted a series of public engagement opportunities in August and September, designed to give the community the chance to provide meaningful input on the community’s vision for the downtown, both online and in person.
Participants in the engagement were asked questions about the downtown, including what matters most to them; what they like and dislike; what they want to see protected as the downtown continues to grow; and what they want to see more of in the downtown, through the following engagement opportunities:
• Action Labs – two workshops open to the public where approximately 70 people worked together to discuss, identify and prioritize what is most important to them about the downtown
• Pop-up events – 17 pop-ups events across the community where City staff interacted with hundreds of residents from all wards
• Survey – a total of 308 responses were received online and by hard copy. Working with the Halton Multicultural Council, the survey was translated into five languages, including Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Punjabi, Spanish and Tagalog.
What matters most about downtown: What we heard
From the feedback gathered, the themes heard most often from participants included:
• Keep and attract new businesses
Plan B hasn’t gotten much in the way of attention lately – it is a citizen led initiative to ensure that when the Waterfront Hotel is torn down and replaced that whatever is built keeps a clear view from Brant Street out to the Pier. The city has never shown much enthusiasm for the idea.
• Protect and enhance existing green spaces, strengthen connections to the waterfront, and plant more trees
• Enhance downtown’s role as a year-round cultural, tourism, shopping, leisure and event destination
• Housing options and affordability
• Enhance pedestrian spaces and provide more transit and cycling options, and reduce congestion
• Mid and low-rise buildings preferred in many areas
These are the storefronts on Brant Street, opposite city hall that will disappear when the development for the area begins construction. A height of 17 storey has been approved – the developer wants 23 – identical to the property to the north on the other side of James Street.
• Maintain the small-town charm and preserve heritage
• Safer, more usable, inclusive public spaces
• Appropriate parking supply.
How will the feedback be used?
The feedback gathered in August and September is being used to develop two concepts of what the downtown could look like in the future. These concepts will be shared with the public for further review and input starting the week of Oct. 21. Feedback gathered in the second phase of the public engagement will inform a revised downtown concept, presented as a recommendation to Burlington City Council in January 2020.
More public engagement – Phase 2, starts the week of Oct. 21
To create policies that reflect the community’s vision for the downtown, the City of Burlington needs to hear from as many people as possible. Please consider lending your voice at one of the upcoming public engagement opportunities:
• Week of Oct. 21, go online to getinvolvedburlington.ca to view the two concepts of what the downtown could look like, reflecting the priorities the City heard in the first round of engagement
Action Lab participants in one of the early sessions.
• Action Labs
Working in small groups, discuss and identify what you like and don’t like about the two downtown concepts. Action Labs will be held on:
• Wednesday, Oct. 23, 1 to 3 p.m. or 7 to 9 p.m. at the Lions Club, 471 Pearl St.
• Saturday, Nov. 2, 1 to 3 p.m. at Mountainside Recreation Centre, 2205 Mt. Forest Dr.
Drop-in, registration not required.
• Downtown Walking Tour
Take a walking tour of downtown Burlington to get a first-hand view of the areas where policies are being re-examined, on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., meeting at the No Frills Plaza at 571 Brant St.
• Online Survey
Go online to share your thoughts about the two downtown concepts at getinvolvedburlington.ca. Survey available starting Wednesday, Oct. 23.
Heather MacDonald, Executive Director of Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility in conversation with Blair Smith.
Heather MacDonald, Executive Director of Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility, who is driving much of this public engagement explains where all this is going: “When we set out to re-examine the downtown policies in the adopted Official Plan, one of the objectives we established was to create an ongoing record of the feedback gathered and to report back to the community about what we heard.
“We hope this report is helpful in tracking the progress of the project and in understanding how the input collected may or may not inform the final recommendations to Council.”
“The next key opportunity for public engagement that will directly influence a recommendation to Council starts the week of Oct. 21 and I encourage anyone who cares about the future of the downtown to participate in the conversation.”
The major transit schedules change that were put in place at the beginning of September are now being tweaked.
November 3 Schedule Changes
In September, Burlington Transit implemented many improvements to its service routes, including:
• An increase of 20-minute service on many routes • Extended bus service in Aldershot to Aldershot High School • Increased service in the area of Lakeshore Road and Burloak Drive.
Sue Connor said that hearing what riders thought and some of their ideas have brought about minor changes. Connor made a point of thanking the riders who have shared their feedback on the changes.
In response to their input, effective Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, Burlington Transit will be making some additional changes as they continue to work towards a “Better Transit” for Burlington.
During the interview the Gazette did with Burlington MP, Karina Gould – Ray Rivers, our political columnist, asked Ms Gould how she squared the position the federal government had taken on the SNC Lavalin issue with the bribe Petro Canada paid the Libyan government in 2009 or 2010.
The SNC Lavalin issue was the paying of a bribe to the Libyan government for the right to do business with that government. Canadian corporations cannot pay bribes to foreign governments.
The federal prosecutors were preparing to put SNC Lavalin on trial. The argument we’ve heard is that the Prime Minister’s office pressured the Minister of Justice to consider using the newly minted DPA (deferred prosecution agreement) as a more appropriate punishment for the company’s wrong doing.
A DPA is the instrument of choice by European and American justice departments to administer punishment for these kinds of offences and includes 1. Admission of guilt; 2. a change in corporate culture; 3. commitment to not do it again; 4. a hefty financial penalty and perhaps some other restrictions.
Were SNC Lavalin charged and found guilty in court they might not be able to bid on federal government contracts for ten years.
Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi
“The New York Times reported (in March of 2011) that in 2009 “top aides to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi called together 15 executives from global energy companies operating in Libya’s oil fields and issued an extraordinary demand: Shell out the money for his country’s $1.5 billion bill for its role in the downing of Pan Am Flight 103 and other terrorist attacks.
If the companies did not comply, the Libyan officials warned, there would be “serious consequences” for their oil leases, according to a State Department summary of the meeting. Many of those businesses balked, saying that covering Libya’s legal settlement with victims’ families for acts of terrorism was unthinkable. But some companies, including several based in the United States, appeared willing to give in to Libya’s coercion and make what amounted to payoffs to keep doing business, according to industry executives, American officials and State Department documents.
The New York Times article also reported that Petro-Canada, a large Canadian oil company, was one of those companies which made a $1 billion payment in order to obtain a 30-year oil exploration license from Libyan officials, according to diplomatic cables and company officials.
Petro-Canada along with SNC also sponsored an exhibit of a Gaddafi family member’s paintings after museums refused — ridiculed by Canadian critics as “lurid” and a “triumph of banality“ and a point of discussion during the justice committee hearings into the matter earlier this year.
The episode and others like it, the officials said, reflect a Libyan culture rife with corruption, kickbacks, strong-arm tactics and political patronage since the United States reopened trade with Colonel Qaddafi’s government in 2004.
As American and international oil companies, telecommunications firms and contractors moved into the Libyan market, they discovered that Colonel Qaddafi or his loyalists often sought to extract millions of dollars in “signing bonuses” and “consultancy contracts” — or insisted that the strongman’s sons get a piece of the action through shotgun partnerships.
“Libya is a kleptocracy in which the regime — either the al-Qadhafi family itself or its close political allies — has a direct stake in anything worth buying, selling or owning,” a classified State Department cable said in 2009, using the department’s spelling of Qaddafi.
This is the country Petro-Canada paid $1 billion. So the question is, if it was acceptable for Petro-Canada to pay what amounts to a billion dollar bribe why is the federal government so vigorously pursuing SNC Lavalin for doing basically the same thing for about $50 million?
Montreal based SNC was charged in 2015 while Mr. Harper was PM. But there has been no action with respect to Calgary based Petro-Canada. Why is that? One has to wonder if this represents a bias reflecting a government with a PM based in the West rather than in Quebec?
As Minister for Democratic Institutions it was Gould’s job to bring something to the public that would change the way we elect our federal leaders. That proved to be impossible – the necessary co-operation and consent from the other political parties was just not on the table.
Karina Gould with the Prime Minister before she was made a Cabinet Minister.
Ms Gould, who supports the Prime Minister’s position to have SNC Lavlin be given a DPA (deferred prosecution agreement) which would mean there would not be a trial but there would be financial consequences that would save some 9000 jobs.
Ms Gold told the Gazette that she was not aware of the bribe Petro Canada paid the Libyan government.
That statement was, at best, a real stretch.
Petro Canada was formed in 1975 and was, until 1991, a Crown Corporation. Suncor Energy bought the company from the federal government.
The full, lengthy New York Times story can be found HERE.
We Love Burlington – odd name for a local advocacy group.
Despite the name – they are an effective voice for the community and what they perceive as an attempt by the province to drastically change the the way the residents of not only Burlington but Milton, Oakville and |Halton Hills – all part of the Region of Halton.
The province held a Provincial Review, the report hasn’t been made public yet – the fear is that all the local municipalities will sort of disappear and become parts of what get called the Municipality of Halton with the three local communities becoming departments.
The fear is real – Premier Doug Ford tore the city of Toronto apart electorally when he reduced the size of that city council by 50% – right smack in the middle of an election.
The We Love Burlington people have turned to the people running for the Burlington federal seat for their views. We pass them along to you.
The “lovelies” recently appeared on Your TV with Burlington Mayor Meed Ward. If you can find the episode on that cable channel – it might be worth a listen.
The “lovelies” put their case this way in their most recent Facebook update…
WeLoveBurlington asked the five federal Burlington candidates the following question:
Recognizing that municipalities are the creatures of the provincial government and almost totally under provincial control, what could you do, as Burlington’s federal government representative, to ensure that the City retains a strong identity with a resonant local voice?
We asked this question for several reasons. First, because we feel it is important that our local federal candidates consider and explain what they can do for us on a very close-to-home level. While municipal governance is definitely under provincial control, the federal government still can and should assist municipalities – the government that is closest to the citizens. In fact, we believe our highest level of government (thus actually the most removed from the citizen) still has a duty to exert its authority and influence, where and when needed, to protect all Canadians from the adverse impacts of policies generated by the more proximate levels of government. At the end of all the politics and all the platforms, there is just one taxpayer, frequently confused and even more frequently dismissed. Secondly, we believe that it is a fundamental obligation of all levels of government to co-operate in the interests of the citizen. Too often warring philosophies and battling polemics leave citizens as unwilling and unwitting refugees. So, we ask what can you do to avoid this?
Finally, if the local interests are not a primary consideration for the federal candidates, then why do we have this elaborate electoral system based on population and geography? Would it not be much simpler, cheaper and entertaining to have the leaders of each party fight it out in a caged ring with winner takes all?
These candidates were invited to appear at the October 3 debate hosted by Burlington Green, and this is where we first submitted the question, then followed by emailing all five candidates directly.
We have received answers from the Liberal Party, the Green Party and the NDP party candidates for Burlington. Note these were also the only three candidates to appear at the debate. Their responses are below.
Karina Gould
Karina Gould, Liberal Candidate for Burlington (October 9)
The majority of the issues that I hear about are municipal as municipal government is what people interact with on a daily basis. Our Liberal government recognizes how important of a role municipal government’s play. That is why we are committed to working with municipalities – advocating on local initiatives, working with the City of Burlington to hear their priorities and investing in and building infrastructure.
I have been proud to be a champion for our community these past four years and will always stand up for Burlington.
Since 2015 we have, introduced the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund to help communities prepare for climate change through more resilient infrastructure, invested $2 billion in the Low Carbon Economy Fund through the Canadian Federation of Municipalities; invested $40 million in the Atmospheric Fund for the GTHA which will enable cities to retrofit and build a low carbon future; and doubled the Gas Tax Fund in Budget 2019, providing a one-time injection of $2.2 billion (including $5.5 million for Burlington). We have also invested $20 billion in public transit across the country, including over $2 million in Burlington Transit.
If re-elected we will ensure that unspent infrastructure funds from older, inactive programs are transferred to municipalities through the Gas Tax Fund to continue to support local infrastructure priorities, especially if the province tries to sit on the funds like Ontario’s current government.
If re-elected we will ensure cities are provided with predictable transit funding that they need to plan for the future by investing an additional $3 billion more in stable funding. We will also require all provinces and territories to identify and approve all of their long-term infrastructure priorities within the next two years. Funds that are not designated for specific projects by the end of 2021, we will reinvest directly in communities through a top up of the federal Gas Tax Fund. This will ensure communities are not waiting on delays from provinces.
If re-elected, I will continue to work with the City of Burlington, and local partners, to advocate for the issues that matter most to residents and invest in our community to deliver a better quality of life for people, no matter where they live. I love this community, it is my home and it is where I grew up and am raising my family. I will always stand up for Burlington.
Gareth Williams
Gareth Williams, Green Party Candidate for Burlington (October 13)
I am a proud 20+-year resident of Burlington with a strong record of community involvement, working to build a safer and cleaner future for Burlington families. For over a decade, I have been active with many local grassroots organizations dedicated to protecting the environment and helping the vulnerable, including BurlingtonGreen, Burlington for Accessible, Sustainable Transit (BFAST), and the Halton Environmental Network.
In 2011, I joined the City of Burlington’s Sustainable Development Committee, serving as a member and then Chair over six years to encourage the adoption of tougher sustainability standards for buildings, public transportation, and to set a goal of carbon neutrality for city operations. Most recently, I ran for City Council, and my decision to stand as the Green Party candidate for Burlington comes from the same deep commitment to the city I chose as my home.
The Green Party is well-positioned to support municipalities like Burlington and advocate for their citizens. First of all, we are committed to treating municipalities like equal partners in governance, because the simple fact is that they are, no matter what Doug Ford says. Municipalities are the first level of government Canadians typically deal with, and they have a big impact on our daily lives. Greens believe it’s time to act like communities matter. As a government, we would give municipalities an equal seat at the national policy making table through a Council of Canadian Governments, and we will encourage the adoption of City Charters for greater autonomy. We would create a permanent Municipal Fund (a repurposing and doubling of the current Gas Tax Funds), which will ensure a predictable, reliable stream of funding for municipalities, independent of the provinces. And we will allocate one per cent of GST to housing and other municipal infrastructure on an ongoing basis to provide a consistent baseline of funding.
With climate change one of the most significant threats to our health, prosperity, and stability, both globally and at the community level, the Greens’ comprehensive 20-point Climate Action Plan, Mission: Possible, contains a number of strategies to help cities. Burlington has recently declared a climate emergency. If elected, I will make it a priority to support the City of Burlington in its climate action plan. Through a dedicated energy efficiency retrofit financing program, we will help Burlington residents and businesses reduce costs while contributing to a net zero carbon future.
All of these strategies will help ensure that Burlington gets the federal support needed to keep our city strong and afford it a measure of independence when it comes to planning and decision-making. And importantly, unlike other federal parties, the Green Party does not whip votes. This means that Green MPs have the freedom to put their constituents first. As the MP for Burlington, my first priority will always be to represent my fellow Burlingtonians and speak up for their interests. It would be a privilege to serve the Burlington I love.
Lenaee Dupuis,
Lenaee Dupuis, NDP Party Candidate for Burlington, October 15
I love Burlington as well and want to ensure collaboration with the Mayor and City Council on their initiatives and areas where they believe that they require an additional voice at the table. I believe that by working together we can meet the common goal of remaining the best city in Canada to live in.
I have already met with Mayor Meed Ward to hear about where there may be opportunities to assist or collaborate and I am engaged to continue to do this if I am in the incumbent. Building relationships makes for a better city, and a place that all of us can call home.
WeLoveBurlington Appearance on Your TV
Marianne Meed Ward with Blair Smith and Lynn Crosby at the Your TV studio
On September 19, two members of WLB taped an episode of Burlington Matters with Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, which airs on Yourtv Halton. We very much appreciate Mayor Meed Ward’s continued support and the opportunity to speak about our group and the concerns we have about amalgamation and a potential megacity of Halton. The show aired this past week and is available for viewing: https://yourtv.tv/node/211031
No need to do any tax accounting for your on-line wins
We won’t be exaggerating if we state that taxes are every Canadian’s worst nightmare! And when it comes to online gambling, an immediate question asked by every player is – are they required to pay taxes on their winnings at such platforms?
Well, the good news is that you don’t need to pay any taxes on such winnings if you are only a recreational player and a Canadian resident.
So, I could sign up to www.casino.com to play the desert treasure slot, win a huge sum and get to take the entire win home, without paying anything to the exchequer.
Why casino players aren’t required to pay any taxes.
Canadian government can’t tax any gambling activity because it doesn’t serve as a regular source of income, and doesn’t originate from property, employment or any other regular earning means. Gambling also isn’t considered a type of business and majority of Canadians don’t live off their gambling winnings. In the eyes of the law, taxing such events will not be fair. Here’s more on the peculiarities of gambling in Canada.
Are Canadians required to pay any taxes on gambling winnings?
No, there is no need for Canadians to pay any taxes on winnings from gambling activities like lotteries, sports betting, horse racing, online casinos etc. however, you must declare any interest earned on these winnings in the T5 form. Any such interest is taxable in nature and you could be fined if you are caught not paying taxes on it.
Are professional Canadian gamblers required to pay taxes?
Anyone who gambles full-time, whether off-line or online, and makes a living from the activity, must pay taxes on their winnings. Hence, professional blackjack players, poker players or anyone who calls themselves a professional gambler, will be perceived as a running a freelance business, the income from which is taxable in Canada.
However, there’s a catch. The Canada Revenue Agency has been very slow in assessing and auditing people whose primary source of income is gambling. Why this is so is because these people are essentially operating the business and the profits earned from the business are taxable.
No calculations to be done.
But the same business can lead to major losses, reducing overall income. If the Canadian revenue agency starts taxing these professional players in a forceful manner, it could have a very bad domino effect throughout Canada.
This doesn’t mean that if you are a professional gambler, you should avoid paying any taxes. It’s only information that you should be aware of.
Gambling wins in Vegas or US as a Canadian citizen
Anyone who visits Las Vegas or United States to gamble and comes back with the winnings, must pay close to half of their winnings exceeding US$ 1200 as taxes to the government. If you thought you could just avoid declaring any such income, well, think again! When you walk up to cash out your winnings at the booth, 30% is deducted as tax at source there and then!
In August 2019, former Deputy Chief Nishan Duraiappah, joined Peel Region as the new Chief of Police.
That meant finding a new Deputy for the Halton Regional Police Service.
Jeff Hill, a Superintendent with the HRPS ,was sworn in as the Halton Regional Police Service’s new Deputy Chief yesterday at a ceremony at the Burlington Convention Centre.
From the left: Deputy Chief Jeff Hill, Chief Stephen Tanner and Deputy Chief Roger Wilkie.
The formal swearing-in ceremony was attended by MPPs, the Halton Police Board (Chair and board members), community leaders, faith leaders, local and regional councillors, Halton Regional Police Service Senior Commanders, and a number of uniformed and civilian members of the Service.
Deputy Jeff Hill joined the Halton Regional Police Service, from the Toronto Police Service, in 1998 and was assigned Uniform Patrol in the Town of Oakville. As a Constable, he served in both the Town of Oakville and the City of Burlington and as a Coach Officer for several new recruits. Over the years, Deputy Chief Hill has served in a number of progressively senior roles, including Sergeant with Uniform Patrol in the City of Burlington, Detective in Charge of the Robbery portfolio in the Burlington Criminal Investigation Bureau, Staff Sergeant and Platoon Manager in 2 District, Staff Officer to the Deputy Chief, Detective Sergeant and District Operations Inspector, and Inspector where he assumed the role as the Commander of Human Resources and Training.
As Inspector, he led the restructuring of Human Resources and Training resulting in an increased organizational capacity and improved customer service, and led the drive to implement a Regional wellness strategy resulting in stigma reduction and increased employee wellness.
Since being promoted to the rank of Superintendent in October 2015, Deputy Chief Hill has provided exceptional leadership to the Halton Regional Police Service’s Regional Investigative Services, overseeing the Domestic Violence, Forensic Identification, Child Abuse and Sexual Assault (CASA), Homicide, Drugs and Human Trafficking, Intelligence, Internet Child Exploitation (ICE), Tech Crime, Regional Fraud, Polygraph, and Victim Services.
In his new role, Deputy Chief Hill is responsible for the following areas of the Service:
• Regional Investigative Services
• Intelligence
• Drug and Morality Unit
• Human Trafficking
• Polygraph
• Technological Crime
• Domestic Violence
• Child Abuse and Sexual Assault
• Homicide
• Forensic Identification
• Frauds
• Corporate Services
• Facilities
• Finance
• Fleet
• Purchasing
• Support Services
• Communications
• Courts and Records
• Human Resources
• Training
• Emergency Services
• Victim Services
Deputy Chief Hill will serve the community alongside Chief Stephen Tanner and Deputy Chief Roger Wilkie.
He is described as a “long time Liberal” who has won four Olympic medals, the most by any Canadian paddler – as well as two world championships. He was Canada’s flagbearer at the Olympic Games in Athens and Beijing. One of his Olympic medals was gold.
Adam van Koeverden received early support from a broad spectrum of community and business leaders in Milton and spent several weeks knocking on doors and meeting with the families within the riding.” He is reported to be Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s choice.
36 year old, single, van Koeverden said in an interview that he “would like to marry at some point, settle down and raise a family but that as an Olympian that wasn’t possible.”
“You put everything you have into the sport”. He did that and did very well. Now he is in the world of politics taking on Lisa Raitt who has held the seat for three elections.
Koeverden’s campaign is said to put an emphasis on youth, sport, physical education and healthy communities.
Choosing celebrities, be they in sports, entertainment or high profile business people, has pluses and minuses. Van Koeverden has literally no experience in the world of politics. he has some ideas and he has energy.
As an Olympian he worked for the Canadian Olympic Association and interacted with government on funding issues and has a feel for the way government works if not any actual experience.
Adam van Koeverden was born in Toronto, went to a Catholic high school and studied at McMaster University where science and kinesiology were his focus.
His parents were Dutch, came to Canada and lived all their lives in co-op housing, a form of housing in which the residents have no equity interest.
People who live in co-ops are expected to do much of the maintenance work and to care for the property. The upside is that rents stay very low – but when a person moves out they aren’t selling anything – the organization owns the property.
Adam van Koeverden thinks co-ops are both an excellent model and a solution to the housing affordability crisis that the country faces.
The concept has much to commend it – getting people away from the idea of owning their homes and starting out with something small and building equity would be a very hard sell in this country.
Adam applies his enthusiasm to just about everything he does – expect to hear a lot from him on the co-op housing issue should he find himself representing Milton in the House of Commons.
Adam took part in the 1997 Canada Games and paddled out of the BurlOak Canoe Club.
When he competed at his last athletic event he wasn’t sure what he was going to do next. Working within the Olympic movement was a possibility – politics had been suggested.
Once he had the nomination he began knocking on doors. “Those were lonely days” he said.
Milton was not home town for him. He moved from Oakville.
He wasn’t as well versed on the issues in the part of Burlington that are within the Milton constituency boundary – the Air Park issue that took years to resolve was not something van Koeverden could say much about.
During our interview van Koeverden said that theory is not his strong point; he prefers to get in front of people, listen and work with them.
He describes himself as a strong role model and is active and a strong supporter of PLAY, Right to Play’s new initiative to help Aboriginal youth in Canada, a program he’s passionate about. He donated $5,000 to kick-start a campaign.
PLAY — Promoting Life-skills in Aboriginal Youth — is already serving more than 3,500 children in 90 communities.
Koeverden became an athlete ambassador with RTP; traveled to Africa several times, and visited the Palestine territories of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank last month.
“I have a hard time using very strong positive adjectives to describe trips to the field with Right to Play, because as great as these trips are, and as illuminating and life-affirming and everything, they’re still very difficult because it’s a real recognition of the challenges that exist in the world,” van Koeverden said.
The race for the Milton seat might be up for grabs but it will take more than sports celebrity to defeat a two time winner. Koeverden’s ground game will be the deciding issue; the Prime Minister that wanted him running in the constituency might become a cross Adam van Koeverden is going to have to bear.
Elected to the House of Commons twice for the Milton riding and prior to that as the Member for the Halton riding she now faces a sports celebrity, former Olympian Adam van Koeverden.
The Milton riding includes a significant portion of north rural Burlington.
Studied law in the United Kingdom where she learned the habit of doing her homework.
Raitt is relying on the relationship she has with the community and the close ties to many of the families to retain the seat.
Born and raised in Sydney Nova Scotia Raitt attended St. Francis Xavier University where she started as a science student – after a political science course she began the switch to the world of administration and politics.
She went on to do a master’s degree in chemistry, specializing in environmental biochemical toxicology, at the University of Guelph. Raitt possesses an LL.B from Osgoode Hall Law School, and was called to the Ontario bar in 1998.
While there she was awarded a scholarship to spend two years at the Middle Temple in London, United Kingdom, which specialized in international trade, commerce, transportation, and arbitration.
In the UK law practices are formed as “Inns” where the practice is broken into Barristers and Solicitors. Some of the best law in the Western world is practiced in the UK – you work hard and you prepare.
Raitt came away with an appreciation for legal arguments and the need to really do your homework when you have to argue a case. That “doing the homework” stayed with Raitt.
In her final year at Temple Inn in London, UK she was offered the job as legal counsel for the Toronto Port Authority where, for a period of time she was the Harbour Master for Toronto. She served as corporate counsel for a year and was then made CAO where she stayed until 2008.
Raitt then decided public office was for her and ran as a Conservative in Halton under Stephen Harper who at the time was the leader of the Opposition. Raitt won her seat and Harper won the election. He then made her a member of his Cabinet, one of 11 women to be made Cabinet Members.
She served as the Minister of Natural Resources and then moved along to Minister of Labour where she stayed for three years and was then made Minister of Transportation. in 2013
The Conservatives lost the 2015 election which made Raitt a member of the opposition. She was made Deputy leader – the first woman to be given that job within the Conservative party.
On the run for the Conservative party leadership: “I just didn’t have the network the others had”. Her support never rose above 4%
Raitt did take a run at the Conservative Party leadership; which, after 13 rounds of voting, chose Andrew Scheer over Maxine Bernier on the 13th round; Raitt was dropped on the 7th round – her support never growing beyond 4%.
“I just didn’t have the network the others had” she explained. She said she was also newer to the party than many of those who lasted longer than she did in the race for the leadership.
She was as scrappy on the front bench as she was a Minister.
The people who ran against Raitt in Halton and Milton didn’t bring all that much to the table. As a Cabinet Minister in the Harper government with a high profile, not always as positive a profile as she would have liked, she was close to formidable.
As part of the Harper government Raitt made her share of public gaffes. Her comments about cancer being a “sexy issue” when the Chalk River medical isotopes production was going to be shut down did not go down very well.
“Lessons were learned” she said in explaining some of the gaffs.
What is it that makes an MP successful – “your network” and she points to people like Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and Defence Minister Art Eggleton. The quality of the help you get in your early years is what makes you a solid politician. Jim Flaherty was amongst the best of her mentors.
This election is the toughest Raitt has faced. She represents a community that has traditionally been conservative but the Milton of today is not the Milton that she was first elected in. It is now a much more diverse community that has experienced massive growth – for a period of time it was the fastest growing community in the country.
There are significant issues – climate change and the continued expansion of aggregate quarries. Health is a concern everywhere – but it is the two very different personalities that the resident of the riding have to choose between. Not quite a popularity contest – but not far from it. The questions is – has Lisa Raitt served her constituents as well as they want to be served?
The significantly different views at the federal level on how to tackle climate change, which threatens to change life for all of us, is significant in the riding.
There were people who described her as “”tough, quick, funny and hard-working — she can give as good as she gets.”
She is very clear – the proposed carbon tax is too low. However she also said in June of 2019 that: the “Bottom line is there’s no solid connection between climate change and the major indicators of extreme weather, despite Trudeau’s claims to the contrary. The continual claim of such a link is misinformation employed for political and rhetorical purposes.”
She was at times very scrappy, tough; but there were people who described her as “”tough, quick, funny and hard-working — she can give as good as she gets.”
Lisa Raitt is a quieter woman today, with deep roots in a small town community with a large rural area. She is well known, liked and appears to have taken care of her constituents. Her position on the Air Park issue didn’t help her popularity rating in the ward six community of Burlington.
The mother of two boys, she lives with her husband and works with him as he deals with some medical issues.
The Milton race is a simple straight up two party affair. The New Democratic candidate’s support will come from the coat tails of Jagmeet Singh.
The Liberals have invested heavily in their candidate – can an outsider with a high sports profile – it doesn’t get much better than being an Olympian – defeat someone who has served well?
It is all going to depend on how well she has served her people. Her party leader isn’t going to do anything for her – if anything she might do something for him by keeping the seat which has become a constituency to watch.
The provincial government is now prepared to accept Infrastructure Proposals from the private sector.
These would be unsolicited proposals.
This is a new framework for receiving and evaluating infrastructure proposals from the private sector. These are proposals to the government that were not requested through an existing procurement.
Could the Pier have been an Unsolicited Private Sector proposal?
This marks the first time there has been a formal process for submitting USPs to the Ontario government. Through this new approach, private-sector ideas with the potential to improve public infrastructure and related services will be considered using a consistent and fair process.
“An unsolicited proposal framework is a leading global practice to leverage the expertise of the private sector to develop innovative infrastructure solutions to benefit the people of Ontario and make government open for business,” said Laurie Scott, Minister of Infrastructure. “It provides a clear path for industry to share proposals we might otherwise not have developed on our own.”
Could the replacement of the Drury Lane Bridge been a project that would fall under this new provincial program?
“We will always work hard for the people, but we must acknowledge that government doesn’t always have all the answers,” continued Minister Scott. “Our new USP framework will ensure we are listening to the people and businesses that build and operate infrastructure in Ontario to find the best ideas and make them a reality.”
The program is open for all infrastructure proposals. This includes proposals for transit lines and stations, highways, health care facilities, housing supply projects, energy generation and storage projects and “digital infrastructure” (such as broadband and cellular network expansion).
The Province will focus on infrastructure projects that provide the greatest benefit to the people of Ontario, are feasible from a technical and commercial perspective, align with the government’s priorities and provide the greatest value for money for any investment of public dollars.
Potential participants can submit proposals and find more information about the program online at: ontario.ca/proposals.
Gregory Smith, President and CEO, InstarAGF Asset Management Inc. claims that “Innovation is vital to improving the quality, value and sustainability of our infrastructure, which underpins our economic prospects and the ability of our communities to thrive. This new online portal will help to connect private expertise, creativity and capital with public infrastructure investment needs while supporting new forms of partnership and engagement, thereby contributing to a more resilient, prosperous future for Ontarians.”
What is there out there that someone thinks Burlington could use – maybe even needs that there isn’t federal or provincial funding in place for ?
Is a community that is just affordable housing possible under this program?
It will be interesting to see what the private sector in Burlington comes up with – and what MPP Jane McKenna might do to help things along.
The Brant Hills Community Centre got a Jimmy Limit photo treatment to help tell part of the communities story.
Photos from Brant Hills Community Centre is a series of large-scale photographic murals inspired by the functions and surroundings of the Brant Hills Community Centre.
Materials associated with sports, the gym and library have been combined with materials found in the natural park surroundings of the community centre. By using the language built around commercial photography and advertising, Limit’s images document unlikely assemblages, which cause the viewer to question the motives of the imagery when placed in the public realm.
Jimmy Limit is a photo-based artist living in St. Catharines. Limit has exhibited throughout Canada and the United States including Albright Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, Temnikova & Kasela, Tallinn Estonia, Rodman Hall St. Catharines, Clint Roenisch Gallery, Toronto and Printer Matter, NYC. Recent public works have included Photos for a Project in Progress at the Bentway in Toronto and Photos for Vacant Storefronts, for CAFKA16 in Kitchener, ON.
More at: jimmylimit.com
The city invests a considerable amount of money in public art and throughout each year contests are held that allow artists to pitch their ideas for what is referred to as “installation” art; something that is not permanent and is often work that can be interacted with.
The city announced seven installation art locations that were to be launched along with Culture Days which took place late in September.
A communications glitch got in the way of our publishing and promoting these events. The Senior Manager Strategic Communications prevented us from talking to the Manager of Cultural Services for some clarification. The answers the Senior Manager Strategic Communications gave us were not clear and we didn’t have the time to do the back and forth that was required to get clear answers.
Cobalt Connects, the Hamilton based organization that manages the selection of artist’s process made what appears now available and we share it with you.
With information that is clear we can now share with you what the city made possible.
These installations were available on September 27 and will be on display until October 27, 2019. There are seven Temporary Art Installations
These artists transformed spaces across Burlington with temporary public art installations. By placing art in unexpected spaces such as parks and community centres, the Public Art Lab brings contemporary art to new audiences. All installations are free of charge! The Public Art Lab is produced by the City of Burlington’s public art program.
The art is pretty well distributed throughout the city – except for Aldershot – they got stiffed.
The city invests a considerable amount of money in public art and throughout each year contests are held that allow artists to pitch their ideas for what is referred to as “installation” art; something that is not permanent and is often work that can be interacted with.
The city announced seven installation art locations that were to be launched along with Culture Days which took place late in September.
A communications glitch got in the way of our publishing and promoting these events. The Senior Manager Strategic Communications prevented us from talking to the Manager of Cultural Services for some clarification.
The answers the Senior Manager Strategic Communications gave us were not clear and we didn’t have the time to do the back and forth that was required to get clear answers.
Cobalt Connects, the Hamilton based organization that manages the selection of artist’s process, made what appears now available and we share it with you.
With information that is clear we can now share with you what the city made possible.
These installations were available on September 27 and will be on display until October 27, 2019. There are seven Temporary Art Installations.
These artists transformed spaces across Burlington with temporary public art installations. By placing art in unexpected spaces such as parks and community centres, the Public Art Lab brings contemporary art to new audiences. All installations are free of charge! The Public Art Lab is produced by the City of Burlington’s public art program.
The art is pretty well distributed throughout the city – except for Aldershot – they got stiffed.
Troy Lovegates, Hide and Seek at Spencer Smith Park has a communication challenge of its own.
We were Ok up to this point. Where is the stamp we are supposed to put into the map we picked up at the Gazebo. Confusion reigned – it was good idea though.
It is a Wood Sculptures, Scavenger Hunt Map
Hide and Seek is a series of folk art wood sculptures that have been hidden throughout Spencer Smith Park.
So far – so good.
Park visitors are invited to participate in a “scavenger hunt” to find the sculptures and collect a stamp at each location.
Who hands out the stamp ? Are they just sitting there for the taking? What happens when it is raining?
Visitors can pick up a map with clues from the birdhouse box located beside the gazebo and start their adventure.
The first people to turn in their completed map to the Burlington Visitor Centre (414 Locust Street, 9:00 am 0 4:00 pm) will receive a special prize!
Is this the first person every day?
Sounds like a great idea – but the instructions aren’t clear enough. If this part of this art event worked for you – do let us know. We might be the ones that are a little thick.
Troy Lovegates is an internationally prolific street artist who begins his process by immersing himself within the project’s immediate area, breathing in its surroundings and passersby. His public art centres on the holistic importance of community, frequently featuring images of residents taken on early expeditions around a project site. Lovegates has spent many years exploring the nooks and crannies of Lake Ontario, its nearby railway corridors and green spaces.
On October 9th, the Gazette published an Opinion column by Tom Muir that was based on his attendance at a Local Planning Act Tribunal. A link to that column appears at the bottom of this article.
It was lengthy, which is typical for Muir.
LPAT hearings are not bed time reading.
The readership response to the article was surprisingly strong.
On Saturday, the 12th of October the Gazette received the following from Kwab Ako-Adjei, Senior Manager of Government Relations and Strategic Communications.
“I wanted to take the opportunity to provide a clarification to a recent article, https://bit.ly/2q5unMg.
“The article includes a lengthy opinion in which the writer states that City staff had no responses or barely participated in the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal (LPAT) hearing for the proposed development on 92 Plains Road. However, neither the article itself or the opinion make clear that the hearing before the LPAT was a settlement hearing in which the City and the appellant were in agreement on the proposed development and the associated amendments to the City’s planning documents.
“In a settlement hearing, evidence must be provided to the Tribunal to support the settlement. This evidence typically is in the form of the expert opinion of a land use planner from one of the settling parties, as it was in this hearing. The other settling parties, such as the City in this case, do not call further duplicative evidence to support the settlement. It is in hearings where parties such as the City and a developer are not in agreement on the development proposal where the parties call their own witnesses to provide expert opinion, and cross examine opposing witnesses.
“It would be misleading to suggest that because the City did not have its planner provide an expert opinion that she did not act appropriately or that she did not represent the interest of Council’s decision to support the proposed settlement. Rather, the City’s legal counsel made submissions on the appropriateness of the settlement, including in the context of the in-force Official Plan. The LPAT hearing officer will consider the expert evidence provided, along with the submissions of the appellant, the City and the two participants to the hearing, and make a decision in the matter.
“The Notice of Settlement Hearing was also posted on our website, https://www.burlington.ca/en/services-for-you/92-Plains-Road-East.asp so residents could be aware of the hearing.”
We take the view that Opinion pieces are something you candisagree with but that the facts the writer puts forward are not debatable.
We sent the comment from the city to Muir and asked for a response from him. Muir said:
“I don’t know what to say as this just confirms what I said – the City staff Planner said nothing and the Legal staff said not much more and as I stated, which this writer appears to agree with.
“They did and did not do everything I said, and they have what I think are disclosure and professional duties as members of professional associations, that they didn’t act on.
“And the writer missed the part (section 3) of the story that indicated it was a settlement hearing as a part of it.
“The message initially went to MMW and TC and they knew it was a settlement hearing, and item 3 in the piece is as follows –
3. This indicates that the City agreement with the proposed settlement included agreement that the adopted but not legal OP was on the Table and they agreed to let the applicant Planner use it right from the start – they had the evidence from the applicant lawyer and they had to have agreed to it in order to say they had a settlement. The applicant Planner used an anonymous authority to say that someone at City told him this was the City directions anyways so he used it.
Tom Muir
“The City staff said nothing about the misinformation and the frank falsification of parts of the applicant Planners testimony under oath. I raised these points under oath and they know the facts but said nothing, so going along with it.
“And is it professionally appropriate to remain silent about my point 12, (and 10) as follows;
12. In EO 86 the Planner rewrites the statement of the in force OP so as to remove the second of the “shall” policies wording and change it to “is intended to” with respect to maintaining the residential appearance and character of the property.
“This is a frank and deliberate lie to falsify the policy statement wording. City staff said nothing.
“In my view, this blows up the Planners credibility and trust. I would also cite my point 10 above.
“Does this mean that “expert witnesses” can say anything they want? And the City staff bears no responsibility for untruths that they are frank and legal partners to? The writer says the City agrees and does not bring duplicative evidence to support the settlement. Therefore, they agree with it all.
“The City Planner is not an expert witness as the writer implies and this is my experience that I can document but is beyond this space.
“After the Hearing, I wrote her asking for information on my points 10 and 11 and I’m still waiting for a response. There are other requests from me that have also remained un-responded to.
“I stand by what I wrote, and caution the writer that I have a great deal more that I can say on this.
“This story was a short form briefing for the recipients.”
Muir was not told who sent the concern about the Opinion piece he wrote nor was he contacted by anyone from city hall about his opinion. He has said he is still waiting for responses from the Planning department.
We asked a number of other people we respect for their take on note from Kwab Ako-Adjei.
“Something doesn’t make sense here” was one response. “If the City wants to correct something that they feel needs correcting why didn’t they simply ask you for Tom ‘s contact information.”
The writer who insisted that their name not be used added: “Whatever your decide I would suggest you keep at arms length. Don’t put your name to anything in print. City’s Opinion Piece not The Gazettes or Pepper Parr’s opinion piece- with “none of your salt or pepper.”
“I still wonder what is motivating this? Why the need for this public exoneration? Who are they chastising The Gazette or Tom Muir?
Things to keep in mind as you think about where you want your ballot to go on Monday.
Worth noting is that the number of people who voted in the advance polls increased by 25% over the last election. Some clearly wanted to register their vote.
Will the numbers for 2019 exceed the vote count in 2015?
The issues are pretty clear.
Prime Minister Trudeau debating Leader of the Opposition Andrew Scheer – it got nasty at times.
What I find myself thinking about is the debate behaviour and the spending promises.
These are all educated people who can read without moving their lips. Their parents surely taught them some manners.
The public wants to hear what they say; we want to hear sound, solid, supportable, cogent arguments. We didn’t get much of that.
Could the moderators not have threatened to cut off the microphones of those who talked over another speaker? There were a few occasions when one of the female moderators clamped down on a speaker. It needed to happen more often.
Yves-François Blanchet leader of the BLOC debates Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democrats.
The people who moderate have a responsibility to first set out the rules, warn what will happen when a rule is broken and then enforce the rules.
Can you imagine the behaviour change if a moderator turned off the microphone of a speaker who kept butting in on another speaker’s time?
Green Party leader Elizabeth May goes after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during an English language debate.
The public deserves better, the process deserves better. Demand better.
Now – the spending. These people are asking to be THE leader of the country while they throw your money around like confetti at a wedding and give the public quickie accountings as to just how they are going to pay for those promises.
This is irresponsibility at a dangerous social level. The politicians give us what they think we want to hear – we applaud them, elect them and then complain bitterly when they fail to deliver on those ‘promises’.
There are lessons here for both the elected and the electorate.
The Gazette has been interviewing candidates for the upcoming federal election in order to provide a perspective on where they stand on issues of interest to Burlington. We may not get to them all but we will try. But there is one candidate who has not yet responded to our request for an interview.
Jane Michaels is the Conservative Party of Canada candidate for Burlington. And with the Liberals and Conservatives running neck-in-neck according to the national polls, who she is, where she comes from and where she stands should be highly relevant to the voters. That is particularly important given that her Liberal opponent is generally regarded as doing a fine job representing constituents.
What to say about Jane Michaels, the Conservative Party candidate whose name will be on the ballet you are handed next Monday?
Jane Elizabeth Michaels chose not to take part in the BurlingtonGreen all candidates debate; she chose not to participate in the videos that were done about each candidate, she chose not to take part in the session at Nelson High School where all the candidates met with the students.
The Gazette has received scores of scraps of information; most of it gossip in nature. We did receive a note from an individual who cannot be identified who said: “I have some very grave concerns about the potential of Jane Michael becoming a member of Canadian Parliament.
“I think there is some information that the Burlington voters have the right to know, but have concerns about what my legal obligation and potential repercussions are pertaining to in-camera meetings of the school board.”
The Gazette is not alone in being shutout by this candidate. Michaels also chose not to take part in the BurlingtonGreen all candidates debate. She chose not to participate in the ECoB video interviews. She chose not to take part in the candidates session at Nelson High School.
We have been advised that Ms Michael’s has been canvassing door to door and that she has opened an office on Brant Street.
One would expect that a candidate for office would relish the opportunity to meet the press and tell her story, to let the the voters know why they should support her. But Ms. Michaels seems to believe she can win by hiding in her office.
Perhaps she is concerned that someone will ask her about her experience and her political record. As as school board trustee she had been sanctioned by the Halton Catholic Board. According to the former leader of the PC party she falsified her nomination application when she ran for the Tory provincial nomination, neglecting to note that she had declared bankruptcy, not once but several times.
We are advised that Ms. Michaels attended the Burlington Chamber of Commerce Q&A session. Were it not for that event we’d have to find ourselves calling Jane Michaels the stealth candidate.
Isn’t it time to come out and meet the public Jane?
Burlington’s residents live in one of three federal ridings. Burlington, where Karina Gould is running for re-election, Milton where Lisa Raitt is running for re-election and Oakville North Burlington where Pam Damoff is running for re-election.
Three women represent the residents in Ottawa; Jane McKenna represents the city at Queen’s Park and Marianne Meed Ward is Mayor of the city.
Gould is the Minister of Democratic Institutions, Lisa Raitt is the Deputy leader of the opposition and Pam Damoff is the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health.
Women have clearly taken the reins at the political level.
The Gazette will use its limited resources to do in depth interviews with as many candidates as possible. We expect that the followers of those we are not able to do one-on-one interviews with will see this as unfair. Life is unfair.
I met with Karina Gould and was joined by our political columnist Ray Rivers.
Mike Wallace, the former MP for Burlington congratulating Karina Gould on her taking the seat.
Her win in the 2015 election was a surprise to many, especially Mike Wallace could not believe he was beaten by a woman who had not lived as long as he had been in office.
Karina Gould, a life long resident of Burlington, a graduate of M M Robinson high school and McGill University has had her eye on public office even as a teenager.
Winning wasn’t a surprise to her. While Burlington is defined as a conservative city politically, Gould found that she got a different view at the door steps where she was seen as young, personable, and likeable. People took to her and began to trust her and soon found that she delivered.
Federal funding helped the Legion upgrade their kitchen – Gould there getting all the details.
She has a reputation for reaching out to groups of people who may not have much in the way of profile; the interest she shows is genuine.
Does she walk on water? No but people in Ottawa soon realized that Karina Gould was there to make a difference – in Caucus she asked questions and began the process of making connections and creating the network that every politician needs if they are to grow in the profession and if they are going to make changes.
Gould was made the Parliamentary assistant to the Minister of International Development and traveled the world where he core belief in the rights of women were shaken. The opportunities for woman in Canada and the lack of real opportunities in most of the third world countries stiffened the resolve Gould brings to just about everything she does.
Her appointment as the Minister of Democratic Institutions was a surprise to many; the way she handled the job from day one was also a surprise.
Changing the way politicians are elected in Canada has been a challenge – but Justin Trudeau made it a signature issue and Gould was put into a job that had not been done all that well by her predecessor.
Gould’s first news scrum outside the doors to the House of Commons – she performed well.
During the first week on that job as the Minister of Democratic Institutions she had to stand before a lectern outside the doors of the Commons and tell the country that the government was not going to be able to deliver on the promise.
This isn’t the place to delve into just where the failure was (we cover that in a future piece) what was clear was the Gould had been thrown under the bus by the Prime Minister – and when the bus passed by Gould was able to stand up and get on with what was left of the job.
That was an impressive political feat – her ability to handle difficult situations was recognized.
Assuming Gould is returned to office and the Liberals form a government look for her to be in a bigger portfolio.
Federal funding made the transformation of the Brant museum possible.
We asked Gould what she had done for Burlington. She was able to trot out all the relevant numbers: the big junk of change for the transformation of the Joseph Brant Museum. Improvements in the gas tax money that comes to the city; major dollars for infrastructure improvements which worked its way into improving creeks from the ravaging dame that was done during the 2014 flood.
Those are all big ticket items and they are part of the job – cutting a ribbon and handing out cheques. Where one gets a look at the real Karina Gould is when you see her at community events mixing and mingling with people – never taking herself too seriously.
Gould has brought tens of millions of dollars to Burlington – the couple of thousand she made sure got to the Burlington One event is the one of which she is most proud.
A small amount given to the Burlington One event that brought together people from diverse cultural and religious communities. The Burlington One event came about just after the murder of a number of Muslim citizens at a mosque in Quebec city. It is events like this that make a community, indeed a country and a world work.
Gould will tell you about the funds that went to St. Luke’s Anglican church to upgrade the kitchen which they now rent out to other groups. The Legion got funds for their kitchen as well.
East Plains Road United Church got $40 million to put in an elevator that basically keep that church alive and bale to accommodate better child care operations.
A moment Gould will never forget – when US President Barack Obama spoke to the House of Commons.
Handing out cheques and cutting ribbons is part of the job – you do them. There are though those occasions when the event is almost bigger than life. when President Barack Obama spoke to the House of Commons Gould asked a colleague to take her picture and to be sure that the President was evident in the background. That was a big day for her.
Gould points to the power she has as a Minister to “convene” groups of people to talk about common issues. She listens, carefully and admits that on more than one occasion she has changed her mind on an issue after hearing from the people in the community
Every politician has a pet project – for Gould it is the Cootes Escarpment that is already xxx a xxx. The government gave the Royal Botanical Gardens $6 million to do corrective work on the wet lands.
She knows she wants to do something to even further protect what she calls “one of the most valuable environmental resources we have.” Look for something to come out of her office at some point – this is an issue for her.
Gould can talk about climate change as well as any politician but she will tell you that at the door it is not the #1 issue – health and provincial government cuts take the two top spots – followed by climate change.
Gould realizes the federal government has a lot of work to do in bringing the public around and getting them to buy into the need to make changes now if this planet is to be saved.
As we worked our way through the interview we found that it wasn’t possible to get Gould to comment on the other candidates. “I’d rather you talked to them” she said.
Cabinet solidarity is sacrosanct for Gould. Not even a hint of a negative word.
Gould is a party politician – she believes what the Liberal Party is doing and is proud to be a part of it. While she doesn’t talk about it – she has differences with government policy and they are voiced in caucus where, if you know the woman, she is listened to – closely. But when a Cabinet decision is made – she stands behind it.
Many, particularly women, felt that she should have been more closely aligned with the female Cabinet Ministers Jody Wilson Raybould and Jane Philpott. Gould will tell you that caucus stood behind the Prime Minister even though there are many who raise an eyebrow over the SNC Lavalin matter – Gould stood behind the party line – “it was important to save those 9,000 job and not make ordinary people suffer due to the crimes of senior management, who she pointed out are either on trial or in jail.” Well some of them are on trial and some did get sent to jail. The issue for many Canadians is the core culture of the company is much the same.
Will there ever be an issue where Gould will take a principled position and leave Cabinet. Yes, this is still a principled woman and she has voted against a government motion. Power does have the capacity to corrupt – Gould points out that being in Cabinet is pressure – “We are there to deal with that pressure and do the best we can for as many people as we can.”
Gould has difficulty with decisions that are based on “ideology” and not evidence based and has trouble to this day with many of the decisions that were made by the Harper governments.
Gould describes herself as a “go getter”, the kind of woman who “speaks up” and when faced with an open door she will “naturally walk through it”
She relies on those she has known for a long time, including high school and university teachers for comment; she sees herself as humble.
Her win in 2014 was a surprise – but not to her. The 2019 results are not the kind of thing anyone can call. While Gould will not comment on the people running against her – the field is not exactly filled with evident leaders.
The challenge for Gould, and it is one she can’t do much about, is the way the country decides whether or not the Prime Minister should be re-elected. If the country decides that mistakes were made but lessons have been learned and he should be returned Karina Gould is one of the people who will get him back into the Prime Minister’s office.
The city invests a considerable amount of money in public art and throughout each year contests are held that allow artists to pitch their ideas for what is referred to as “installation” art; something that is not permanent and is often work that can be interacted with.
The city announced seven installation art locations that were to be launched along with Culture Days which took place late in September.
A communications glitch got in the way of our publishing and promoting these events. The Senior Manager Strategic Communications prevented us from talking to the Manager of Cultural Services for some clarification.
The answers the Senior Manager Strategic Communications gave us were not clear and we didn’t have the time to do the back and forth that was required to get clear answers.
Cobalt Connects, the Hamilton based organization that manages the selection of artist’s process made what appears now available and we share it with you.
With information that is clear we can now share with you what the city made possible.
These installations were available on September 27 and will be on display until October 27, 2019. There are seven Temporary Art Installations. These artists transformed spaces across Burlington with temporary public art installations. By placing art in unexpected spaces such as parks and community centres, the Public Art Lab brings contemporary art to new audiences. All installations are free of charge! The Public Art Lab is produced by the City of Burlington’s public art program.
The art is pretty well distributed throughout the city – except for Aldershot – they got stiffed.
The wish might get you thinking – which is the point of it all.
The installation at the Norton Community Park is called Typographic Fencing; something that defines space and prompts conversation by creating large-scale text in areas where it is not expected— around the edges of parking lots, near ravines, off divided highways, around a fenced-in playground.
These temporary installations are woven out of flagging-tape, a simple, inexpensive material used to mark boundaries. Squares in chain-link or vertical-bar fences become pixels on a screen or canvas, the medium for messages. The messages are installed anonymously and removed without ceremony. By transforming large-text into large questions, aim to spark a dialogue.
Lambchop is a street artist and designer based in the American South, specializing in permanent and ephemeral public installations investigating the relationship between place, typography, and interaction. Lambchop’s work has been exhibited internationally and recognized with a Communication Arts Award, a Society of Typographic Arts “STA 100” Award, has been featured through DesignMilk, NotCot and SHFT.
More on this artist at: cargocollective.com/lambchop
Canada is one of the world’s leading contributors to climate change. Here are some facts:
Canada’s climate is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world.
1. Canada is the 38th most populated nation on earth and we have the 11th largest economy;
2. But we are also the seventh (7th) biggest global emitter of climate changing greenhouse gases (GHG);
3. Each Canadian produces 22 tonnes of GHG per year, the highest among all G20 members and nearly three times the G20 average of eight tonnes per person;
4. Canada’s climate is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world; and
5. The UN says we have twelve years – three election terms – to make major reductions before we reach a point of no return for our climate.
As Canadians go the polls all of the political parties but two are committed to significant GHG emissions reductions. Only the Conservatives and the Peoples Party have platforms which will allow emissions to continue to increase, virtually unabated. And given that Andrew Scheer’s Conservatives are either leading or tied with both in popular support and the potential seat count, this should be a serious concern for Canadians everywhere.
Andrew Scheer and Doug Ford: Is this a scene we are likely to see repeated?
A Conservative party election would negate all of the current government’s recent initiatives on climate action, much as Ontario saw happen with the Ford government. Ford reset, lowered, provincial emissions targets after taking office, but has failed to make progress even on these. And unsurprisingly Mr. Scheer’s climate program mostly parallel’s Ford’s, including ending carbon pricing.
Elizabeth May’s Green Party has the most ambitious plan to reduce emissions, virtually doubling Canada’s committed reductions to the Paris climate plan – 60% by 2030. Unfortunately her plan is probably not realizable, at least not without a major buy-in by all Canadians. Her plans include banning the sale of gasoline powered cars by 2030. That would be fully a decade ahead of a similar law in B.C. and would necessitate the availability of over two million new electric vehicles for sale by 2031.
Sounds crazy, I know. But that is why the carbon tax makes so much sense. The tax increases annually as the availability of emission free vehicles and charging facilities become available. The existence of an ever increasing carbon price sends a powerful market signal to both buyers and vehicle manufacturers – shift to non carbon alternatives. And if you use an alternate you are rewarded by the rebates.
William Nordhaus Sterling Professor of Economics at Yale University and the world’s leading economist on climate change, has been awarded the 2018 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences for “integrating climate change into long-run macroeconomic analysis.
Short of sending people to jail, market place mechanisms are the most effective way of changing behaviour and in this case, getting people out of their gas guzzlers. But don’t take my word for it, check with just about every environmental economist out there, including the guy who won a Nobel prize recently for exactly that thesis.
What is it that so-called business friendly Tories like Ford, Kenny and Scheer don’t get?
But May also wants to shut down oil production and the TMX (Trans Mountain pipeline) expansion. She’d start her attack on the oil polluters by cutting the subsidies. But she isn’t nuts, or as extreme, as some might think. Even Mr. Harper, back in 2015, joined other G7 leaders in calling for an end to fossil fuel usage by 2100. Ms. May just wants to speed that up… a lot . And for someone who has spent her entire life working for the environment she should know what she is taking about.
After all, if we only have twelve years until the big turning point when global warming becomes irreversible and takes on a life of its own, 2100 is at least 70 years too late. Mr. Trudeau is calling for Canada to be carbon neutral by 2050. But even that is too late, given what the climate scientists are saying.
Mr. Scheer, with his support base largely in western Canada likely gets his science from the oil companies, though many of those also support carbon pricing and movement to cleaner energy production. But he still thinks he can build more pipelines and expand the oil sands. And to add insult to injury he is also planning to cancel an EV purchase incentive program.
The world as we need to at least begin to see it.
Even though Mr. Scheer has no plan to eliminate the deficit during the next government cycle, he still speaks to it as if he did. And everyone can agree that we don’t want to saddle future generations with massive financial debt. But none of that will matter once we upset the earth’s climate such that the global support systems are badly damaged and we can only bequeath a sick planet to our children and theirs.
Ray Rivers writes regularly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was once a candidate for provincial office in Burlington. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Ray has a post graduate degree in economics that he earned at the University of Ottawa. Tweet @rayzrivers
There is a group of people who live on the eastern side of the city, south of New Street, along Lakeshore Road in the tonier part of town where there is a tendency for those flush with cash to want to build what Burlington calls “mega monster” houses. 5,000 square feet seems to be the minimum.
Located at the corner of Goodram and LAkeshore, the house is for sale and being rented out for events.
The problem for those in the Lakeshore – Goodram – Oak Cr neighbourhood is an 8,000 sq. ft. dwelling that is on the market; first offered at $4.9 million now priced at $4.3 million.
There are people who have seen an opportunity with these buildings – they buy them and rent them out for weddings and large family gatherings using the Air BnB platform.
While waiting for the property to change hands the owner (or someone representing them) is renting the space out as a banquet hall.
Renting a house for a large family gathering is one thing – no one is offended by that kind of operation. Where things have gotten out of hand are with those who rent the space – at a fee of $1,250 per night – for graduation parties, wedding parties, family reunions or events when there is excessive drinking and all kinds of noise – at three and four in the morning.
People throw up on the lawn – and on the lawn next door as well. You can only image the behavior.
The area residents have organized as a Committee – ACT – Active Community Team, and have done everything they can think of – they have found the by-law enforcement to be of little use.
They appeared before city council earlier this week asking for an immediate Interim By-law that can be enforced by the city. The Staff report prepared for the meeting didn’t offer much in the way of relief.
Here are the relevant parts of that report:
The City of Burlington’s Zoning By-law 2020 does not specifically address short-term accommodations. The Zoning By-law identifies zones and provides regulations for areas that permit residential uses, but it does not regulate ownership or rental duration of residential dwellings. Dwelling units have historically been rented via monthly or annual leases and there are no current regulations that prohibit the rental of dwelling units for shorter periods of time.
The Zoning By-law also defines Bed and Breakfast Homes as:
An owner-occupied detached dwelling offering short-term lodging for compensation to the travelling and vacationing public. Guest rooms or suites may include a private bath but shall not include cooking facilities. Breakfast and other meals, services, facilities, or amenities may be offered exclusively to guests.”
Regulations under Part 1, Section 2.21 of the By-law, indicate Bed and Breakfast Homes are a use permitted in all zones, in detached dwellings only, on lots greater than 18 m in width, are limited to 3 guest rooms, and require an additional parking space for each guest room in addition to the parking requirements for the dwelling. A short-term accommodation is not currently regulated in such a fashion as it is not currently defined.
In recent years many municipalities have initiated studies to assess the impacts and develop regulations for short-term accommodations in response to issues arising in their respective communities. This includes larger municipalities such as Toronto, Mississauga, Ottawa and Oakville, and smaller jurisdictions like Niagara on the Lake, Prince Edward County and Kawartha Lakes. The studies identified positive impacts such as financial benefits to homeowners struggling with housing affordability and increases in tourism; as well as nuisance issues related to traffic, noise and property maintenance in residential neighbourhoods, and potential negative impacts on the long- term rental market if it is more profitable to rent for short terms. Concerns have also been raised by hotels, motels and businesses traditionally involved in tourist accommodations that different rules and taxation apply to short term accommodations.
The studies also identified the range of stakeholders to be consulted in assessing benefits and impacts, and a variety of tools that could be implemented to regulate short- term accommodations. These include updates to policy documents and enactment of zoning by-laws, and licensing and registration tools. For example, some municipalities have restricted rentals to specific types of units; or only to units where the host is the principal resident; or specific zones or geographic areas. Licensing can be required only for the host or may also be required for the company providing the booking platform.
In Burlington, staff respond to many public inquiries seeking information on requirements to permit short-term accommodations within an existing dwelling unit, as well as questions from neighbours concerned about the potential for short-term accommodation uses when an accessory dwelling unit is approved. Additionally, complaints are received about noise, parking, traffic management, safety and garbage that residents attribute to short-term accommodations; as well as complaints about dwellings that frequently host events such as large parties and weddings.
By law enforcement officer
Burlington needs to develop an approach to short-term accommodations that responds to the issues and concerns raised above, provides the appropriate policy and regulatory framework to accommodate this emerging land-use and minimizes neighbourhood impacts. A study to assess impacts of the sharing economy was initiated by planning and licensing staff several years ago but was suspended to respond to other Council priorities. The specific issue of short-term accommodations was subsequently added to the Comprehensive Zoning By-law Review study that is scheduled to begin in Q3 2020 and will require a multi-year timeframe.
In response to the September 23, 2019 Council motion, options to address development of short-term regulations are presented below.
Immediate:
• Planning, Zoning and licensing staff will continue to gather research on short-term accommodation studies, policies, by-laws and regulations being prepared by other municipalities.
• Planning staff will monitor the outcome of LPAT hearings related to short-term accommodation by-laws enacted by other municipalities.
• By-law Enforcement staff will continue to respond to and investigate complaints and fully enforce current bylaws such as noise, property standards, exterior maintenance and parking.
• By-law Enforcement staff will continue to collaborate with other enforcement agencies/stakeholders and communicate with the Integrated Municipal Enforcements Team (IMET) which consists of Halton Regional Police Services, Halton Public Health, Burlington Building & Bylaw Enforcement, Burlington Fire Services and the Alcohol Gaming Commission of Ontario.
Medium-term (2020):
• Planning staff will initiate work on a Terms of Reference for a Short-Term Accommodation study to be incorporated with the Comprehensive Zoning By-law study with assistance from Zoning, Licensing and By-law Enforcement staff.
• Licensing and By-law Enforcement staff will monitor the effectiveness of licensing and registration by-laws enacted in other municipalities.
Long-term:
• The Terms of Reference for a Short-Term Accommodation study will be presented to Council for approval and the study will be undertaken in conjunction with the Comprehensive Zoning By-law Review.
• The study process will involve stakeholder and public engagement, and address matters including impacts on the rental housing market; housing affordability and tourism; potential policy and zoning by-law amendments that consider types of units, applicable zones, geographic areas, parking impacts and specific regulations; and licensing and registration options.
Options considered
Council could direct staff to proceed immediately with a short-term accommodations study. However, there is no capacity with the current staff complement. Should Council wish to initiate a short-term accommodation study in advance of the Comprehensive Zoning By-law Review, staff would need to report back on additional resource requirements, including one-time funding sources.
Mary Alice St. James.
ACT was stunned – they expected something that would put an end to the problem; they had been living with it for more than a year.
The city has not been able to handle this kind of problem. For one – none of the bylaw enforcement officers are on duty when the behaviour takes place.
There is a lot of confusion within the municipal sector on just how to handle this kind of problem.
The Burlington approach to by law enforcement is to wait until someone complains. They then send someone out to see if they can solve the problems; if that doesn’t work they then issue letters and eventually a ticket.
With the income reaching $1250 per night a ticket would be seen as just part of the cost of doing business.
ACT wanted an Immediate Interim Bylaw
Mary Alice St. James, a retired elementary school teacher who ran against Councillor Paul Sharman who chaired the meeting at which St. James delegated.
They argued that it is Irresponsible to put public safety second when every week we hear about a new shooting, a new throwing of a chair out a building, a new prom party gone wrong, a death.
Act said it was inexplicable to see in writing that citizens should continue to do what they are doing. It is not working. “We have contended with this for over one year and we have spoken with City Staff and every Bylaw service imaginable” said Mary Alice St. James, founder of the community organization.
Inexcusable and Intolerable that nothing would be done immediately. She added.
The Mega Mansion is in ward 4, where Councillor Shawna Stolte has been working with staff to find a way to solve this problem.
“We have approx. 150 known Short Term Accommodation (STA) arrangements in Burlington. Of these, the Lakeshore property is the most challenging to the surrounding community, but there are 2-3 others that are occasionally causing issues.
“I have been aware of the Lakeshore AirBnB and the neighbours concerns for the past 6 months. The property is not only being advertised as an event venue but has also been rented out almost exclusively for weddings, bachelor parties and other events.
“I have been researching the issue, meeting with residents and advocating on behalf of the neighbourhood since June of this year.
“The police are responding to the best of their ability, but have made it clear that they consider noise and nuisance complaints lower on their “response priority”. Clearly they need to respond to citizen safety and crime related calls first.
“Burlington Bylaw officers have responded repeatedly to this property when neighbours call but they do not have the same mandate or training to engage in difficult or conflictual situations. Their job is not to intervene in a situation, but to educate, advise and enforce bylaw infractions.
“The biggest challenge is that the City of Burlington does not have a Short Term Accommodation Bylaw for our Bylaw officers to actively enforce.
“I have been researching the issue, meeting with residents and advocating on behalf of the neighbourhood since June of this year. I began meeting and corresponding with our Bylaw Dept in June and it quickly became clear that their ability to deal with this particular situation would be limited due to a lack of policy (bylaw) to enforce.
“At that point I engaged our Planning and Legal Departments in an effort to explore what policy amendments we could create to deal with this, and other Short Term Accommodation issues.
“This process was complex and my ability to get all departments on board to collaborate was challenging so at Council in September I brought forth a Staff Direction that read as follows:
Direct the Director of City Building to report back to the Planning and Development Committee meeting of October 8, 2019 with options to regulate operations related to Short-Term Accommodation rentals, including immediate, medium term and long-term options.”
“The report that we received this week somewhat addressed the medium and long term goals but by no means addressed the direction to provide immediate options to address this issue.
“The Committee meeting ended with this agenda item being “referred” to Council with the expectation of staff to report back to Council on October 28 with concrete, actionable, immediate options to deal with this issue.
“I’m trying to not take over Staff’s role but I do look forward to hearing about Temporary Bylaw or Licensing options when staff report back on October 28.
“The suggestion of a Citizen Working Group was an attempt to engage those citizens most impacted by the situation, in an advisory capacity and give them the opportunity to contribute ideas and suggestions as the City moves forward to create a Short Term Accommodation Bylaw.”
There is a similar Airbnb Mega Mansion in Aldershot. It is currently advertised as the Bong Mansion.
Short-term accommodations are a new type of land use that can provide positive impacts to the community. A comprehensive assessment of issues related to short- term accommodations is required to develop the policy and regulatory tools that will best serve the Burlington community. This study is proposed to be undertaken as part of the Comprehensive Zoning By-law review study to be initiated in Q3 2020.
Council wasn’t prepared to sit on this for a year. There will be something that will be immediate at the council meeting on the 28th.
Let’s see just how this council responds to a disgusting problem in a part of the city that is used to getting what it wants.
By Pepper Parr
a strong supporter of PLAY, Right to Play’s new initiative to help Aboriginal youth in Canada, a program he’s passionate about. He donated $5,000 to kick-start a campaign.
