Despite being in considerable physical pain - ward 4 candidate hangs in while the ward 4 incumbent arrives half an hour late.

council 100x100By Pepper Parr

September 26th, 2018

BURLINGTON ON

 

It wasn’t as pleasant a debate as you might have thought.

Shawna 1

Shawna Stolte answering questions during the ward 4 “debate”.

Shawna Stolte was in considerable physical pain during the more than an hour and a half debate.
She had been hospitalized earlier in the month with a kidney stone problem. She thought it was completely passed. It wasn’t.

The night of the debate she was heavily medicated and had brought a small plastic bucket she thought she might have to use if her stomach got the best of her.

Even though medicated, the ward 4 candidate hung in and went through the event.

The evening for Stolte started with her not know if she was going to debate the incumbent or just have a conversation with moderator Mark Carr.

Jack Dennison showed up at the 30 minute point and the conversation turned into questions being asked and answers given.

Mark Carr as moderator 3

Mark Carr moderating.]

Carr did make one difference with this debate. He allowed a candidate to question a candidate if they had been mentioned in a response.
Prior to this decision there was no room for direct debate between the two candidates. There was no opportunity for one candidate to put a question directly to the other candidate.

Dennison didn’t say he was going to take part in the debate – he said he might. The organizers were never able to say for certain that Dennison was going to take part.

There were something in the order of 125 people in the Nelson high school auditorium. Some observers felt the turn out was as low as it was because they assumed Dennison wasn’t going to show up.

His difficulty in getting to the debate was due to a Council meeting taking place the same evening.

Jack D 1

Councillor Jack Dennison – late for the start of the debate – and without an apology to his opponent.

Dennison had been given the option of having the debate take place on a different date. He had six days to inform the organizers. When the noon deadline came and went without a response the organizers stayed with the date on which the Council meeting was taking place.

Dennison said he “might” be able to make it.

The result was to leave the only other candidate running against Dennison in some doubt as to whether or not she was actually going to see the incumbent on the stage.

Given all this Shawna Stolte acquitted herself very well.

Few people know that when she decided to run for the ward 4 seat Stolte made an appointment to meet with Dennison in his city hall office.  He may have thought she was there to measure the place for new drapes.  She was there to introduce herself; that level of decency has been part of Stolte’s approach throughout this election.

The full debate is available as a video HERE

Return to the Front page

50% of car seats inspections - fail.

News 100 redBy Staff

September 26th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Members of the Halton Partners for Car Seat Safety recently conducted a Car Seat Inspection Clinic at the Wellspring Church on New Street in Burlington. This group is a collaboration of the Halton Regional Police Service, the Halton Region Health Department, the OPP, the four municipal Fire Services and a number of community volunteers.

In the course of the clinic, police officers interacted with all drivers performing cursory checks of car seats and identifying those requiring further inspection.

carseat inspection

Learning how to set up the car seat correctly.

Officers conduct these inspections under the authority of the Highway Traffic. Occupied car seats form part of a vehicle’s equipment.

Police conducted 90 inspections (the 5-point ‘quick’ inspection).

Results:

car seat test results

 

 

 

Link to Ministry of Transportation web site – detailed instructions.

Some noteworthy observations:
• Children showing up in a booster when they should still be in a 5-point harness
• Many untethered or loosely tethered forward-facing car seats were identified.
• A number of boosters were inspected where it was determined that parents had not installed supplied screws in the armrests.

The Halton Partners for Car Seat Safety recommend parents and guardians to read and follow all manufacturers’ instructions when installing a car seat. For car seat resources in your area, dial 311 for information.

Return to the Front page

Wow! Resplendent! Vigorous! Glorious!

News 100 yellowBy Staff

September 26th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

While summer has slipped away on us – and we are into fall and pumpkins and leaves that will be changing their colour and falling to the ground – we might want to take a look at the plants in a tiny garden on Elgin  Street.

Appeldoor park resplendentIt is referred to as the Apeldoorn Garden – put in place to recognize and remember our sister city in Holland.

Wow! Resplendent! Vigorous! Glorious!

Nature at its finest.

Kudo’s to the gardeners who put those plants in place.

Imagine what it must be like for those people fortunate enough to walk past these plants on their way to work or downtown to meet friends.

Appeldoorn park

Return to the Front page

Councillor Jack Dennison in yet another performance before his constituents - they keep returning him to office.

council 100x100By Staff

September 26th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

For those who want to see the ECoB debate that Councillor Dennison showed up for part way through – the link is here.

Ward 4 residents have returned the man year after year. Should we thank them for that?

Dennison arrives for the debate at the 30.0 point.

Jack D 1

Councillor Jack Dennison at the ward 4 debate

Shawna 1

Candidate Shawna Stolte at the ward 4 debate

Return to the Front page

Third party advertiser believed to be linked to Bateman parents and ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman has registered with the city. Where is the money coming from?

council 100x100By Pepper Parr

September 26th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Election Returning officer ensures tat the rules to be followed during an election are clear.

A third party advertisement is an advertisement in any broadcast, print, electronic or other medium that has the purpose of promoting, supporting or opposing a candidate in the election, or a “yes” or “no” answer to a question on the ballot.

A third party advertiser is any individual, corporation or trade union that causes an election campaign advertisement to appear.

The city recently released the name of a third party advertiser: Jennifer Beleck.

The Gazette reached out to Ms Beleck – there has been no response to date.

We made inquiries – Ms Beleck is believed to be associated with the parents at Bateman high school who oppose the closing of the school in 2020.

Ward 5 Councillor Sharman works closely with the Bateman parents.

The question posed by the people the Gazette talked to is – who is Beleck representing and what kind of election advertising are we likely to see?

And where will the money for the advertising come from?

Who has the most to lose if any of the incumbents are not reelected?

All questions to ask when you see advertising in local media.

Be vigilant. Follow the dots and follow the money.

Return to the Front page

Brant Museum transformation on time - official opening summer of 2019.

News 100 blueBy Staff

September 25th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The transformation of the Joseph Brant museum is coming along just fine. The construction work is on time and the target of an opening in 2019 should be met.

Site Sept 24-18

Construction of the transformed Brant Museum well underway.

The replica of the original house has been shifted around the site several times.  It is now where it will eventually rest – just a little positioning to get the front of the house facing in the direction that has it overlooking the lake.

Site house Sept 24-18

The house will sit on top of the new museum that is being built underground.

brant-museum-rendering

Architectural rendering of what the completed transformation of the Brant museum is expected to look like.

The house will not be a part of the museum the public will be able to visit.  It will be used for museum staff and administrative purposes.

Few people know that the building of a replica of the original house that was destroyed by fire was slipped into a fund that was in place for the construction of the original Queen Elizabeth Way. T.B. McQueston was a Liberal Minister at the time who believed that gardens and good art should be a part of every public work.

The Museum will have a permanent exhibit of Joseph Brant lightnings and artifacts.

Return to the Front page

Polite, close to timid debate between Councillor Dennison and challenger Shawna Stolte for the ward 4 council seat.

council 100x100By Pepper Parr

September 25th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

He did show up.

Jack Dennison left the city Council meeting that was taking place Monday evening and drove to Nelson  high school to be a late in arriving candidate to take part in a debate with ward 4 candidate for the council seat Dennison holds.

Shawna with Jack at debate

Councillor Jack Dennison ‘debating” ward 4 candidate Shawna Stolte.

Prior to Dennison’s arrival Shawna Stolte sat in a chair and had a conversation with moderator Mark Carr.

It was a very typical polite Burlington conversation. There were no points scored by either candidate. There was actually more agreement between the two than differences with “ditto” being the response more than once.

The two candidates reached over and shook hands several times during the ‘debate’.

You don’t remove a 20 year plus incumbent with that kind of a performance.

There was a respectful audience but the high school auditorium was certainly not full.

The Gazette will comment at length on the “debate’ when the video of the event is available.

Return to the Front page

17 year old boy and 15 year old girl arrested in a stolen SUV in Headon Forest.

Crime 100By Staff

September 25th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

We expect a 15 year old girl and a 17 year old boy to be in school completing an education.

HRPS crestTwo young people who cannot be identified because of their age were arrested yesterday when police apprehended them driving an SUV that had been stolen in Guelph earlier and was noticed by Headon Forest residents who noticed it driving erratically with a flat tire.

Just before 9:00 am yesterday Halton police arrest two youths in the stolen vehicle.

Citizen observed several youths driving this vehicle with one flat tire.

Police quickly located the Nissan SUV in the area. As police investigated the stopped vehicle, the male driver accelerated away as an officer approached the vehicle causing the officer to jump to the side. The officer did not suffer any injuries. Police attempted to pull over the Nissan SUV which led police on a low speed pursuit over a very short distance while driving on flat tire. Police quickly arrested two youths after the Nissan SUV stopped after hitting a curb.

A 17-year-old male young person from the City of Hamilton who cannot be identified due to his age was held for a bail hearing and will appear next in Milton Youth Court on September 25th 2018, and will be charged with the following:

• Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000
• Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
• Flight while pursued by peace officer
• Failure to comply with probation order (four counts).

A 15-year-old female young person from the City of Hamilton who cannot be identified due to her age was held for a bail hearing and will appear next in Milton Youth Court on September 25th 2018, and will be charged with the following:

• Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000
• Failure to comply with recognizance (two counts).

The prognosis for these two is not very promising.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Constable Mark Urie of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2338.
ips can also be submitted 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 .

Return to the Front page

Will he or won't he? Dennison's participation in the ward 4 debate is far from certain.

council 100x100By Staff

September 24th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

"I don't want to hear anymore delegations" said Councillor Jack Dennison.

“I don’t want to hear anymore delegations” said Councillor Jack Dennison.

The question in the middle of the day is – Will Jack Dennison excuse himself from a city council meeting this evening and take part in the debate with the woman running against him for the ward 4 city council seat.

Dennison has flip flopped on participating in the debate. It was – I want to see the questions first – then he had no confidence in the people who organized the debate.

Resident at Bateman debatte

People just kept walking into the room for the ward 5 debate – three additional rows of chairs had to be set out. The ward 6 debate was just as well attended.

The more than 500 people who have attended debates for ward 5 and 6 candidates didn’t have any problems with the way the debates went.

Both are here for viewing.

Ward 5 debate

Ward 6 debate.

Stolte looking left

Shawna Stolte – ward 4 candidate for city council

Mark Carr, moderator of the debate this evening at MM Robinson high school, is going to have to get imaginative and creative to have a debate with no one else on the stage.

Shawna Stolte has been put in a very awkward situation.

It will be interesting to hear and see how she acquits herself.

Return to the Front page

Healthy kids challenge comes to an end - celebration takes place on Wednesday.

News 100 blueBy Staff

September 24th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Healthy Kids Community Challenge invites the community to help celebrate its success on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018 at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre from 6 to 8 p.m.

Beard - hoola hoope - run jump play

Parks and Recreation staff show people how to have healthy fun.

The Healthy Kids Community Challenge Burlington is hosting the family-friendly celebration to thank everyone for helping make Burlington a healthier community. The event includes food, refreshments, games, activities and a reading of Water Only Please by Camilla Judge-Aviss, parent educator at Reach Out Centre for Kids (ROCK).

Goldring + Tina 4 run jump play

Mayor Goldring with the daughter of a staff member making hos own contribution to healthy kids.

Burlington was one of 45 communities across Ontario to take part in Ontario’s Healthy Kids Community Challenge. Launched in 2015, the City of Burlington worked with local organizations to create action plans promoting physical activity and healthy eating for children aged 12 and under. Funding and resources were provided by the Province of Ontario. The Healthy Kids Community Challenge closes on Sept. 30.

Community Development Halton delivered much of the program on behalf of the city.

Return to the Front page

'We hear you, and we can’t thank you enough.' Chief Stephen Tanner.

News 100 blueBy Staff

September 24th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Halton Regional Police Service has received a number of inquiries about the condition of the two officers who were involved in the early morning incident in Burlington on Saturday, September 22, 2018.

Police and SIU at crime scene

Police mobile command vehicle on site at the shootout.

One of the two injured officers has been released from hospital, and we anticipate the second officer being released from hospital in the coming days.

wef

Chief thanks community for their support.

“The outpouring of support and concern for all of the men and women who serve the community of Halton has been overwhelming. Please know that we hear you, and we can’t thank you enough,” said Chief Stephen Tanner.

Return to the Front page

Community working with the police at its very best.

Crime 100By Staff

September 23rd, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Halton Regional Police Service release reports on criminal activity on a regular basis.

In their September 23rd report on Impaired Driving Offenses Within Halton Region they focused on arrests they made based on information given to them by the public who called the police when they saw driving behaviour they thought was suspicious.

The three drivers reported here could have continued driving while under the influence and go on to do serious damage and perhaps even end the life of anyone they struck with their vehicle.

911 room

911 calls go directly to the Communications Centre where the civilian operators can be in touch instanly with police cruisers in the area the incident is reported from. If they are given license plate number of the vehicle the officer in the cruiser will know in seconds everything they need to know about the driver and what kind of action they need to take to apprehend that driver.

On September 17, 2018 just before 12:00 am, Halton Police officers responded to a citizen-initiated complaint near the intersection of Main Street South and Maple Avenue in Georgetown. As a result of an investigation, Philip CHYLINSKI (24) of Georgetown was charged with care or control over 80 mgs.

On September 20, 2018 just before 10:30 am, Halton Police officers responded to citizen-initiated complaint near the intersection of Main Street East and Court Street in Milton. As a result of an investigation, Joseph WEADGE (68) of Milton was charged with care or control over 80 mgs.

On September 20, 2018 shortly after 10:30 pm, Halton Police officers responded to a citizen-initiated complaint near the intersection of Upper Middle Road and Sutton Drive in Burlington. As a result of an investigation, Amy SMITH (36) of Burlington was charged with driving over 80 mgs.

The Halton Regional Police Service remains committed to road safety through prevention, education and enforcement initiatives.

Members of the public are reminded that driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol is a crime in progress and to call 9-1-1 immediately to report a suspected impaired driver.

The Service’s Twitter and Facebook accounts should not be used for this purpose as they are not monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

People charged with an offence are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Return to the Front page

If you want to know who is running for which public office and why - there is no reason for saying didn't have a chance to learn.

council 100x100By Staff

September 23rd, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

There will be no reason for saying you don’t understand the issues and where the various candidates stand.
There are ample opportunities to hear what the candidates have to say at both the ward level and those running for the office of Mayor.

Here are those that the Gazette is aware of:

Debates between the candidates in ward 5 and 6 have taken place.

Video of those debated can be found at:

Ward 5 debate

Ward 6 debate.

Debates for ward 4 and 3 will take place this week.

Ward 4 debate will take place at Nelson High School.

Debate for ward 3 will take place at MM Robinson high school.

Debate for ward 1 will take place on Thursday October 4th at the East Plains United Church.

Debate for ward 2 will take place on Monday October 1st at the Burlington Baptist Church on New Street.

Debate for those running for the Office of Mayor will take place on October 9th at Central high school. Deb Tymstra will moderate that debate.

The following are Mayoralty level debates:

Millenial debate

 

CoC debate

 

 

BG debate

Return to the Front page

Jim Cuddy will perform at the Performing Arts Centre.

eventsblue 100x100By Staff

September 23rd, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Performing Arts Centre launches the 2018/2019 season with The Jim Cuddy Band on Friday, October 5 at 8pm. Joining The Jim Cuddy Band are special guests Devin Cuddy and Sam Polley.

Jim_cuddy small

Jim Cuddy

For over 35 years, Jim Cuddy has written songs that have become indelible in the soundtrack of Canadian lives. With the release of his fourth solo album, Constellation, he adds ten songs to that extraordinary songbook.

As one of the founding members and creative forces behind Blue Rodeo, Cuddy has received nearly every accolade Canada can bestow upon a musician, from the Order of Canada and induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, to countless JUNO Awards and a Star on Canada’s Walk of Fame. Behind it all, is a simple devotion to his craft as a songwriter, which remains Cuddy’s tireless pursuit after more than three decades.

“I’ve always found fascination in the smallest details of human behavior,” says Cuddy of his songwriting. “It has been something that I look at and remember, whether it is the details of an exchange that I witnessed or an exchange that I have. Of course, as you get older there are bigger things that happen in your life that you realize you’ll never totally understand. There never seems to be a loss of things to write about.”

Jim Cuddy - larger

Jim Cuddy – “as you get older there are bigger things that happen in your life that you realize you’ll never totally understand.”

Cuddy’s creative drive led him, in 1998, to launch a solo career in conjunction with Blue Rodeo. With Constellation, he continues to find new ways to balance personal reflection and plainspoken storytelling, remaining both intimate and accessible.

The 2018/2019 BPAC season will also include, Capturing Pablo Escobar: An Evening with Javier Pena and Steve Murphy, Cirque Le Roux: The Elephant In The Room, John McDermott Christmas, Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company, Mike Super: Magic & Illusion, Antonio Sanchez: BiRDMAN LiVE, and Gowan.

Return to the Front page

MAGIC! will be at Performing Arts Centre October 12th.

eventsred 100x100By Staff

September 23, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

MAGIC!, will be on stage at the Performing Arts Centre Friday, October 12 at 8pm.

MAGIC! is a Toronto-bred, Los-Angeles-based quartet who scored the song of the summer, ‘Rude’ – a buoyant reggae-pop tune that held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks, charted in 41 countries, sold more than ten million singles and boasts over one billion views on VEVO.

Magic - the band

MAGIC! will be on the Performing Arts Centre stage October 12

Now, MAGIC! is back with the smash hit ‘Darts In The Dark’ from their new album, Expectations which was released September 7.

Over the past four years MAGIC! has established itself as a bonafide sensation thanks to its undeniably catchy sound, superlative song writing, and masterful musicianship. The band, which includes lead singer Nasri, guitarist Mark Pelli, drummer Alex Tanas, and bassist Ben Spivak.

Royal Wood signing CD's after the first commercial event at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre. They loved him.

Royal Wood signing CD’s after the first commercial event at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre in 2011.

The 2018/2019 BPAC season will also include: Cowboy Junkies, Dean Brody: Dirt Road Stories Acoustic Tour, Jeremy Hotz, Matin Levac: Dance Into the Light, Royal Wood with special guest Elise LeGrow, The Andy Kim Christmas, Jesse Cook, Gowan and much more!

Royal Wood was the first performer to use the stage when the Centre opened in 2011.

Return to the Front page

Two Halton police officers injured during a shootout at an Esso station at Appleby and Harvester Road.

Crime 100By Staff

September 22, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

At approximately 5:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 22, 2018, the Halton Regional Police Service responded to an incident at a gas station located at 875 Appleby Line in Burlington.

Two Halton Police officers were injured during this incident and have been transported to hospital where they are receiving treatment for non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.

There is no ongoing related risk to public safety.

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is on scene and has invoked its mandate.

Police and SIU at crime scene

Police mobile command vehicle and Special Investigations Unit vehicle at the site of a shoot out early Saturday morning.

A Burlington resident who reports frequently for the Gazette reports that after a minor accident on the QEW the driver of a vehicle  entered the Esso station at Appleby and  Harvester and locked himself in the washroom.

The Esso attendant called police. Police arrived – police noticed the damaged car. Gun fire followed the suspect was killed.

Body was removed later on.

 

 

 

Return to the Front page

Woodruff on annexing Waterdown - a joke he can use at the Mayor's expense.

opinionviolet 100x100By Greg Woodruff

September 22, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The timing of asking the Province to put Waterdown into Burlington’s territory is no good and lack of communication with Hamilton even worse. It’s lots of fun to poke fun at Rick Golding over the abysmal optics of the whole thing. And as much as I’d like to jump on the bandwagon of making jokes at Rick, unfortunately, it’s not a bad idea.

Government is nothing more than a device to avoid human conflict and make people more prosperous then we would be without. The efficiency of service delivery and decision making matters greatly. Does Waterdown make more sense in a unit with Burlington?

Hamilton boundary

Hamilton’s boundaries – from the City of Hamilton web site.

Yes, it think it might. I measure just 2 km from subdivision to subdivision in which development along Highway 5 is merging into pretty much one city. The Waterdown road expansion will remove the “rural” break from North to South. It will seem like one city.

LaSalle Park

Does the city of Hamilton own this much of what we see as Burlington?

While we are on the topic of annexation, one thing the Ontario government should definitely annex for Burlington is Lasalle Park. By a historical accident, it’s Hamilton’s on the map, though operated by Burlington for living memory. The “Hamilton put money into LaSalle Park” argument doesn’t hold water here. Negotiations between Hamilton and Burlington is nothing but old school blackmail. Pay us for the land we have had nothing to do with for decades or we sell it to developers. Taxpayers on both sides are now paying civil servants to argue about it. Certainly, Mr. Ford rapidly transferring the park to Burlington is an easy win for efficiency and sanity in government.

But I digress …

Not only will Waterdown and Burlington seem every more like one city, but it’s also going to function like one too. The commercial investment in Clapson’s Corners is nothing sort staggering where you think all those shoppers come from? We need integrated road and transportation with water down. There is no bus up there. There is no reason at all to prevent the Halton Region and Burlington City vehicles to buzz 2km farther down the road during the day. You would think things like snow removal would get objectively easier.

The city of Hamilton I suspect has quite enough work to deal with the 610,000 souls under care.

Waterdown-Library-Civic-Centre-01

The Waterdown Library – a gem.

Now comes the sticky part; the money. Hamilton probably has a point on the fact that long-term investments made were designed to be offset by future taxes. You can’t leave Hamilton holding the bag so to speak. Though I believe they have billions needed in infrastructure funding – yes billions. So the government of Hamilton is bankrupt sooner or later in any event. Even so, if the accountants can see that an investment has been made we need to pay back Hamilton. The best way to do that will be to “special levy” Waterdown the difference between the “Burlington” and the “Hamilton” tax rate until it’s paid back. I realize Waterdown would like instant tax relief, but over time is better than none at all.

dfe

The Mayor wasn’t laughing.

Not that we should do any merging without considering the people of Waterdown and the people of Burlington. Obviously, public consultation and a lot of mulling over is required. Unfortunately, it’s not the worst idea ever and I will have to find some other way to make jokes at Rick’s expense.

Greg WoodruffGreg Woodruff is a candidate for the Office of Mayor in the 2018 election.  He ran for the Office of the Regional Chair in 2014.  He has never held political office.

Related new stories.

The end of Burlington as you may know it.

Wallace and Meed Ward respond to the idea of annexing Waterdown.

 

Return to the Front page

ECoB debates are proving to be just what the public wanted.

council 100x100By Pepper Parr

September 22, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

There was some doubt in the minds of many that the ECoB initiative to hold debates in every ward of the city would actually work.

Did people care enough to attend a debate?

Could the space in which to hold the debates be found?

Could the costs be covered?

Those doubts disappeared when the public began streaming into Bateman high school on Wednesday evening; they were further dispelled when the audience at the theatre in Hayden high school was very close to full on the Thursday.

Links to the video of the two debates so far are shown below.

ECOB logoThe EcoB people thought it would be a good idea to hand out information on how to vote to the people attending the debates. They asked the city for copies of the instruction sheet they had.

Can’t do that said the City Clerk who is also thee Returning Officer for the municipal elections.

In an email exchange of views Clerk Angela Morgan said to the ECoB people:

City Clerk Angela Morgan fails to ensure media alerted to Special Council meeting. Her communications people dropped the ball as well.

City Clerk Angela Morgan fails to ensure media alerted to Special Council meeting. Her communications people dropped the ball as well.

“As the Returning Officer for the election, I fully support community organized debates however, my role is to ensure that all events association with the City of Burlington Clerks department are completely impartial.

“I have received numerous complaints and concerns from members of the public about the ECOB specifically that they are not impartial and the organization is vocally supporting specific candidates.

“Given these concerns, we cannot permit the City of Burlington logo or materials to be distributed at these events.”

That is just poppy-cock.  Someone needs to explain to the Clerk just what her job is – she is a public civil servant.

Will the City Clerk have the decency to view those debates and determine for herself if they were impartial?
Morgan got complaints – it is the right of any citizen to file a complaint (it would be nice to see the actual complaints with the names redacted – our suspicion is that there are perhaps five – maybe ten).

Resident at Bateman debatte

As more and more people arrived – additional chairs had to be set out.

For the 500 people who attended the two debates so far there is an opportunity for you to help the City Clerk understand that she needs to hear both sides.

Her email address is: Angela Morgan angela.morgan@burlington.ca

Let her know what you think.

The incumbent candidate for ward 5 sent out his limp excuse for not attending but then ensured that he had people on site handing out his literature.

The incumbent for ward six also handed out literature – she did her distribution outside the school. What she had her people hand out should get her a phone call from the with the city’s Ombudsman.

Angelo and Ken White

Angelo Bentivegna and Ken White participating in the ward 6 debate. Kinsey Schurm also participated – Incumbent Lancaster did not.

Two of the seven scheduled debates are on line. You can see and hear every blessed word that was said. You decide if the debates were impartial – and be sure to let the City Clerk know what YOU think.

Ward 5 debate on Wednesday September 19th

Ward 6 debate on Thursday September 20th

Just click on the red type that will get you to the debate – they run for close to two hours but you can skip forward and back.

Return to the Front page

There was a time back when municipal politicians were part-time civil servants, doing their political duty out of love for their community - is that day gone?

Rivers 100x100By Ray Rivers

September 22, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

I wonder if Mr. Ford has changed his view of unelected judges now that an appeal tribunal has sided with the premier and stayed the Superior Court decision against him. Ford may be unfair but apparently didn’t violate anyone’s freedom of expression in the appeal panel’s view. It will be up to a proper court of appeal to make the final decision, but what’s the point now?

Toronto’s municipal election will go ahead with 25 Councillors and that likely means there will be no need for the premier to invoke the notwithstanding clause. For every hundred thousand Toronto residents there will be a Councillor in City Hall just as there is an MP in Ottawa and an MPP at Queen’s Park. That is among the lowest level of representation in the country regardless of order of government.

Ford - dumb thoughtful

A thoughtful Premier?

But reducing the number of Councillors should also serve to strengthen the position of Toronto Council and its mayor, vis-a-vis the provincial level of government. To start with each Councillor will have been elected by the same number of residents as was the Premier. If Mr. Ford had hoped that by cutting numbers city officials would become more compliant to the whims of the province or beholden to him, he hadn’t really thought this through.

Then there is the obvious. Fewer Councillors will result in a city government less in touch with its various communities, and especially those of diverse demographics. And as for the twenty-five million dollars of savings over four years – that’ll get lost once the inevitable salary increases and extra staff are added. “Remember the Amalgamation” should be the battle cry every time somebody mentions those imaginary cost savings from reducing the number of politicians.

Fewer politicians’ means more responsibility for those remaining and that will lead to more pay, sure as night follows day. There was a time back when municipal politicians were part-time civil servants, doing their political duty more out of love for their community than for the pay or the opportunity to climb the ladder to a higher office.

Now just look at the nearly one dozen aspiring candidates running for full-time Councillor in Burlington’s Ward One. And check your Adam Smith. Simple economics tell us that when the number of wannabe public officials exceeds the number of positions like this, the price (remuneration) is already too high.

Click to view report

Few realized how big an impact this report was going to have; some want it re-written.

Growth brings prosperity we’ve been told. But urban growth, leading to high density development, is also a huge issue in Burlington’s elections this year. Which is why Burlington’s mayor trucked off to Queen’s Park to ask for relief from a decade old band aid, known as Places to Grow – intended to mask a generation of poor urban planning. Like a bandage it just covers, but doesn’t actually heal the wound.

And since he had the ear of the new government Mayor Goldring popped the notion that his city should annex Waterdown. His argument was based on the proximity of Waterdown and how its future development would have significant ramifications for Burlington. Besides Mr. Ford had just demonstrated that there is no such thing as impossible, so why not grab that little bit of tax base from Hamilton.

Goldring campaign picture

Did Mayor Goldring throw a Hail Mary pass or did he really think through what he proposed to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs.

Cynics might say that Burlington’s mayor was only trying to inject some life into an uninspiring campaign for re-election. But he certainly created an impression and precipitated a reaction from the Hamilton crowd. Some of Hamilton’s Councillors, blind-sided by this proposal suggested that Hamilton should in turn annex all of Burlington. Good for the goose….

I recall an interview prior to his election victory in 1995 where Mike Harris talked about the ideal sized community, choosing his own North Bay as an example. But his perspective changed once he got convinced by his bureaucrats that 850 municipalities were way too many communities for them to get their heads around. And getting down to some 400 would be better. Better for whom?

So forced amalgamation became a means to that end. The clarion call was that lumping communities together would somehow result in lower costs. Economies of scale would kick in and yield big savings. But that didn’t happened, and certainly not in Toronto or Hamilton. Seems the problem was what we call dis economies of scale – the new cities were too large.

In the case of Hamilton none of the constituent municipalities were looking for an amalgamated hook-up with old steel town. So it was going to have to be a shot gun marriage. And that is what they got. But before they arrived at the alter some of the local authorities got to check out their potential partners like any forward thinking couple would do.

Waterdown sign

Is it a fit? Where will the idea go?

East Flamborough and Burlington had fallen in love for each other but never quite made it to the sack to consummate their relationship, barred from the bedroom by the premier dog-in-the-manger. Even though the sparks of requited love were abounding Harris knew Hamilton needed lots of suburban tax revenue to pay for his downloading of social services.

And Hamiltonian’s already were paying the highest taxes in the province, so he couldn’t let any part of the former region elope with another well-heeled partner. McGuinty, though winning Hamilton seats as the anti-amalgamation candidate refused to unscramble the omelet called Hamilton. But who knows, perhaps Mr. Ford will.

Oh how much fun it can be for grown-up people to act like children, playing risk or one of those other political board games, and re-enacting the 19th century European wars. I wonder if Premier Ford had as much fun re-engineering and gerrymandering the wards in the City of Toronto – swatting all those lefties off the game board.

Rivers hand to faceRay 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

 

Background links:

Waterdown Annexation –   Response to Goldring –     25 Member Council

Return to the Front page

Walkers Line, between Palladium Way and No. 1 Side Road to be closed Sept. 24 to Oct. 5

News 100 redBy Staff

September 21st, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Walkers Line will be closed in both directions between Palladium Way and No 1 Side Road from Sept. 24 to Oct. 5, 2018 for an emergency road culvert replacement.

Local access will be maintained.

Detours for through traffic

Through traffic travelling north on Walkers Line will be detoured along Palladium Way to Appleby Line and then No 1 Side Rd.

Through traffic travelling south on Walkers Line will be detoured along No. 1 Side Road, to Appleby Line and then Palladium Way.

walkers line- road closure.- Sept 24- Oct5 2018jpg (002)

Return to the Front page