 By Pepper Parr
August 21, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
James Curran, candidate for the ward 6 council seat, just can’t seem to keep out of trouble.
There have been more than 25 comments on his status as a real estate appraiser – with lots of back and forth and accusation and upgraded explanations.
What should have been a perfectly clear answer to a reasonable question got twisted and turned with people saying they just didn’t believe the man. At this point I’m not sure exactly what his status is as an appraiser.
 Jim Curran complained to the city about the amount of time candidates were permitted to put up election signs. Says the rules were not clearly set out in the Candidates Manual. We advised our readers that we were not taking any more comments on what his status is as an appraiser.
People in the community are bothered by the way that part of the Curran background played out but the issue seems to have ground down to he said – she said. At that point we stopped taking comments unless there was some really solid information.
Then – just when the heat was off the status issue – we get an email advising us that:
In light of recent events and concerns of citizens of Burlington, including the flooding, I have arranged to hold a town hall this evening at 7:00. I apologize for the short notice.
We got this at 6:30 – and complained to Curran that such short notice was unacceptable
Curran responded with: “I just received media codes less than an hour ago. The team informed me just hours ago that it was even taking place. I am as unprepared as you my friend.”
Is Curran telling us that he wasn’t fully aware that something this critical to his campaign was something he didn’t know that much about?
Setting up a Virtual Meeting takes time – someone has to make the arrangements with the company handling the calls – and someone has to have sent out notices to people advising them of the event.
Is Curran telling us that, if this was done he wasn’t aware of it – and if it was done by others – why wasn’t he on top of it.
Jim Curran has exceptional political contacts and connections and he would have people who knew how to set this kind of thing up. To screw it up the way he has – does not bode well for putting this guy at the horseshoe come October.
By Pepper Parr
August 21, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
It was the Samaritan’s that called Burlington to tell them about the service they had – and would the city like some help.
In less than 24 hours the Samaritan’s Purse was set up at the Christian Reformed Church on New Street with a dedicated telephone line installed and the word out to the media – “we are here to help – this is what we do.”
 And that they do. So far the Samaritans have cleaned up 30 homes and Steve Elliott, the man running the people in the field, said there are 30 more work orders waiting to be completed.
The work the Samaritan’s do does not cost the home owner a dime. “We get a call, we send someone out to do the assessment; if we can help we arrange for a crew to be on site as quickly as possible”, said Elliott.
 The power washer gets temperamental from time to time – Elliott shows a volunteer how to jiggle it to get it to work. There are about 80 volunteers – some are “die-hards” and there every day – others come when they can. “We had a group of women here for four hours; they all came from the same company and helped carry out bags of garbage and did what they could in the time they had available.
The Samaritan’s have a network of churches the work with. The local churches know the community – they know where the need is. They know who the single parents are; they know who the seniors that need help are – and those local churches are where people turn to when they need help.“Few people” said Steve Elliott “fully comprehend how big a role the faith based institutions play in their community.
The home the Samaritan’s were working on when we interviewed Elliott had mould that was getting into the ceiling. They had to do a lot of spraying to get that cleaned up.
The work crews assemble at the Christian Reformed Church, where they gather what they need in the way of equipment and are told where they will be working that day. The Chaplin holds a small prayer service and the teams are off to their assigned locations.
 Steve Elliott spends a lot of time on his cell phone – following up on problems and supervising several crews working in different parts of the city. Elliott roams between locations checking on the progress and doing assessments at other homes. He keeps in touch with the Red Cross, who are doing the city wide work to determine where the problems are.
Elliott, a man in his early 50’s perhaps, calls Peterborough home. He was an emergency planner for the province before he retired.
When the work at a house is done, the crew meets with the family to say goodbye and presents them with a Bible that has been signed by every member of the work team. There are going to be more than 100 families in Burlington, who will have an understanding of the story of the Good Samaritan they didn’t have before.
Luke 10: 25-37
 By Pepper Parr
August 21, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
They have been a God send said Red Cross volunteer Peter Hodgson –and indeed the Samaritan’s Purse has been just that to many homes in Burlington. Work crews have gone into homes that needed work done and sucked up the water and torn out dry wall and have then gone back in and sprayed with mould inhibitor.
They have been the front line people, doing more for the citizens than either the region or city. Samaritan’s Purse Canada is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization that has been providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world since 1970. They partner with local organizations (usually churches) to provide compassionate and cost-effective assistance to anyone who needs it, regardless of religion, race, gender or socio-economic standing.
 Water seeped into basements and mixed with backup from the sewage system destroying everything. For many homes the August flood was preceded by flooding in May – it is more than these people can take. Their emergency relief programs provide desperately needed assistance to victims of natural disaster, war, disease, and famine. They offer food, water, and temporary shelter, and meet critical needs and give people a chance to rebuild their lives.
Burlington seems to be getting more help from outside groups than they are getting from either the city or the Region. There are some homes that are a serious health issue and to the best of our knowledge the Medical Officer of Health, who is required by the province to oversee the health of the community hasn’t had anyone anywhere in Burlington.
Residents are fending for themselves or getting help from outside groups like the Red Cross and Samaritan`s purse and the fire fighters.
The public donations have been coming in – not anywhere near what is going to be needed. The tally as of Wednesday at 5:00 pm was $128,160.
Hodgson reports that more than 7100 homes have been checked out by the Red Cross Volunteers and that 2000 damaged homes were reported to the Region`s 311 number.
It is apparently still not possible to determine exactly how many homes have been damaged and the extent of the damage. However Hodgson did say that there were 40 to 50 homes that were in desperate shape.
The Red Cross has between 15 and 20 teams of people out on the street doing their door to door work and then plotting it all on maps. Hodgson`s task is to oversee the assessment of the damage and send that up the command chain; something Hodgson understands well from his years as a Halton Regional Police officer. He retired as a Staff Sargent – we erroneously reported Hodgson was a Superintendent. Hodgson said he would cheerfully take the pension of a Superintendent.
 Household effects are piled in corners – as far away from the flood waters as possible. Community groups are doing their own work as well. A collective has been formed in ward 5; they’ve named themselves the Burlington Sewer Backup Victims Coalition BSBVC. Their web site sets out who they are and what they have had to put up with. These people are not happy campers and have major beefs with the Region, who don’t seem to be paying any attention to their problems. And those problems are severe.
On August 4, some residents were still rebuilding after a back-up in May, some haven’t received insurance money from that flood.
Sewer back-ups they are aware of in homes have ranged from 1 inch to approximately 10 feet
Some residents have been experiencing these back-ups for years and despite multiple reports, the region and city have failed to show the political will to address known root causes and ignored the need to enact preventative measures .
“We are inviting first-timers, repeat victims or just concerned citizens to join us as we unite to force the City and Region to finally act. We shouldn’t have to fight this hard to do that but we still have plenty left to lose.” Maui Groff, Joanne Karaiskakis and Michelle Peronne-Bonavita all delegated at city council when the disaster area resolution was passed. That bit of legalese doesn`t seem to have done anything for the people in ward 5 who meet regularly to keep each other up to date. We will report on their meetings for you.
They are working with people in the White Pines, Bridlewood/Idlewood. Foxbar and Meadow Hill communities.
By Pepper Parr
August 20, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
This is not going to be easy. The people who are going to have to manage the distribution of flood relief funds have a mammoth task on their hands and it is vital for them to ensure that what they do is totally transparent even though they are dealing with some very personal information about the people who have lost so much due to the flood.
The immediate good news is that the public fund raising is coming along. The amount donated as of 5:00 pm on Tuesday was $120,000. $10,000 of that came from CUPE Local 44.
 The damage for hundreds of homes is extensive. The fear is that some families may not be able to recover from the flood. Local fund raising is vital. The Burlington United Way is serving as the main collection point – they will hold the funds and accept donations through their secure website. Once the Disaster Relief fund is established – and the province requires that this committee be created, they will set out the policies and procedures that will determine what is available for distribution and who gets funds.
There will be situations where the damage to a house was severe but the occupants were fully insured – would they get any funding? Take a neighbour two doors down who was also badly flooded and they also had insurance coverage but the deductible was very high – would they get funding. And then the household that had insurance but the insurance company decided there would be no payout – what would that household get.
Add to that the concern many people will have about the personal details of their finances being trotted out for the whole world to read about.
Colleen Mulholland, president of the Burlington Community Foundation, an organization that donated $15,000 to the Disaster Relief Fund, lives in a house that was badly flooded. Many will ask – isn’t there a conflict of interest here? Mulholland doesn’t see it that way. She is totally focused on pulling together the committees that will do their very best to help the people in Burlington take care of each other.
She is currently working at creating the various committees that will be needed to get the financial help out to people. At this point the thinking is to create three levels within the Disaster Relief committee; one will focus on the corporate sector seeking additional funding.
 It was a nicer evening and a better time for Colleen Mulholland when she posed with the BCF Masquerade Ball Honorary Chair Angelo Paletta For every dollar that is donated the province can match that on a two for one basis. While no one is certain yet as to exactly what the need is – the sense is that the community is going to have to come up with more than $1 million which would bring in $2 million from the province for a total of $3 million. Will that be enough?
A second committee will focus on working with the numerous agencies that are going to be involved in a task that Mulholland believes will become the legacy of the BCF. Not sure if this is the time to be talking about legacies but she makes a point. The Burlington Community Foundation is going to be the group that pulls this thing together so that the needs of the people that need help are met.
A third committee will focus on the “grass roots” which hopefully turns out to be people from those pockets in the community that were hit so very hard.
A concern that has been raised is the number of people involved – while it is vital that this be a community effort – with 22 different agencies at the table it could become the equivalent of trying to herd cats.
While working on a story with the Samaritan’s Purse we wanted to take a close look at the work they were doing helping people who need help. “Let me see how the house we are working at now feels about pictures being taken” said our contact. ”These people are feeling very emotional right now and their dignity has to be maintained.”
There is a delicate balance to be maintained and a mammoth task to complete.
The announcements from Mulholland as to the makeup of the committees should be available sometime this week.
 By Staff
August 19, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The $100,000 mark for the Burlington Disaster Relief fund has been passed.
To be exact the number for Monday evening was $111,985,00
More is needed.
By the end of the week the Disaster Relief committee should have numbers from the Red Cross which will quantify the damage – they will know how many houses were damaged and the extent of that damage.
 By Staff
August 18, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
The Art Gallery of Burlington (AGB) has been a champion of visual art and fine craft in Burlington in the more than 45 years it has been operating. They engage the community in the appreciation and creation of visual arts and are home to seven art and fine craft guilds. They provide opportunities for discovery and ‘hands-on’ learning, as well as mentoring and showcasing visual artists at all skill levels.
 The AGB is dedicated to the growth and promotion of our collection of Canadian contemporary ceramics.
The AGB is now going one step further in the development of the visual arts with the establishment of a residency in ceramics that will start in September and run for a full year.
The working days are flexible to suit both the Gallery’s needs and the successful candidate’s other commitments. A stipend of $200 per week is being offered.
The successful candidate will be expected to work as a studio technician for up to 15 hours per week, not to include the studio time used for personal artistic explorations.
Suitable candidates are: Recent graduate in ceramics from a recognized institution or in his/her graduating year in a ceramics program at a recognized institution. A person with an interest in arts and craft and able to tackle a few projects at once and deliver them all on time. Self-motivated and able to work in a communal environment.
The benefit to the artist is a great opportunity for the successful candidate to build their portfolio with diverse projects supporting our programs including the possibility of exhibiting in our Community Gallery.
The successful candidate will have access to a fully equipped studio including potter’s wheels, electric, gas and raku kilns. Tools, clay and glazes are not included.
The successful candidate will have the opportunity to teach in our Community and Studio programs. The AGB is open some evenings and weekends.
Respond with a resume and cover letter by September 8, 2014 to:
Denis Longchamps, Chief Curator Art Gallery of Burlington
1333 Lakeshore Rd Burlington ON L7S 1A9
dlongchamps@artgalleryofburlington.com
A current portfolio will be required if you are selected for an interview.
 By Staff
August 18, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
It was a chilly weekend that put a damper on the public events – but the people working at collecting funds for the Flood Relief program were out on the street as were the Red Cross Volunteers who are going door to door in those areas hard hit to determine the extent of the damage.
 Peter Hodgeson, a former Regional Police Superintendent is working with the Red Cross volunteers going door to door gathering information on the extent of the flood damage, talks with ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward who is doing what she can to keep the problem in the minds of the public. Those leading the response to the disaster are still working at determining the extent of the damage. In order to quantify the damage, information is needed and the city is not convinced that they know everything they need to know.
The concern in the minds of those who work with this kind of disaster is that the news cycle is now so short that the public will soon forget just how badly damaged many homes are and how hurt the families are as well.
“We need to continually tell the stories and keep them in people’s minds so that the public response will be equal to what is needed” said Pete Ward who has extensive experience with disaster relief around the world.
Later this week the names of the people who will sit on the Local Disaster Committee that has been formed will be made known. It is this group of people, currently being led by Colleen Mulholland, President and CEO of the Burlington Community Foundation, who will oversee the actual distribution of funds. She will be joined by others in the days ahead.
The Burlington United Way is continuing to serve as the “banker” for the Relief Fund; they are the primary point for cash donations.
There are dozens of small groups throughout the city holding events to raise funds. The Centro Market held a fund raiser on the weekend; Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward was seen talking to anyone who would give her five seconds about the need for funds.
The need is great.
By Staff
August 15, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Mayor Rick Goldring said the local Disaster Relief Fund had reached $100,000 – not there yet Your Worship.
The fund sits at $92,398 at the end of the first week.
We have a long way to go folks.
Some homes had two levels flooded – the Mayor’s home had eight feet of water. There is provincial money out there for us – but those provincial dollars are matched on a two for one basis – for every dollar we raise the province will add $2.
With those matching funds we would have just over a quarter of a million in the bank – but given that there are 1052 homes seriously damaged with most of them having limited insurance coverage – the need is great.
There are some homes in the south east part of the city where they either do not have or are not going to be able to get insurance because of the number of floods they have experienced.
There are clearly a number of serious problems with the way pipes are laid out in that part of the city – and getting the Region to actually do something looks as if it is going to be a marathon of protesting and demanding that they step up and do the job they are in place to do.
But this is not the time to bash the Region – this is the time to look at the private individuals and the large and small business operations in the city and ask them to pull out the cheque books – pause before they write in the total and figure out what they can handle – and they add a bit more.
The need for some is dire.
Try the math on this. Take those 1052 homes – and divide it into the $276,000 we would have to disburse given where we are with the amount that has been donated. It amounts to a measly $262 per household.
This isn’t good enough people. There are people hurting and they need your help. The downpour of rain was unique in many ways – the city has never had so much in such a short period of time – and the rain cloud seemed to hover over a part of the city. Streets blocks away didn’t get a drop.
We know that global warming has something to do with the changes in weather; we know that we are going to see more of this kind of thing – and we also know that the need is big – really big.
Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon put it very well, when she addressed her remarks to the commercial community. “These are your customers, these are the people who make this city what it is – and today they need your help.”
Dig in and dig as deep as you can – please.
The Burlington United Way is serving as the banker for the Disaster Relief Fund. They are collecting the funds and will turn it over to the local Disaster Relief Committee as soon as it has been formed.
Make your on line donation – or drop by the Burlington United Way office at 3425 Harvester Road, Unit 107
 By Ray Rivers
August 15, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON.
When the UN adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), enshrining their minimal standards for the survival, dignity and well-being, in 2007, only four nations opposed its passage. These were the former British colonies of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. Canada’s minister of Indian Affairs at the time Chuck Strahl, argued: “By signing on, you default to this document by saying that the only rights in play here are the rights of First Nations. And, of course, in Canada, that’s inconsistent with our Constitution.”
 Yet Canadian aboriginal and government officials had been engaged in the development of this declaration since the 1970’s. Amnesty International, condemned the Conservative government’s position as they argued that the UNDRIP outlined minimum human rights standards, complementing rather than overriding existing rights. In fact, over a hundred Canadian lawyers and legal experts prepared an open letter outlining why the Canadian government’s claims were misleading.
And it was only three years later that all four of the dissenting nations reversed themselves and ratified the Declaration, though their support could best be described as qualified. Canada and Australia, in particular, referred to the Declaration as some kind of aspirational document meanwhile insisting that their governments were already in compliance. It is said that if you don’t know that a problem exists, you will never come to a resolution.
Article 3 of UNDRIP includes the right to “to freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.” Now that is pretty meaty stuff and something very much at odds with the paternalism that has characterized aboriginal policy over the centuries. Canada’s approach has always been assimilation or directed isolation – you are one of us or you are on the reserve and will play according to our rules.
Yet, Canada is the nation of multiculturalism. We encourage new immigrants to share their history and lifestyles with the rest of us as we continue to build Canada. Why do we treat immigrants as equals and our aboriginals as mis-guided children? The purpose of the Indian Act, first enacted almost immediately after confederation, was to encourage aboriginals to discard their history and embrace ours; to give up their cultural heritage as if it were obviously inferior.
Of course it’s not just about attitude, though it is a great deal about attitude. There are these historical treaties, and the new ones in the works, that continue to drive that wedge between us and them, to perpetuate the divisions. The Indian ‘status’ is a virtual prison sentence for Canada’s original inhabitants, segregating them from the rest of us. Conferring special rights (e.g. tax free), ‘status’ has perpetuated the demand for a system which has failed to provide economic and social development, and the freedom it purports to offer.
Like a treadmill or vicious circle, aboriginals are trapped in a dependency on public largess and welfare. What, arguably, may have been well-intentioned aboriginal policy at one time in history has been shown to be demeaning and de-humanizing. And the courts have told us we can’t just tear up the treaties, and the Indian Act, and start again, despite the overwhelming logic which says that is exactly what we need to do.
 Pierre Trudeau, in 1969, and Stephen Harper, more recently, learned that change is not something government can do on its own, it needs to engage all Canadians in a serious discussion. Boundaries and limits, as articulated in the old treaties, can both protect and imprison. Would the creation of aboriginal nations within the Canadian nation be a solution? Doesn’t that already exist with the system of reserves? Would that have served to prevent the conflicts at Caledonia, Ipperwash, Akwesasne and ‘Idle No More’?
The US government officially treats American tribes as ‘domestic dependent nations’ but has struggled in defining how these jurisdictions interact with federal, state, and tribal governments. It all sounds good until the rubber hits the road and everyone sees that this is nothing like the full sovereignty accorded foreign nations. The incident at Wounded Knee in 1973 exposed the limitations of the power of these Indian ‘nations’, when trying to exert some of the influence one would expect to have – as a nation. And that perhaps explains why those four former British colonies, unable to move beyond our 16th century First Nation’s policies, opposed the UN Declaration.
 There are no elegant solutions it seems, but the status quo is unsustainable, and we are not even talking about the real issues – the longer term place of aboriginals and their culture in Canada and among the rest of Canadians. We dance about, dealing with symptoms like the land claims or improving the education and health services on the reserves, as the Kelowna Accord was intended to do – good things nonetheless. And we pretend to worry about offending native culture, such as when a celebrity dons a warrior headdress, though like the feathered bonnet, so much of all of this is clouded in symbolism.
 Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was a candidate for provincial office in Burlington where he ran against Cam Jackson in 1995, the year Mike Harris and the Common Sense Revolution swept the province.
BACKGROUND LINKS:
UN Declaration Aboriginals Australia New Zealand USA
Indian Act Land Claims Indian Land Claims Conflict Assimilation
By Pepper Parr
August 14th, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
It is official!
Besides being the Best mid-sized city in Canada – Burlington is also a disaster area in the eyes of city council.
A motion, unanimously passed by council Thursday morning, asks the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to declare the City of Burlington a “disaster area” for the purposes of public and private components of the Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program (ODRAP)
Passing that motion was the first step to getting funds into the hands of citizens who have suffered extremely serious flood damage particularly in wards 4 and 5.
 The Special Session of city council was called to pass this motion and two others; one asking the Region to give immediate priority and attention to address the sanitary sewage issues of those residents who have experienced flooding and significant property loss and damage on multiple occasions including May 14 and August 4.
Following this assessment, Regional Council be requested to review the current level of financial assistance available as part of the Regional Basement Flooding Prevention Subsidy, which is currently set at $1,000.
City staff were instructed to expedite any local approval processes and waive any related fees.
A third motion was passed to assist homeowners with the cost of building permits payable under the Building Permit Bylaw. Mayor Goldring made a big deal out of leaving the council chamber while that debate took place – his house was flooded and he would benefit directly from any waiving of fees.
The public fund raising is underway. The United Way announced Thursday afternoon at 5:00 pm that $80,828. had been raised. United Way is serving as the “banker” for the local fund raising. It is going to take a mammoth give on the part of the public. You can donate on line at the following secure web site. A tax receipt is issued almost immediately.
Before council members got to passing bylaws they heard from three delegations: Maui Groff, Joanne Karaiskakis and Michelle Peronne-Bonavita; all ward 5 residents, wanted both the city and the Region to look much harder into the sewage problems. The three women, part of a community coalition that has grown to more than 40 people who want inspections and assessment of “chronic sewage backup” in homes. One delegate spoke of their being six sewage backups in one building. Another said that she had insurance and her claim is going to be paid this time – but she can no longer get insurance.
The delegations wanted:
Inspection and assessment of chronically sewage back up homes.
Careful monitoring of water flow during heavy storms and subsequent emergency roll – out.
100% subsidy for purchase and installation of recommended back-flow valves and sump pumps. These things come up to close to $6000 installed.
Retroactive payments for residents who have already taken the above measures.
The community wants to hear a lot more from the Region’s Medical Officer of Health – there was no one commenting at all publicly on the health risks. Where the algae rate in Lake Ontario water reaches a certain level the Region puts out a bulletin. Where are those people when there is a crisis?
The delegations wanted someone to tell them if certain areas are deemed “sewage back up/flood risks. There are parts of ward 5 particularly where property owners have come to the conclusion they are not going to be able to sell their homes because of the flooding history.
Mayor Rick Goldring said he had visited more than 100 homes in the past week and reported that more than 2000 homes were reported to the Region`s 311 line.
There is a report that 1052 homes in the city had significant to serious flooding.
 Mayor Goldring said about 2% – maybe a bit more of the Burlington population was damaged by the flooding; Councillor Sharman said 650 – 700 of the damaged homes south of the QEW were in his ward.
The Red Cross is doing a door to door survey of the city and leaving information packages behind. They will have identification and be wearing red vests.
“Most people have insurance”, said the Mayor “but they don`t have the appropriate insurance.” As disastrous as the situation is the basement cleanup are going quite quickly. Goldring said that earlier in the week he could see 11 dumpsters in the line of site from his from door; this morning there were just two.
The Mayors asks everyone – How can we help? The answer of course is to get funds into the hands of those people who have to buy new refrigerators, new furnaces and freezers plus washers and dryers.
Everyone seems to want to agree that no amount of infrastructure could have handled the rain that fell on the city and everyone agreed that we have not seen the last of the catastrophic weather – but that didn’t do much for the ward 5 residents who believe there is something wrong with the way sewage and storm sewer pipes seem to all run into basements rather than out.
Mention was made of the young pregnant Mother who had to leave the house they lived in because the basement floor was cracking and the structure was deemed to be unsound. They bought the house two years ago.
Michelle Peronne-Bonavita spoke of the nurse with an autistic child that could not handle the terrible disruption. “We have found the Region, which is responsible for water and waste treatment to be very dismissive. We are known as the floodies and we don’t feel the Region has given our problem the recognition we deserve. Bonavita maintains that if the infrastructure was sound and properly put together we wouldn’t have had this kind of damage.
She added that she should get paid by the Region for being a sewage holding tank. “This is public waste on private property and the problem is worsening.” Bonavita says she pays the Region $823 a year and wants her money back.
 Burlington MPP, Eleanor McMahon talks to media after a Special city council meeting which asked the province to declare the city a disaster area so that provincial funds can flow to the city. The community that has suffered severe flooding began to be developed 50 years ago and those still around will tell you there have always been flooding problems. Allan Magi, Director Capital Investment said that some municipalities tie their sewage and storm water pipes together but Burlington doesn’t do that.
Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon, spoke to city council explaining the procedure the province would follow in getting funds to the city and its citizens.
Counsellor Lancaster wanted to know if the Region had done any upgrades in the community. There was no one in the room from the Region – they had been invited but didn’t appear.
Joanne Karaiskakis wondered why there could not be some form of “social triage” that looked at every situation on the spot, assessed the damage and made decisions. During the worst of the storm the city ran a Command Centre and had all the right people close to telephone, but there was no one out in the streets. The fire department and the gas company tricks were seen when a gas line was left exposed and the smell of gas in the air.
People wanted boots on the ground – and they just didn’t seem to be available.
Boots are beginning to appear at door steps. The Red Cross has people going door to door collecting information: were you flooded – how bad was the damage and where do you need help?
 Mayor Goldring explained that with the motion on its way to the Minister of Municipalities and Housing the city can turn to its next stage which is to get the local Disaster Relief Committee set up. Collen Mulholland, Executive Director of the Burlington Community Foundation is going to head up that local committee; names of Ron Foxcroft and Keith Strong are being tossed around as members of the committee. If Strong is on deck – bet on Jim Frizzle being there with him.
It is this committee that will evaluate the need at the really local level – no one better than Mulholland to do this job; smart, sensitive and connected. She was one of the homes flooded.
The BCF was quick to put $15,000 on the table from the get go – so far though the corporate community hasn’t exactly surpassed itself with generosity. When Strong is onside – then watch what happens.
Everyone wants to know if enough is being done. Councillor Sharman asked the Mayor if he could assure him that what is being done now does not constrain what the city can do in the near future. “No, I cannot” said the Mayor. The Sandra O’Reilly, Controller and Manager of Financial Services piped in with “the city can do something additional.”
This being an election year – watch for situations where members of council will think of ways to move as much city money as possible to people in their wards – especially four and five.
With the paper work on becoming a disaster area done by the city – people wanted to know: How soon does the province report back? Acting city manager Scott Stewart explained that it is really important to quantify everything – and we are 98% there.
But no one was able to say with any degree of certainty that there would be cheques in people’s hands by Labour Day?
By Pepper Parr
August 13, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
City council will be meeting Thursday morning to consider asking the province to declare parts of the city a disaster area – which is a necessary prelude to being approved for disaster relief funding.
While the public hears of the horrific damage done to individual homeowners and their property – the city is looking at its infrastructure and figuring out the cost of repairing, and replacing in some instances, pipes and roadways.
During the December ice storm the city received approximately $2.2 million from the province to cover the cost of the damage. There was no funding for private individuals.
 There was a time when bins in the driveway meant renovations and upgrades – for the month of August and on into the fall they identify those homes with serious water damage from the August 4th flooding. The Council meeting might be focused on the recovery of funds for the infrastructure. The people that voted the seven members of council into office have a more pressing problem – repairing their homes and figuring out how they are going to pay for refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners and furnaces when insurance coverage is at the as low as $5000 with some people having $15,000 in coverage.
Funds for individuals will not come from the city. Those funds will come from community fund raising that will get matched by the province on a two for one basis. The rules are such that not a dime of city money can be used to pay for individual losses.
A private fund raising arm has to be put in place – that was done last Friday when the United Way stepped up and made their information technology system available. Funds began flowing into the United Way account within hours and as of 5:00 pm Wednesday the United Way had collected $74,400 in donations.
Donations can be made on line on a secure site that issues a tax receipt automatically. Click on that red line – and be generous
Once the request for a declaration that Burlington is a disaster area has been approved by the Minister of Housing and Community Services; Burlington neighbour Ted McMeekin – the city will then create a Disaster Relief Committee that will oversee the collection and disbursement of funds.
 The fire fighters are making their man power – the woman as well – available to those who need help. The form on their web site sets out time slots that are available. There are a number of local grass roots opportunities to raise funds. This weekend the city will be holding a two day Children’s Festival on the waterfront. Someone should round up half a dozen clean oil drums, paint them bright yellow and have signs made up: Disaster Relief funding – and watch the $20 bills come out of wallets.
Later in the month Rib Fest takes place – another opportunity to raise funds. People want to help and they will help – if you give them the opportunity.
Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward is married to Pete Ward who at one time headed up fund raising for World Vision – and those guys knew how to raise money. The job called for a lot of travel – Pete wanted less travel and got into consulting as a fund raiser. Expect Meed Ward to toss out some ideas at the Thursday Council meeting.
The city has not appointed anyone to the Disaster Relief Committee but there are names being floated around. “We want people who have some experience with this kind of thing” said Scott Stewart Acting City Manager.
While it is never fast enough, organizations are coming together and help is being delivered.
The Red Cross has taken on the task of organizing the volunteers. The Firefighters have set up a schedule showing time slots that are available for fireman to work at a home that needs help.
There are senior people at city hall who remark that the Region has been missing in action on this file; much the way there were totally uninvolved with the land fill dumping that was going on at the air park.
 We are going to see a lot of this for the next couple of weeks. Hopefully the Disaster Relief Fund, once it is created will be able to get funds into the hands of people who need it – now. The Mayor, whose home reportedly had eight feet of water in the basement, came close to “losing it” several times during the media event.
This experience has been hard on just about everyone. Time now to pull together and clean up the mess. We will be living with some of this come Christmas.
 By Pepper Parr
August 13, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
If boots on the ground are what win elections – then Jim Curran is in the race for the ward 6 seat.
Curran is a real estate appraiser as well as a political operative of long standing. He has been at the political game for a long time, usually in the background as an adviser. This will be his first attempt at gaining public office for himself and he brings the discipline and tested approaches to winning.
 The bylaw enforcement officer told Curran to take down signs he had put up late in July.. He was ready to plant 300 of the things in ward 6 lawns. Curran thought the city was offside with that rule and wrote the city manager – he apparently didn’t get as much as a reply or an acknowledgement to his letter. Curran argued that there is case law that says signs can go up any time but decided this wasn’t a battle he wanted to take on. He said he had 300 sign locations and wanted t get them all up in a single day.
He does however have a number of battles that need, from his point of view, a serious taking on. The damage done to the Sheldon property on Appleby Line where the owners of the air park have built 30 foot hills on either side of a small property.
Poverty – yes we have poor people in Burlington says Curran needs attention. “The Comfort Inn is packed with welfare cases” he said. While social welfare is a regional issue Curran appreciates that he is both a city Councillor and a Regional Councillor and expects to improve Burlington’s performance at the Region.
Curran is not at a loss for issues: Parking, close to a disaster in the ward and nothing is being done. The current council member held a town hall – 16 people showed up – most people in the community didn’t know about the event.
QEW traffic congestion is another issue that Curran wants more discussion about: “We know that even more grid lock is coming – it’s time to look at the options to make getting to places on the QEW easier and faster”, said Curran.
Don’t expect Curran to be a wall flower at council meetings. This man looks at the issues, develops an opinion based on the facts he can gather and speaks his mind.
He thinks the Region is making a massive – and very expensive mistake with the way the Randall Reef problem is being handled. The Randall Reef is a spot in Burlington Bay where toxic waste has collected over the years and got to the point where it is now the second most toxic site in the country. The Region decided to put a concrete cap on the site. Curran says a better, far less expensive way has been worked out but, according to Curran, no one is listening to the people with the information.
Curran looks for situations where a project is designed to become self-sustainable as quickly as possible – and he has his eye on what the Economic Development Corporation is doing. He didn’t appear impressed but the new board has only been at it for a couple of months.
Curran thinks the Candidate Manual produced by the city clerk was far from clear on the rules on when signs can be out up. Curran gets animated when he reviews where the other seven candidates in the ward are in terms of support and where they are likely to be when all the ballots are counted – and declares that he is going to win the election in ward 6.
Wonder what incumbent Blair Lancaster thinks of that statement?
 By Staff
August 13, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
It will be the fun event of the weekend for families with small children. Each year the people who manage the events for the city put on a Children’s Festival that lasts two days. The coming weekend – Saturday the 16th and Sunday the 17th there will be thousands of kids with their parents stretched out along Spencer Smith Park taking in the various events.
The Festival is an award winning event that runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, in Beachway Park and on Sunday, Aug. 17 in Spencer Smith Park. This year’s festival features a super hero theme.
The Saturday action includes sand-sculpting, superhero shows, meet-and-greet opportunities, face-painting, balloon artists, and a children’s marketplace and food court.
 The little ones loved this game; parents got to help them along as they walked each of the challenges • Adults, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Families, noon to 4 p.m.
• Youth, ages 13 to 17, noon to 4 p.m.
• Children, ages 4 to 12 years, 2 to 4 p.m.
The Sand Sculpting Competition will award first, second and third prizes in each category as determined by the master sand-sculptor judges. A People’s Choice Award is selected by festival attendees who fill out a ballot. Prizes include a custom sand sculpture trophy for first prize for each category and great prizes provided by Burlington Canadian Tire stores for all prize levels.
 Many families make the sand sculpting a full day event – everyone takes part and they stake out their location as early as they can. Prizes for the best sculptures. Saturday’s free event features a Superhero Show with Spiderman and Batman, and superheroes Iron Man, Wonder Woman and Superman on the beach, and fun summer activities like face painting, a photo booth, marketplace, and food trucks.
The event continues after sunset with a free showing of the movie The Incredibles, on the Burlington Beachway, starting at 8:30 p.m.
 Is this one pretending to drive Dad’s car? Day two of the Children’s Festival takes place in Burlington’s Spencer Smith Park from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Themed around superheroes, children can enjoy:
• Live Entertainment
• Play Zones
• Superhero Inflatables
• Character Meet and Greet
• Themed Shows
• Kids’ Marketplace
The Superhero Show with Spiderman and Batman, and superheroes Iron Man, Wonder Woman and Superman will appear again on Sunday, along with fun summer activities like face painting, a photo booth, marketplace, and food trucks. The Canadian Tire main stage will feature a Boy Band Mania tribute and a Selena Gomez tribute. Both shows will follow with a meet-and-greet with the performers, presented by Safari Dentistry
Day two of the Children’s Festival takes place in Burlington’s Spencer Smith Park from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Themed around superheroes, children can enjoy:
• Live Entertainment
• Play Zones
• Superhero Inflatables
• Character Meet and Greet
• Themed Shows
• Kids’ Marketplace
The Superhero Show with Spiderman and Batman, and superheroes Iron Man, Wonder Woman and Superman will appear again on Sunday, along with fun summer activities like face painting, a photo booth, marketplace, and food trucks. The Canadian Tire main stage will feature a Boy Band Mania tribute and a Selena Gomez tribute. Both shows will follow with a meet-and-greet with the performers, presented by Safari Dentistry.
The pictures in this article were taken at last year’s event. They were having a great time.
 For some a snooze in the shade is a great way to spend part of the day.
By Pepper Parr
August 12, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
She exudes youth and at 27 Karina Gould, a Burlington native seeking the federal Liberal nomination for an election that is scheduled to take place on October 15, 2015
In her media material we are told that Karina grew up in Burlington and has been an active member of the community her whole life.
 M.M. Robinson graduate Karina Gould will seek the federal Liberal nomination. Gould attended McGill University where she obtained a Joint Honours degree in Political Science and Latin American Studies. At McGill, Karina was very engaged in student life, serving as President of the Arts Undergraduate Society and organizing a $20,000 fundraising campaign for victims of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.
In 2010, she moved down to Washington, D.C. to take up a position as a consultant to the Migration and Development Program at the Organization of American States, the principal political forum of the 34 member countries of the Western Hemisphere.
Most recently, Karina completed her Master’s in International Relations at the University of Oxford in England.
 Karina lives in Burlington, with her husband, and works as a Trade and Investment Specialist for the Mexican Trade Commission in Toronto.
“Serving my community through open, honest and accountable representation, ensuring your voice – the voice of an entrepreneurial, diverse and growing community – is heard loud and clear in Parliament, is my top priority” said Gould.
 She shares Justin Trudeau’s vision for a prosperous and compassionate Canada. Gould believes in a Canada that takes the stewardship of our resources – human, natural, capital – responsibly. “For our families to thrive we need a Canada that fosters growth and innovation, we need a Canada that is well-positioned, economically and politically, on the world stage; and a Canada that is thinking about and prepared for the future, said Gould..
 The Burlington federal Liberals will formally nominate Karina Gould at a nomination meeting August 19th, to be held at the Burlington Central Library at 6:30 pm.
Once nominated Gould will run against Burlington MP Mike Wallace,
Should Gould win the federal seat she would join Eleanor McMahon MPP making it two women representing the city federally and provincially
 By Staff
August 11, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
There is a man out there exposing himself to people at the Mapleview Mall – police are asking for help in arresting the culprit.
The man exposed himself to children on two separate occasions. The first occurrence took place on Saturday July 19th, the second occurred the following weekend on Saturday July 26th, 2014.
The male suspect is described as:
Male white,
approximately 5’8”,
large build, 230-250 lbs,
bald head,
wearing baggy grey track short pants,
green t-shirt,
white and black running shoes,
wearing black sunglasses and carrying a small black bag.
If anyone has any information, please contact the 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau general line at 905 825-4747 ext 2316 to speak with an on-duty Detective Constable.
Anyone with information on this or any other crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
Background links:
Voyeur caught at Mapleview Mall
By Pepper Parr
August 11, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
She just might be a dark horse in ward 4 where candidates are running against Jack Dennison, a well-entrenched incumbent.
 Focused, fresh eyes – and a lot to learn in the next 75 days, If she can get her message out – and that is going to be a challenge ward 4 voters just might take to her and decide incumbent Jack Dennison’s political career can come to an end. John Sweeney apparently came to the realization that he could not afford to take on the job of city Councillor. He felt all the meetings should take place in the evenings or on weekends. It was evident Sweeney didn’t understand or appreciate what the job of being a city councillor actually is. Despite Jack Dennison saying the job can be done half time – it is a full time job for which these men and woman should be paid more than they are getting.
Steve Kempf doesn’t live in the ward and not much has been heard from him.
That leaves Dan Davidson, who we have yet to interview and Carol Gottlob running against Dennison.
 The Gottlob fleet is a two bike one car operation. Gottlob was an immigrant herself; her parents were German and made Scarborough their home. Speaking with a bit of an accent set her apart from the other students. She was an only child with parents that both worked.
The Gottlob household didn’t have TV; the family was frugal, disciplined – lived all the stereotypes that one attributes to Germans.
Gottlob has an adventuresome streak to her. She decided one summer to drive across Canada to Whitehorse in the Yukon to teach English as a second language. Her two boys were close to grown up and could take care of themselves.
She is an environmentalist with two bikes and a car; she won one of the bikes through a Tim Hortons draw. While she isn’t a “techie” she does have a good grasp of technology. She bought an object called a “square” which you plug into your telephone and people can transfer funds from their account into her campaign donations account.
That campaign is slow to start but Gottlob has taken a leave of absence from her job to go full tilt on the campaign.
While certainly not “up to date” on everything Gottlob looks at an issue and takes a factual data approach. The Pier, it wasn’t a project she was keen on in the beginning, she thinks we paid far too much for what we got – but “given that we now have the thing let’s make the best of it” , she said.
She says she brings “no baggage” to the job which she defines as – “how can I help you?”
She said she has no assumptions and will develop her thinking mindfully and watch out for the hidden agendas.
Gottlob tends to be a perfectionist but sees whatever she does as something she wants to have fun at.
 “We’ve got the pier” – “paid too much for it” but lets move on. What one does see in Gottlob is a streak of European exotic – she thinks North America and Burlington in particular could use some of the depth and charm that exists in European cities.
When you listen to Gottlob you hear a person who thinks young, is self-sufficient, kind – almost to a fault with a sold belief in – we are here to help each other. There are numerous small initiatives she takes on – but doesn’t want published. “These were little jobs I took on because people needed help – they weren’t done for political recognition – so let’s leave them at that”, she said.
When her boys were young she founded a school council and stayed with it until they left the school.
If Gottlob can get her campaign active – and that is going to be a challenge, ward 4 will see someone with fresh eyes and a need to be effective.
By Pepper Parr
August 9, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
When there is a disaster in a community the province has a program that requires the community to raise funds locally which the province will match on a two for one basis.
 It’s a sort of ‘if you will help yourselves – we will join you’. You can donate online to the United Way
It seemed to take a little longer that one would expect for the city and the United Way to get together and create a Burlington Flood Relief Fund. Everyone knew how bad things were by Tuesday morning but it was Friday before there was any announcement about the plans to solicit donations which the province will match.
 A number of people have commented on the paucity of information available to the public Monday evening – other than requests to stay off the roads and stay inside your homes. Tough for those who had water several feet deep. There wasn`t much more information available on Tuesday either.
Burlington had much the same problem with the ice storm last December. There was very poor communication between the city and the different media outlets – turned out that the city media people didn’t have an up to date data base and weren’t able to get information out.
For those who were not caught in the storm it is difficult to grasp just how bad it was. Some television footage tells part of the story.
 Well managed cities have contingency plans that were written, tested and sitting on a shelf ready to be implemented in hours. Imagine how much relief those dealing with flooding would have felt, had they known that come the next morning the city would have the wheels rolling.
We didn’t see wheels rolling in this town until Friday, when there was what amounted to a photo-op for the Mayor and the Regional Chair.
Earlier in the week ward 5 candidate James Smith urged Council to declare a state of emergency and get a disaster relief program rolling. It might take months to get funds into the hands of people, who have gone through several floods in the past and seen their insurance cancelled or capped at $10,000 when they face a restoration cost of $150,000.
Burlington has massive reserves; funds set aside for specific situations. Was there anyone at city hall on Friday pouring over the rules and looking for ways to loosen up some of those reserves and make funds available to people who need the help now?
Burlingtonians are generous people – the donations will flow and the province will eventually cut a cheque – but that will take time. Why can’t the city loan a couple of hundred thousand dollars to the relief fund the United Way is going to set up and have funds move into the hands of that family on Stanley Drive, where they were up to their knees in feces.
Ted McMeekin, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, said that Burlington must declare a “disaster area” for the purposes of the ODRAP program. That apparently isn’t going to take place until the Council meeting on Thursday – why the wait until close to the end of next week?
A large congregation in the east end of the city had senior staff members driving to the homes of the members of the church with cheques in their hands within 36 hours of the flooding. If a church can move this fast – city hall should be able to do so as well. .
The Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program is intended to ease the hardship suffered by private homeowners, farmers, small business enterprises and non-profit organizations, whose essential property has been damaged in a sudden and unexpected disaster, such as a flood. The program provides funds to those who have sustained heavy losses for essential items such as shelter and the “necessities of life.”
Jeff Valentin, CEO of the United Way said: “The families of at least 1,000 homes in Burlington are struggling to get their lives back to normal following the storm, and some do not have the means to make this happen. The United Way is here to help direct the generosity of people in Burlington toward their neighbours into a fund that can help the people who need it most.”
The City of Burlington has been working with Halton Region to clean up following the storm on Aug. 4, repairing, reopening and cleaning roads and sidewalks, and clearing debris in creeks and parks. Nearly 200 millimetres of rain fell in three hours. The high-intensity short-duration storm caused creeks to overflow and resulted in road closures and flooded basements in many areas of the city.
“We are very grateful to the United Way for setting up a community flood relief fund to help the people of Burlington affected by the flood,” said Pat Moyle, Interim City Manager with the City of Burlington. “The creation of a community-based fund is crucial to the success of securing provincial funding support for the residents impacted by the flood. For every dollar raised locally, the province has the ability to double that amount through its Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program.”
 “I have spoken to hundreds of people since Monday’s storm. Everyone is doing the best they can to return their lives to normal, clean up their homes and to try to make it work financially,” said Mayor Rick Goldring. “This is truly a very serious situation for the people of Burlington. I look forward to our provincial partners helping the United Way help those in need.”
Halton Region announced that it will support the City’s request for provincial assistance through the Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program (ODRAP). The provincial program provides assistance for those who have experienced extraordinary damage due to a natural disaster. The City will adopt a resolution next week requesting funding from the program. To strengthen the request, the Region will provide a letter to support Burlington’s request for Provincial assistance.
By Ray Rivers
August 9, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
My dad once gave me an Indian headdress he’d bought in northern Ontario. It was just a kid’s version, an imitation, and not very flowing – but he bought it at an Indian artifact shop and it was pretty special. It became a favourite when playing ‘cowboys and Indians’ back then, though I’m a little uncertain about the political correctness of any of that today.
 Prime Minister Stephen Harper wearing an Indian headdress. He has been a friend to the aboriginal community. In Canada our aboriginals face a host of issues such that a celebrity donning a piece of traditional tribal costume might hardly be worth a footnote in the list of society’s grievances. Life on the reserves is being challenged by recent changes the Harper government made to the environmental and fisheries habitat protection laws, in order to steamroll oil and gas pipelines over lands claimed by these first nations. And life for so many, on a number of the reserves, is barely habitable by most standards.
 In fact, Canada has been criticized by the UN for its aboriginal policies, and with some legitimacy. One needs to only look at incarceration rates in Saskatchewan and Manitoba to see that there are problems. And, then there are all the other issues: inferior education, missing women from reserves, violence, alcohol and drug abuse, increasing obesity rates and racial discrimination that still occurs in parts of the country.
The root of all these problems lies with the Indian Act, Canada’s saddest piece of legislation. Back in its day (1876) Sir John A. MacDonald heralded the Act and its goal of fully assimilating Canada’s aboriginals. The purpose of the act was to administer Indian affairs in such a way that Indian people would feel compelled to renounce their Indian status, leave the reserves and join the rest of society as ordinary Canadians – a process called ‘enfranchisement’.
I don’t want to pick on Sir John A. or any of the other prime ministers. The problems really started with all the treaties that the British signed as a well-meaning alternative to wars and the ultimate extermination of the natives. King George III, yes, the mad English King who was also responsible for the loss of the thirteen American colonies, signed a well-meaning Royal Proclamation in 1763, promising all kinds of good things to aboriginals. This may have been an over-reaction to his failures with the American colonialists or part of a plan to get Canada’s natives on-side for the oncoming US revolutionary war.
There have been numerous amendments to the Indian Act, which have brought a modicum of enlightenment to the legislation, and even an attempt (Trudeau) to abolish the Act. But the courts have generally blocked these attempts, falling back on the legislation, the old treaties or the Bill and Charter of Rights. Abolishing the Indian Act would likely require constitutional changes, much like the Canadian Senate, and out of the purview of the courts.
 Suffice it to say that there have been some positive amendments to the Act over the years, allowing status Indians the right to vote and eliminating discrimination against women who choose to marry outside their tribe. The process of ‘enfranchisement’, or ‘civilizing’, which gave us the horrific experience of residential schools, has mostly been brought to an end. In addition there has been progress on land claims. This topic is a complex web of issues to unweave, so please stay tuned for another column.
In 2006 the Paul Martin minority government managed to get everybody, including the provinces, political parties and tribal organizations to achieve consensus on a program to improve the lives and standing of Canada’s aboriginals. In fact even after Martin’s government fell, and Harper became PM, the Kelowna Accord became law; though the delivery ended up being curtailed by the less-than-enthusiastic new PM (after all it wasn’t his invention). Still, Mr. Harper has come back to the spirit of Kelowna, more recently, introducing measures to improve aboriginal education.
Harper has also attempted, boldly, though unsuccessfully, to shift the ownership and full responsibility for the reserves from the Crown to the Indian tribes and their individual members. The notion was to empower aboriginals by privatizing the reserves’ land holdings and transitioning from the communal way in which bands now operate their activities on reserves. By ‘normalizing’ economic activities on reserves this might have been seen as just an alternate way of accomplishing the intent of the original Indian Act.
More recently however, the Harper government passed the ‘The First Nations Financial Transparency Act (FNFTA)’, requiring First Nations to disclose their financial statements and the salaries of band council officials. The argument is that this would provide greater transparency and allow band members to hold their leaders more accountable. Of course there were critics, as always, claiming that this was a higher standard than applied for most public officials.
But Harper had the angels on his side and scored an early win as the postings appeared on the government’s web site. In the tiny First Nation of Kwikwetlem (Coquitlam B.C.), with a band membership of 81, it turns out the contracted Chief, Ron Giesbrecht, got almost a million dollars remuneration from the band council. Apparently he was also the Director of Economic Development which earned him $80,000, plus ten percent of any business that came in. And an eight million dollars land settlement fell into his lap, giving him close to a million big ones, and tax free since he is a status Indian.
Initially the band council supported Giesbrecht, but that is an awful lot of money. The federal Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, Bernard Valcourt was outraged and other Canadians joined in the chorus of disapproval. Apparently his new contract with the band now excludes any provision for commissions. Nevertheless, Chief Giesbrecht would be a brave man should he decide to don a feathered bonnet at his band’s next festive occasion. That is unless he decides to give the money back to the band or donate it to some worthy cause. After all, as good a chief as he may be that is still a lot of money.
Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was a candidate for provincial office in Burlington where he ran against Cam Jackson in 1995, the year Mike Harris and the Common Sense Revolution swept the province.
BACKGROUND LINKS
Headdress More Headdress Even More Headdress War Bonnet
Indian Act Kelowna Accord More Kelowna Accord Harper’s Plan Big Bonus
Transparency Act More Transparency Even More Transparency
Kwikwetlem
By Pepper Parr
August 7, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
Candidate for City and Regional Councillor in Burlington’s Ward 5, James Smith, is urging Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring and council to declare a disaster as a result of the August 4th flood that caused extensive damage to many homes and businesses in Burlington.
Smith quoted Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring who said on radio 680 “it was the worst flooding in 20-30 years”. Smith continued “surely the worst flooding in 20-30 years qualifies as a disaster. The only way for the city to access provincial disaster relief is to declare a disaster and apply to the province for matching funds.”
According to Smith “Burlington was lucky, in that it was only property was damaged, there was no loss of life. In our home we sustained no damage from the storm, but neighbours all around us have serious problems.
“I’ve spoken to some people’s who’s insurance will not cover all, or significant amounts of the damage they’ve sustained. Given that many people in the South East are only now recovering from an earlier event we are going to need whatever assistance we can get from the province. Even the city of Toronto declared a disaster last summer, after a smaller event. The city of Burlington’s focus must be helping in whatever way they can to get relief right now. That means declare a disaster, to get access to help from the province.”
Smith has high praise for City and Regional staff who’ve responded amazingly well in this event but has some concerns. “The City of Burlington and the Region of Halton have been slow getting needed information to those affected. We need to do a better job getting information out to people affected. Residents requiring assistance need access to timely and accurate information.”
Smith concluded, “ The Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program requires fundraising to get underway as quickly as possible. I’ve already seen how many people in my neighbourhood have responded and have pitched in to help their neighbours. This is the kind of occurrence that proves Burlington is a caring community, we need to continue this effort; the fundraising needs to start right away, we need the Mayor and council to do their part to get the province involved. Declare a disaster, and let’s get to work!”
 By Carol Gottlob
August 7, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
So the flood waters have subsided, and the issues surface….
The Corporation of the City of Burlington has, since the last election, spent a phenomenal amount of money on two new features of the city; the doomed pier and the Performing Arts Centre. I admit I didn’t pay much attention to the pier, until the crane toppled over and the bills started to pile up. Next, was the Performing Arts Centre, which I questioned, because we are already surrounded by performing arts centres in Oakville, another in Mississauga, Brampton, Guelph and Hamilton. Don’t get me wrong – I endorse art and culture, but this seemed like a bit of overkill to me.
The fact of the matter is, these now exist, and we live with them.
 Is Burlington more than its over priced pier? Now, looking ahead, I feel it is time for “renewal”. It is time to look at what we already have, and where necessary, preserve, rebuild, enhance and protect it. The recent flood highlights exactly that need. Climate change is upon us. Floods, ice storms, hurricanes and tornados will become part of our existence on this planet and in this community. We will not be spared. So, let’s take a closer look at the infrastructure, and try to get ahead of the curve. We need to invest in fortifying our systems that we rely on, namely power, transportation and water. We need to protect the properties we call “home”. And this is where the story gets very real.
When the flood waters rose, I stood at the foot of my street and looked at the water rising on New St. I saw people wading through waist-high water carrying their belongings in green garbage bags. I offered help and saw many people doing likewise. Later, I walked over to my former neighbourhood, just south of New St. As I approached my old street, I could smell grilled meat on the bar-b-q. As I passed houses, I saw people inside eating, laughing and drinking wine. Meanwhile, a few steps further down the street toward Tuck Creek, lights were out, cars were floating, and people stood by looking on silently, exchanging almost whispered comments. It was surreal.
The next morning, I returned to pay a visit to former neighbours and dear friends, whose house was now a soggy shell, pumps gorging water back into the creek. Across the road, I saw an elder couple I’ve observed for years. They bought their house when it was built in the 60s and have kept it tidy and neat for all these years. Now they were standing outside, trying to understand how to put the pieces together again.
This is where we need to invest. In the properties that exist. The farmhouses that herald our rural traditions. The neighbourhoods that developers built, but people developed! The original telephone poles that adorn my street were installed in the 1950’s, when two wires were suspended – one for electricity, one for telephone. Now I look out, and I see 26 cables dangling from the equivalent of a toothpick! We need to fortify. We need to protect what we have. We need to help those who turned the houses into homes.
This recent event could aptly be called an emergency situation. Thankfully, no one was harmed, but the damage is severe and the long term impact is undeniable. And let us not be fooled; there will be more to contend with. It is imperative that the city and the council operate with a view to the near future and build reserves, provide contingencies and look after the needs of its citizens when disaster strikes.
Carol Gottlob is a candidate for the ward 4 council seat.
|
|
