 By Pepper Parr
February 1, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
In April 2013 Burlington resident Denise Davy spoke as a delegation at the city’s Community Services Committee, urging the city to take responsibility for the safety of pedestrians at railway crossings. City Council directed staff to consult with community stakeholders to research rail safety.
 This was the situation in Burlington before Denise Davey delegated to city council for a change. A rail line safety and awareness stakeholder committee was formed to bring the various groups together to review the issue and develop strategies to prevent rail line deaths. The committee included representatives fromGO Transit, CN, VIA Rail, CP, COAST, ROCK, Canadian Mental Health Association, theNorth Halton Mental Health Clinic, Halton Police, Region of Halton Public Works, Transport Canada and theTransportation Safety Board. The review resulted in a number of short-term strategies and long-term opportunities.
 Today there is appropriate fencing and protocols in place to ensure that the city tells the GO people and other authorities that the fence has been breached. It was not quite this easy when Denise Davey first took on the task of making the railway tracks safer by blocking crossing that were not properly secured. Davey’s son, Ryan, was 18 when he was killed by a train in March of 1998. Here is how she tells her story:
“Many more people have been killed by trains going through Halton since then and the numbers over the last year have increased at an alarming rate. In a six-month period, from August 2012 to February 2013, six people were killed, including a 23-year-old Hamilton man.
“That’s a huge increase from previous years and it speaks to the need for better safety measures to prevent further deaths. The area of major concern is along Fairview and Cumberland where many people have been killed by trains.
“It’s wide open and also extremely close to one of the busiest shopping plazas in Burlington. Although there are “Danger” signs posted, the well-worn footpath is a testament to how few people heed them. The same problem exists with the tracks that run between Appleby Line and Burloak, by Sherwood Forest Park.
“Not only are there openings in the fence by the park, but in many areas the bottom part of the fence has been pulled up where people have obviously crawled under. Finding out who is responsible for safety along the tracks was so difficult, however, that even after several calls to rail officials, I’m not completely clear on it.
“Indeed, it seemed even rail officials weren’t clear on it. Transport Canada and the Transportation Safety Board were quick to deflect all blame for any deaths or injuries and talk about the public’s responsibility.
“And there is truth in that. The public needs to be responsible around the tracks. But at some point, the people who run the trains also need to take some responsibility. I can think of several stories I’ve covered as a reporter in which a person was killed crossing the street illegally but a stoplight was later put in place to prevent further deaths or injuries.
“Not only are rail officials quick to deflect blame, they’re tight-lipped when it comes to statistics on train-related fatalities and injuries. After several calls to the GO media folks I was told they don’t have statistics on the number of people who have been killed by GO trains along the Halton tracks.
“How can it be?” I asked the GO spokesperson, “You’re telling me that you don’t know how many people have been killed by the service you run?” I was quickly put on hold then told I needed to talk to someone else. I never got the number from GO.
“I was eventually told by Halton police (who told me earlier they didn’t have the numbers) that five of the six recent deaths in Halton were a result of GO trains.
“I will be talking to members of Burlington city council about changes I think need to be made to areas along the tracks. They include fencing, surveillance cameras, motion sensitive lighting and noise barriers, the same type you see along the QEW in Grimsby.
“I figure if they’re deemed important enough to buffer noise for residents who live close to the highway, they should be considered important enough to save a life.”
 Will the sign make a difference? If it doesn’t – well we tried. But if it does – that is a victory. Denise Davey deserves great credit for her efforts. Keep her in mind when it comes to selecting Burlington`s Best. It was an uphill fight for a long period of time but at a city council meeting in January Bruce Zvaniga, director of transportation services said: “The various stakeholders came to the table prepared to discuss and make changes,” said Zvaniga, and “I would like to thank them for their responsiveness, action and commitment to safety.”
The committee has already put in place a number of short-term strategies, including:
A communication protocol where city staff share information with rail operators regarding fence damage and footpaths near the rail line. Rail operators are also to share information with roads and parks maintenance staff regarding fence damage on city-owned properties
Rail operator “high rail” reviews that exchange information about identified outcomes
City fencing improvements in five different locations where chain fences will be installed
Rail line safety and awareness in 11 public schools and seven catholic schools as part of the schools’ safety awareness programs and under the leadership of Operation Lifesaver
Site specific strategies have been implemented by GO Transit and the Canadian Mental Health Association
“I am very proud of the work done by the stakeholder committee,” said Mayor Rick Goldring. “ The committee has created a set of best practices for the entire country. If what we have set in motion can save one life, than it has well be worth it.”
An annual stakeholder review process is now in place. The stakeholder group will meet each year to look at the outcomes of previous strategies, identify possible new strategies and discuss long-term opportunities. In 2014, the committee will invite the Catholic and public school boards to participate.
Somewhere along the way the woman who had lost a child to a rail line accident got forgotten as all the bureaucrats who should have been on top of this issue from the beginning did nothing until Denise Davey delegated.
The power of one person with a voice and the courage of their convictions is immense and magnificent.
Background links:
City staff directed to start asking questions.
Three deaths in seven months.
Parent wants better rail line safety – death level intolerable.
 By Pepper Parr
January 30, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The cat is now out of the bag. The number wasn’t horrendous but it does take the cost of the pier that was over $14 million, and now has an additional $1,228,040 added to that. The actual amount spent was $1,349,952 but the city gets a tax rebate which results in a lower number. We will use that lower number.
And that is before there is any resolution to the legal disputes, which many expect to cost the city even more.
The city released the numbers at a press conference this morning and explained that while doing so went against the policy they put in place December of 2011, the impending decision from the Ontario Privacy Commissioner, forced their hand.
The city apparently decided that they were better off releasing the number of their own volition rather than being ordered to do so by the Privacy Commissioner.
With the legal expenses now public – the city has to consider its options. Settling this case is what seems to be in the offing but nobody is saying anything. There have been offers to settle but it takes two to agree and agreements just aren’t in place yet.
 Crane working at the pier site topples. Proves to be the point at which problems with the design became evident. The buzz in the community is that the city does not have a case against Harm Schilthuis and Sons (HSS) and that there is ample opportunity to settle with them. The folks over at HSS have been wanting to settle since day 1 – way back in December of 2010, days after the new Council was sworn in HSS published an open letter in which he said:
Harm Schilthuis and Sons would like to express how encouraged we are by the co-operative spirit we are seeing from the new council in the City of Burlington to resolve the issue of the Brant Street Pier.
HSS is also very pleased at the City of Burlington’s decision to replace Aecom as Project Manager for this project. This will allow the challenges we have raised with respect to the design of the pier to be dealt with in an independent manner. We stand confident that the design build proposal submitted to the City of Burlington earlier this year is the solution to a successful completion of the Pier. The team represents a group of the best companies capable of performing this type of work. Our design build project is ready to begin work in the Spring of 2011.
Also encouraging is the engagement of the City to communicate with the Bonding Company. We are confident that the Bonding Company will be delighted with the opportunity for dialogue. Prior to the election it was quite difficult to have good communications preventing many of the parties involved to understand the various positions. HSS is hopeful that this will be a new day from a communications point of view.
HSS has a number of claims before the city. It wants to be paid the $2 million plus that is due for work done and approved. The process was for HSS to submit their invoices to AECOM, the project manager and for the city. AECOM would approve the invoices and pass them on to the city who would pay those invoices. AECOM was the pier project manager for the city. Included in this $2 million plus are invoices that were approved but not paid and invoices that were submitted but not yet approved.
Where things got dicey for HSS was when AECOM bought Totten Sims Hubicki (TSH) – the company that designed the pier. When it became evident to HSS that the problem was with the design of the pier, it was difficult to argue with the project manager when the project manager now owned the company that designed the pier.
The design problems centered around a significant change back in 2005 when a pier that was to be close to 200 metres (656 feet) long got shortened to 136 metres (446) which is what the pier is now. The original design was much more expensive than the city had hoped it would be – remember, this was back in 2005.
Compromises appear to have been made then, in 2005 that made it impossible for HSS to complete the job despite numerous attempts to make changes
Marianne Meed Ward, who wasn’t a member of Council, was close to screaming when she was telling the public that the organizational arrangement of the pier construction was a problem. The people in ward 2 certainly believed her and now a large part of the city wants to see her as Mayor.
There is a second set of invoices that were submitted to AECOM but had not yet been approved before HSS advised the city that it would not complete the construction of the pier because of a faulty design.
 All the steel beams that had been installed are stripped out and construction starts on the second construction contract. The platform on the right is a trestle that was put in place for construction equipment to use. A reliable source informed the Gazette earlier this week that HSS had advised the city it could complete the work for an additional $400,000 – that was back before they sued the city. The offer took place during the Jackson administration and was rebuffed. Current council members Craven, Taylor, Dennison and then ward 5 council member Goldring were all fully aware of the offer HSS had made as was then Mayor Jackson.
Jackson lost the 2010 election during which three new members were elected to Council and a new Mayor was installed. It took this new Council some time to get a handle on the file, which was complex.
With the contractor now off the job, the city called the insurance bond HSS had put in place (they were required to do so) and the insurance company came back with a revised proposal to complete the pier. The city turned down that opportunity without telling the public how much the insurance company proposal was going to cost and decided to re-tendered the project which was given to Graham Infrastructure at cost of $6,429,700.00 and the work continued.
 New steal beams arrive – construction is underway and the Mayor announces the pier will be opened in July 0f 2013. Not everyone believes him at the time When the city sued HSS they also sued Zurich Insurance for the value of the performance bond. In attempt to mitigate their damages the insurance company put together a consortium that included Harm Schilthuis and Sons Ltd., the original contractor.
The city received the proposal through Zurich Insurance Inc. in April 2011, but needed time to review the document. City staff provided advice regarding the proposal to members of City Council in a closed session The Mayor then updated the public at the city’s May 11 Community Services Committee meeting.
 Every piece of the new steel used by the second contractor was inspected and then inspected again. The city was not going to get caught with sub-standard steel a second time. Her General manager Scott Stewart, project manager Craig Stevens and the fabrication plant manager close check a beam. “City Council gave careful consideration to what we saw within the proposal before making our decision,” said Mayor Rick Goldring. “Council does not believe that this is the right solution to completing the Brant Street Pier. As such, the city will continue on its path to finding a new contractor.” City council chose not to make the reasons for turning down the proposal public from the insurance company and is proceeding with the plan issue a tender document for general contractors to complete the pier, with that tender expected to be released in July 2011.
All the steel put in by HSS was taken out – new steel put in place and the pier officially opened in June of 2013.
Now the city has to deal with the proverbial chickens that have come home to roost.
HSS claims they have done everything possible to settle the matter but has continually been rebuffed by the city.
City manager Jeff Fielding said at the press conference that there was a mediation date of June 14th but left everyone realizing that not much would happen on that date.
This is an election year for the city. When nominations close late in September city council will lose the power to enter into a settlement agreement. When nominations for public office close Council loses the power to approve any expenditure over $50,000.
The city might find itself facing yet another squeeze play similar to the one with the Privacy Commissioner. Does this Council want to get into an election and have to tell the voters they have been unable to settle the case when it appears that there was an opportunity to settle for one-third of what the to date legal costs have been?
This is an important point: The contractor wanted to be paid for invoices that were submitted and approved. They also wanted to be paid for those invoices that were submitted but not yet approved by then project manager AECOM. There wasn’t any known dispute over the amounts of that second set of invoices;
The contractor was also asking for an additional $400,000 to complete the construction. This addition was to cover the cost of changes that had to be made to rectify the compromises way back in 2005 when the length of the pier was shortened.
This is all very complex but it should not be beyond the capacity of the city’s communications people to explain. The public is not stupid – they know how to do simple arithmetic.
Fielding explained to the media conference that he was leading the event because the file is in the hands of the city manager – it is his problem to resolve based on the instructions he is given by Council.
It is clear then that this council, your council, has not yet given Fielding the authority to settle the matter. Fielding is believed to want to find a settlement the city can live with.
 It is a grand pier, a distinct improvement to the waterfront. It was part of the grand plan former Mayor Rob MacIsaac had for the waterfront. It ran into problems that MacIsaac’s replacement couldn’t manage. The current administration made mistakes of its own – the cost of which are not yet fully known. We do know what the legal fess amounted to It might be time for city council to get this behind them rather than face an expensive lengthy trial while the voters decide if they still want this council leading them.
The construction problems with the pier didn’t take place during the life of the current council. However, several opportunities to have the original contractor complete the work for less than has been spent on legal costs was spurned. Now, a Council that could have made better decisions on several occasions find themselves stuck between a rock and a very hard place.
 By Vanessa Warren
January 30, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
An open letter to the LaSalle Park Marina Association (LPMA),
Last night I attended a public Consultation Meeting and Workshop for the City of Burlington’s 2014 budget.
 Vanessa Warren on the right reading through the city budget workbook at a public consultation last night took exception the way the LaSalle Park Marina association tried to hijack the meeting. Ken Woodruff, former Burlington Green president, is on the left. Full disclosure: I am a farmer in Burlington’s rural north, sit on the board of Burlington Green, and Chair the Rural Burlington Greenbelt Coalition. I had never attended a workshop like this before and to be sure, what got me off the couch and to the meeting was a desire to see that public transit, environmental sustainability and rural issues were being represented within the context of the City’s financial plan; but I also attended because I feel we all have a civic duty to ensure our municipality’s house is in order.
I prescribe to the belief that I cannot ask my government to be accountable to me, if I do not engage with them.
Upon arrival, an encouragingly large group of attendees were put into working groups around large tables, and instructed as to the evening’s ‘feedback’process. We were then given an opportunity to ask questions, and the first two or three queries from the group were salient, intelligent and budget-related; but when John Birch, president of the LaSalle Park Marina Association stood up, it quickly became clear that the meeting had been hijacked.
Some background. The wealthy boat owners at the LPMA, led by rhetorician John Birch, would like to expand their private harbor, currently occupying the waterfront of a public park and further, want the city to provide more funds beyond the $150,000 already given to them to start detailed designs before the environmental assessment challenge is resolved. The crux of the issue, as I and many others see it, is that the desired construction will almost certainly destroy the wintering grounds of 1/4 of Ontario’s Trumpeter Swan population; a population that has been crawling back from the brink of extinction. I would, and have, also publicly argued that there is no demonstrated need for this redundancy particularly in the face of the City’s fiscal concerns, and with a great deal more environmental assessment to come.
However, regardless of your position on the project IT WAS NOT AN AGENDA ITEM at this budget meeting. The LaSalle Park Marina Expansion is not even being considered in the 2014 budget, and yet, the LPMA thought it appropriate to use the workshop as an illegitimate soapbox for its cause.
Many, many people, citizens, City staff, and almost the entire City Council (with the exception of Councillor Blair Lancaster), devoted their time last night to be engaged in the messy process that is democracy. The workshop was well-attended, well-organized, and should have been much more fruitful; instead, we spent a devastating amount of utterly useless time being commandeered by a special interest group railroading a non-budgetary issue.
 John Birch of the LaSalle Park Marina Association, on the left, going through his workbook. John Birch and the LPMA: I find your case for public funding of a private marina totally without merit. However, if you believe it to have merit, and as a “joint venture”of the City of Burlington, then you must follow the public process as it has been laid out. Your project already hangs by a thread of legitimacy, and if you truly believe your cause is just, then you should promote it justly. Engage with the community and your council where appropriate, and where people who have a counterpoint may enter the dialogue as well. The guerilla tactics that you used so disrespectfully last night were disruptive and unprofessional, and from my perspective, only further eroded your project’s credibility.
 By Staff
January 28, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The police are moving up the food chain. Last week a number of high school students were arrested and charged as Young Offenders.
On Tuesday, the Drug, Gun and Gang Unit executed a Controlled Drugs and Substances Act search warrant at a Burlington residence where a large quantity of drugs and cash was seized:
80.9 grams of cocaine
242 pills of MDMA (Ecstasy)
2.6 grams of MDMA (Ecstasy
33.1 grams of Crystalized Methamphetamine
40 mL of GHB (Gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid)
269.3 grams of Dextrose (Cutting Agent)
Packaging material
Digital Scales
$8,830.00 Currency
3 Cellular phones
 Police charged Stephen LANE (38 years of age) with the following offences and held him for a bail hearing.
1. Trafficking a Controlled Substance – Cocaine
2. Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Cocaine
3. Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – MDMA
4. Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Crystal Methamphetamine
5. Possession of a Controlled Substance – GHB
 By Pepper Parr
January 30, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The public got their first chance to see real detail on the proposed 2014 budget. It wasn’t that they didn’t like what they saw – they said they didn’t see enough data and they wanted a chance to talk about the budget before numbers were put out.
A packed room of about 70 people went through a workbook and talked about what they liked and didn’t like. On balance they were prepared to live with the proposed budget – there were the usual few who didn’t want the city taking another dime out of their pockets.
The LaSalle Park Marina Association tried to tilt the scales and had one of their advocates at each of the discussion tables.
Vanessa Warren of the Rural Coalition went to the front of the room and asked the “special interests” refrain from that practice.
In her summation she pointed out that none of the remarks made at the only public meeting being held on the budget would be available before delegations were made. The sense seemed to be that they wanted more information and they wanted it sooner so they could have a real impact.
By Ray Rivers
January 30, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Last week two passengers flying from Toronto to Halifax got carried away and joined the Mile High Club (MHC). On landing the police detained them, and the female ended up getting arrested – which as you can imagine would kind of ruin the moment. Perhaps the most celebrated case of making your own in-flight entertainment was Ralph Fiennes and a very eager-to-please attendant, on route to Bombay from Darwin. Australia. Somebody caught her fixing her skirt as she left the toilet cubicle shortly after Fiennes did.
 Part of the growing up stages? These are the stories of fancy – how many of us secretly wish it were us? And seriously, why would they arrest somebody for doing what comes naturally, providing it was in the confines of a plane’s tiny toilet compartment or discretely in one of those horribly uncomfortable seats. Perhaps the lucky couple should qualify for a medal for having the chutzpah to engage in that kind of near-gymnastic activity, rather than being arrested. Maybe this could be another Olympic event?
Anything to escape from the boredom of listening to those whining jet engines and that annoying intercom. Richard Branson once bragged that he got initiated into the MHC at a very young age – but then what would you expect from a guy who named his airline ‘Virgin’? I once saw an advert for an hour-long MHC private flight for under $500, and our own Justin Bieber reportedly has joined the club, though the HIGH may be just the kind one gets from smoking Rob Ford’s favourite herb.
Then there is the other mile-high club – the one where Canada’s prime minister flies hundreds of business people to foreign lands to expand Canada’s trade opportunities. Jean Chretien first created the Team Canada concept. And last week Stephen Harper flew 200 people to Israel. though I’m not sure why, since we already have a free trade deal with them – one Chretien negotiated back in the 90’s. And our business with that tiny nation will only ever amount to a mere fraction of our total exports.
So what was Harper doing in Israel and why did he bring over so many delegates? The fact is that this excursion wasn’t about trade, it was about politics. Harper apparently believes that if you profess your love enough times you’ll get loved in return. Though, it’s really the votes he wants – enough to give him another ten or so ridings in vote-rich Ontario.
Is it working? The pollsters and pundits will tell you it is, but my friends of Jewish background always seem more insulted than impressed with this kind of deliberate over-the-top pandering. After all, the PM’s love extends shamelessly to any minority group which can return his love at the ballot box. We recall how he performed a masterful grandstand for the Tamil community, refusing to attend an annual commonwealth meeting in Sri Lanka last year.
And there is never a shortage of client groups to love. The recent Ukrainian disturbance, for example, has provided him with a plum opportunity to play up to Canadians of Ukrainian origin. For Mr. Harper and his party all politics is local – and Canada’s foreign policy gets determined by what will win votes back home. That isn’t new and he isn’t the first politician to play politics with international relations, but Harper has turned this kind of pandering into a new art form.
In one of his speeches he talked about Canada’s unquestioning support for Israel as being the right thing to do. But is it? The roadmap to the future for Israel and the Palestinians is either a two-state solution or a one-state solution. Of course a form of occupied single-state is what they have right now. But this situation is unsustainable – a time bomb ticking until violence once again brings chaos and calamity to this part of the middle east.
 Close to 200 people trekked to Israel with the Prime Minister – the public paid for a lot of those airplane seats. And time is also against a two-state solution, which is partly our fault, since Canada’s international posture has helped mitigate against that outcome. John Baird voted against a Palestinian state at the UN and we intervened at the G8 to avoid criticizing Israel’s occupation beyond the 1967 borders. Our recent role in the Middle East has helped enable Israel to flaunt international law, including construction of a barrier through occupied territory, violating UN resolutions and creating new settlements in the occupied territories.
Stephen Harper may claim he is doing the right thing – but his unquestioning support for the status quo in that nation is wrong. While his motives may be genuine, this is not the kind of love that Israel needs. If there is no two-state solution there will be a one-state solution and that will mean the end of the Jewish nation. Israel will not be able to avoid integrating its Palestinian population into an evolved secular democratic state. South Africa, Israel’s one time ally, can provide a working blueprint of how to proceed.
Being a mile above the earth is supposed to provide greater perspective, but our PM was missing the big picture as he and the rest of his 200 mile-high delegates flew in to Israel last week. Just like that couple on the flight to Halifax he is confusing passion for love. What they were doing may have felt like love but it was really just going through a motion.
 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. He developed the current policy process for the Ontario Liberal Party.
Background links:
Stephen Harper and Israel
A Matter of Principle
Jewish Voters
Harper’s Zeal
Mile High Club
Justin Bieber
Halifax Flight
Two State solution
 By Pepper Parr
January 29, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
“We would like to invite you to join Insight Burlington – an online, interactive community panel that will give participants an opportunity to engage and connect on a variety of issues. You will be invited to share your thoughts, ideas and insights on a variety of issues that are important to you and the City of Burlington”, said the email.
Sounded pretty straightforward.
“To get started please click on the link below and complete the short survey. It should take you no more than 6 minutes” took less.
You can be part of this Insight panel the city is setting up. Click on the link below and answer the questions and you’re in.
 Knowing what people think helps a city provide the services the city can afford. City manager Jeff Fielding had hoped to have several thousand people signed up and ready to answer whatever questions the city wanted to ask. When there is an issue being considered the city wanted to be able to turn this Insight panel – run a couple of questions by them and factor that “public opinion” into their decision.
The city does not own the software that runs the program and all the background technology that makes the service work is owned and operated by the son of one of the best public opinion polling expert this country has. Angus Reid, basically retired now, serves as a thinker for Vision Critical – the name of the service Burlington bought into.
Who you are is none of the city’s business. They will, for example, know you are 55 years of age, live in L7M 1T5, own your home and have a household income of $119,000. The WHO you are by name – the city will never know – all that information stays on the Vision Critical computers which happen to be located in Vancouver.
The Insight panel is something the city manager has control of – members of council don’t get to put their sticky fingers anywhere near it. They may be asked if there are questions they would like to see posed – but the service is in place for the city administration. It is a tool to help them make decisions.
The Insight Burlington panel is open to anyone 16 years of age and older who is a resident, taxpayer or business owner/operator in the City of Burlington. The goal is to create a panel that reflects the community. It is an opportunity to voice your opinions on a variety of topics and issues related to the city and the services it provides.
The service is described as a part of the Engagement Charter – now there’s something we haven’t heard about for some time.
What fascinates the people at city hall is the granularity the service will give them. Suppose you said you never used transit – they could ask you why and focus on people in specific parts of the community based on the postal code that was captured.
If there is an issue related to parents in the northern part of the city – the postal codes allow survey questions to be directed to people they are relevant to.
If you want to join click on the link below and answer the questions. The system will get back to you letting you know that you are one of the chosen – actually you choose yourself.
The system can’t be gamed, you can’t flood it by having all your buddies, people who think the way you do, register. The software was designed to provide the city administration with a balanced view.
The city manager is starting this with a soft launch – they want to see how well it works. Early thinking had them taking a look at transit but that may have changed.
Leah Bisutti, administrative assistant in City Manager’s Office has what is called “ownership” of the service. Bisutti along with four other people at city hall have been trained on how to set up a questionnaire. The intention is to send out questions frequently but keep them short. And for those with Smart phones – you will be able to respond on the GO train.
Bisutti is excited about the project. Burlington is the first city in Ontario to take this approach to community engagement. The question staff ask is: Will it work, will people take us up on this.
If you registered to become part of the panel – you can expect to see the first set of question within three to five days. I’m excited, Leah is excited and the city manager is hoping that the investment pays off – he doesn’t want to have to tell council that he blew $100,000 on an idea.
 Checking in – being heard. If you didn’t get one; accept this invitation from the Gazette. Join Now
Got questions? Bisutti has an electronic help line – pop her a note and ask your questions. insight@burlington.ca
If you are unable to click on the link above, please copy and paste the full URL below into your browser:
www.insightburlington.com
Background:
City reveals public opinion polling plans, not cheap.
City hall recruits public for opinions
 By Pepper Parr
January 29, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Brian Ferguson brings a very personal point of view to what the United Way means to the community. For many it is a charity that helps people less fortunate that we may happen to be.
We have extra money and we give it to the United Way or other organizations – because we want to help. (Why do we call this charity – it’s a social responsibility.) Ferguson makes the point that the United Way isn’t an organization that helps the less fortunate – it helps people who need help.
 Greg Jones, communications advisor with Newalta and Burlington United Way Chair Brian Ferguson go over a few points at a Campaign Cabinet meeting Ferguson’s mother was dealing with cancer; a terrible disease that strikes many homes and families. He was 15 years of age when his Mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Just after his 16th birthday his Mother’s cancer was so bad that she became bed ridden at home, that is when Brian’s family was referred to the Red Cross who would drop off medical supplies and equipment to the house weekly.
Ferguson didn’t know at the time that this portion of the Red Cross was supported by the United Way. “It wasn’t until I started running the United Way Campaign at VMware as the Employee Campaign Chair that I started to learn who the United Way supports, this is when I found out the Red Cross program we relied on was supported by the United Way.”
 Tara Brewer on the right keeps in touch with her co-workers during a meeting while Jason Lemaich gets a bit of work done during a break in a Campaign Cabinet meeting. This wasn’t the last time Ferguson was aided by the United Way. Years later Brian and his wife turned to ROCK for counselling for his family. To help them learn how to co-exist as a blended family while also learning how to deal with his wife having MS and the strain it puts on everyone. ROCK – Reach Out Centre for Kids – is a UW funded agency.
Brian Ferguson isn’t a poor man. He is gainfully employed by one of the sharpest Canadian companies in the high tech field. He travels frequently to California seeking out the best talent there is as a recruiter for VMWare. Are we going to call Brian Ferguson a charity case? He was a man with a problem he couldn’t manage on his own and sought the help he needed.
“From a young age”, Brian will tell you, “my mother taught me the importance of giving back and being an active member in my community. I see my role in the United Way as a way to live my Mother’s legacy while also teaching my children (almost 3-year-old girl and 15-year-old son) the importance of giving back. The motto I live by running the United Way is – our community is not truly great until it is great for EVERYONE.
The theme my United Way Cabinet runs under is: TWW (Together We Win).
 United Way president Len Lifchus appears to be trying to convince Lesley Allison (UW Campaign Director)
that an idea will work: she doesn’t appear to be buying that one. The United Way that Ferguson raises funds for is there in the blink of an eye when you need it the most. The focus this past campaign had three beams of light: From poverty to possibility; Healthy People build strong communities and All that kids can be.
One in three people will use a United Way funded service/program in their lifetime…mostly of the time not even knowing it. “This was me”, adds Brian Ferguson.
Now you know why he was asked to serve for a second year as chair of the 2014 Burlington campaign.
Background:
Fund raising in bits and pieces around the community.
Creating the team that brought in more than $2.1 million for 2013.
 By Pepper Parr
January 29th, 2014
BURLINGTON.ON
She is different – in a pleasant direct way. Her “stage name” nerdy socialite” is perhaps best left for her social set – it isn’t going to take her very far with the smart ward 4 set – but Alexandra Kubrak doesn’t live south of New Street.
She is a marketing and client relationship manager with several successful small business operation notches on her pistol.
 Ward 4 city council candidate Alexandra Kubrak would have one of these juke boxes in her bedroom if she could find one at a decent price. The daughter of second generation Polish people who adopted Alexandra 15 years into their marriage. Alexandra was “Raised as the little girl but disciplined as a boy”. Solid Catholic school background and a graduate of University of Toronto, Mississauga Campus.
After graduating she spent three months trying to find a job – didn’t find what she wanted so set out on her own and created a business she could run.
This young woman does not wait – she figure out what she wants – quickly – and moves out to take the target. Her focus at university was “cultural communications”. She is hep, clued in, knows a city that is a lot different from the people who currently sit on city council.
She thinks things through. She doesn’t have a platform – yet. She wants to listen to people first and then put together the plan she would work from to represent the ward.
She had no brave “here is what’s wrong with this city” statements. She intends to go door to door, introducing herself and listening. That platform will come later.
There is no sense of “entitlement” to this woman. “If you want something you have to fight for it”, she said “If I get elected it will be because I worked my butt off, she added, then said she would wait until the weather was a bit warmer before she took to the streets.
She will get described as the “youth” candidate: that would be a mistake. Alexandra Kubrak is young but don’t mistake her for a token that represents a demographic that usually doesn’t vote and for the most part is self-centered. This woman is no nerd. Smart, focused, a sense of humour and a pretty good idea as to who she is.
 The first step to getting elected is to listen – which is what Kubrak intend to do as she goes door to door – she wants to meet every voter – just wants weather that is a little warmer before she starts. There was a time when she felt a little less than an equal but the woman you meet now comes across as proud of herself, more than confident but not cocky. She realizes she is an unknown – doesn’t bother her a bit.
For Alexandra Kubrak the next six months is a lot of hard work, listening and then pulling together what she has learned and figuring out what people want. Then she will make some decisions. No agenda for this candidate.
Ward 4 is going to be a tough fight for this candidate but don’t count her out. Much will depend on who else gets into the race.
Background”
There is another candidate.
 By Pepper Parr
January 28, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
It started as a pilot project in North Burlington during 20131 that proved to be a remarkable success. At that time the city gave Community Development Halton (CDH) $86,000 to strengthen community at the neighbourhood level by actively engaging community members and agencies and to continue increasing access to recreation and culture within neighbourhood spaces.
The measurables are remarkable. CDH took the money and leveraged it to bring in $40,000 in kind and recorded 3130 in volunteer hours. Few organization can talk in terms of that number of volunteer time.
The pilot did more than that – it brought out a response from the faith communities who have opened their doors and their arms and hosted events. One of the early offerings was community dinners which irked some because they felt city money was being used to feed people dinner – that’s not where the dollars went.
How does a social planner explain what they do? Listen to Rishia
The dollars went to fund a community social planner who managed to convince a sports team from Hayden High in Alton to prepare and serve one of those dinners. The socioeconomic differences between these two groups – North Burlington residents and Hayden high students creates an understanding, a tolerance and an appreciation of each other.
 Community Development Halton Executive Director Joey Edwardh at an AGM Joey Edwardh, CDH Executive Director, explains that neighbourhood development is not a social service. Vibrant neighborhoods is a formative pillar in the city’s Strategic Plan. The social planner that was hired is on the ground working with people in the community to “connect the dots”. A city is more than bike paths and roads that are in good repair – the city is its people says Edwardh with some gusto.
The pilot project now has many of its dis-advantaged people serving lunches to seniors in faith community settings.
Neighbourhoods are the first point of contact for members of council – and this city has neighbourhoods that are not visible – much the way it took city council some time to become aware of the vibrant art and culture groups in the city – few knew they were even there.
One of the harder realizations for people who work in disadvantaged communities is spotting the lack of aspirations on the part of these young people. Their parents cannot afford to put their children into hockey programs, they can’t pay for tickets to Performing Arts events – lunch money is a stretch most of the time. Joining the Burlington Teen Tour Band is totally out of the question.
Each of these would be said to be what defines Burlington and that wouldn’t be a false statement – but for many, far more than most of us realize, being part of these defining groups is a hard reality for the disadvantage.
Is community development a city responsibility? If the city is to be “vibrant” development has to be done at the community level and that is easier to do in some communities that it is in others.
Some feel this kind of service gets done by the Regional government. The Region delivers and over sees services mandated by the province and includes services that are more effectively and economically delivered by the Region.
Community Development Halton has a rich history in the field of community development. It grew out of social councils that were operational back when Roly Bird and Walter Mulkewich were Mayors and current provincial Minister of Community Services Ted McMeekin was employed as the Executive Director of the original social council in Burlington.
Some ground breaking reports came out of CDH and some now very successful community organizations were incubated at went on to become a part of the fabric that keeps the city together. Food for Thought – a program that ensures students who are not being fed properly get the meals and the nutrition they need. Today we wouldn’t think of not having Food for Thought.
 What do you get for $86,000 – what do you think of this for a process. Can you see your city in there?  Shuffling the papers as she prepares to speak Community Development HAlton Executive Director Joey Edwardh delivers the message With the funding Edwardh is seeking for 2014 community development at the neighbourhood level could begin in South East and Central Burlington.
The business case submitted to council’s budget review process fits well with the city’s Leisure Services Policy and Community Development Policy. It is similar to the approach taken regarding Community Gardens. This business case is based on a 1% increase over the city’s investment in the pilot project in 2013. Mid year and end of year reporting to the City of Burlington will be expected.
There is some additional work to be done at the city/Regional level clarifying a “place based” neighbourhood strategy that meets the needs of the City of Burlington and the Region of Halton, considering each level of government’s service responsibilities. The City will have completed service business plans and will be ready for service based budgets in the 2015 budget.
Community is eclectic, chaotic and doesn’t grow with constraints. Community is people – they come in all sizes shapes and colours.
The argument for funding this program will be delegated on February 4th – the decision will say a lot about the kind of city we really are.
 By Staff
January 28, 2014
BURLINGTON. ON.
Between Jan 14 – 21, 2014, the Halton Regional Police Service conducted an organized high school drug initiative in the City of Burlington, named Project Impact.
Officers from the Burlington Strategic Support Team, High School Liaison, uniform patrol and the Integrated Drug, Gun and Gang unit worked in partnership to crackdown on drug trafficking in and around Burlington Catholic and Public high schools.
As a result of the investigation, quantities of marihuana, cocaine, oxycontin powder and pills, and clonazepam with a combined estimated street value of $6010.00 were seized.
As part of the investigation, officers also executed seven Controlled Drug and Substances Act (CDSA) search warrants on six residences and one vehicle throughout the City of Burlington.
Investigators arrested 27 people in connection with the investigation, with 22 of those being young offenders. A total of 27 criminal charges were laid. Six of the young offenders were forwarded to our Diversion program, Youth Drug Awareness Program, which is an opportunity for first time young offenders to re-evaluate the path they have chosen and provide these youth with a second chance at making the right decision.
Three adults were also charged in connection with the investigation:
Travis ARSENEAULT, 18, of Burlington, is charged with Trafficking, Possession for Purpose x 2, Possession and Breach.
John ARSENEAULT, 47, of Burlington is charged with Possession.
Ryan BLAINEY, 18, of Burlington is charged with Possession and Possession for Purpose x 2.
“Project Impact was a well-organized, team oriented proactive initiative that served not only as an enforcement blitz but an educational opportunity for students, school officials and the community as a whole,” said Superintendent Al Albano of 3 District.
“Parents need to be aware that there are drugs in all high schools, so we encourage them to be aware of what their children are doing, and ask appropriate questions. Be it a parent, a teacher, a sibling, or a friend, we can all help to stop the distribution and use of drugs in our youth community before they make lasting life decisions,” said Supt. Albano.
Anyone with information on this or any other crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1800 222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
 By Pepper Parr
January 28, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Whenever the Mayor adjourns a meeting of Council he closes by saying this Council is adjourned until the next scheduled meeting or at the call of the Mayor.
Mayor Rick Goldring as Mayor can call a Special meeting of council at very short notice.
Late Monday evening (yesterday) council decided it would have the city manager hold a press conference and tell the public the whole story about the pier. That was voted on – unanimously.
Later that evening Councillor Marianne Meed Ward realized that Council had not waived its privilege, by which we mean, information Council had been given in confidence (in Closed sessions) and not passed along to the public could not be discussed in public by the city manager.
Meed Ward talked to people at Legal and got the wording she needed to take to the Mayor and ask that he hold a Special meeting of Council – which took place at 1:00 pm Tuesday the 28th of January.
 City Clerk Angela Morgan fails to ensure media alerted to Special Council meeting. Her communications people dropped the ball as well. Unfortunately, the city Clerk who handles the paper work for things like this, did not ensure that media was advised. The city’s manager of communications either failed to advise media or didn’t know the meeting was being called. The communications manager reports to the Clerk.
The communications manager commented to us in an email that: We have not advised media directly of Council meetings in the past but it sounds like this would be something we should do going forward.
 Mayor Goldring’s Chief Of Staff didn’t think it was her job to advise media that the Mayor had called a Special meeting of council. Given that the decision to call a special meeting of Council is one that only the Mayor can make his chief of Staff should have ensured that media was advised. In a short, testy conversation with the Chief of Staff she commented that was not her job. One wonders if she really knows what her job is.
Having said all that – the meeting took place and had one purpose. For Council to waive its privileges and authorize the city manager to tell the public how much the city has spent on legal fees related to the Brant Street Pier.
The city manager was not authorized to say any more than that. He is limited to talking about what is already on the public record.
One of the reasons the city has gone public with the matter of legal fees is the result of pressure created by the Post’s application to the Commissioner for Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy.
Meed Ward had to remind both her council colleagues, the city manager and the Clerk’s office that it wasn’t that simple.
In her comments at the Special Council meeting Meed Ward said the following:
I want to thank mayor and city manager for honouring to my request for a special council meeting to vote on this matter.
This vote is important for two reasons:
1- It follows our own process; only council, though a public vote, has the authority to release confidential information. We can’t download that responsibility to the city manager.
2-More important it is about accountability – we are elected representative of the people and as such we are directly accountable to the public for the decisions we make, including release of the pier legal fees and any other pier related information. We have a duty to the public we serve to have that discussion and vote in public, so the public know where their representatives stand. We can’t assign that public responsibility to the city manager.
I fully support the release of the legal fees; I have never believed releasing the total amount would compromise our legal position, and recent decisions from the Information and Privacy Commissioner in similar cases have also made that case, and have ordered the release of this information. We have been aware of those decisions for several years, because those decisions were on the public record.
I want to commend the Post for filing the FOI and keeping our feet to the fire on this. That is true public service journalism. It shouldn’t have taken that request for us to the do the right thing, but here we are and I thank the Post for pursuing this in the public interest.
The bigger issue here is the total cost to the taxpayer of the pier including the legal fees.
The public deserves to know all the costs and options that were considered to complete the project, including multiple offers from the contractor to complete the pier. That story has yet to be told, but it will be.
Residents will make their own judgments about whether we have been good stewards of the money and decisions you entrust to us.
We have an opportunity to learn from this experience in the life of our city, and use those learnings to make the best decisions for residents in the future.
The motion Meed Ward brought to Council read:
That Council waive solicitor client privilege over the total aggregate external legal fees paid by the City of Burlington to McLauchlin & Associates since 2008 to present in respect of the Brant Street Pier matter. The privilege is waived solely to allow the City Manager to disclose the legal fees to the public at a press conference to be held by the City Manager on January 30, 2014. Solicitor-client privilege is waived for this expressed purpose only, and the privilege continues in effect with respect to all other aspects relating to the matter.
 It is so cold that the city decided to tell you how much it has paid lawyers to defend some of the decisions they made. That will add some heat to things. That doesn’t leave much room for the city manager to tell us anything but media conferences are funny things – the right question asked often reveals details that just sort of pop out.
Meed Ward asked for a recorded vote on her motion – it went 6-1 with Councilor Dennison voting against the waiving of privilege.
Back in March of 2013 the city manager asked Council to allocate $10,000 to pay media specialists – hopefully some of that money is left – it’s going to be needed to get through the media conference.
Background:
What can a spin doctor do for you at a media event?
 By Pepper Parr
January 27, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The big news out of the city council meeting Monday night is that the city is going to go public on the Brant Street Pier.
A Standing Committee met earlier in the day and had what Councillor Sharman referred to as a full exchange of view – but those views were certainly not unanimous. While Council members had the opportunity to make comments on the meeting Councillor Meed Ward was the only one to speak at any length and she pushed at the city manager who we learned is going to hold a press conference on Thursday to: Cover the past, give the public an update on where things are and talk about what the city plans to do going forward.
 City manager Jeff Fielding once had his toe nails painted at a London, Ontario event when he was city manager there He will be doing some pretty fancy foot work next Thursday as he explains the situation with the city and the Pier. Meed Ward had to push to get city manager Jeff Fielding to add that he will be addressing the matter of just how much the city has spent on legal fees. Buy Band-Aids today – you’re going to want them on Thursday – we will all be bleeding a bit.
We are advised that Justice Fitzpatrick who is hearing the case has scheduled a meeting in May for the mediation attempt that must take place and that a possible trial date has been pencilled in for the month of June.
 Councillor Meed Ward wants the public to have all the information available on the pier and its legal problems. Wants the other council members to be accountable for their part in the mess. Meed Ward said that the information the public was to be given is “less than what could be offered” and added that each council member has to give an account of their position and not leave that task to the city manager.
Press conferences of this nature are traditionally given by the Mayor as the Chief Magistrate but if you recall how Mayor Goldring handled the press conference during the CN derailment a number of years ago – we know why the city manager has been instructed to be the mouth piece.
Time and place for the press conference were not announced. It should be a hot event.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON.
January 25th, 2014
He’s green – no doubt about that and we’re not talking about the colour of his political stripe. But John Sweeny brings an engaging naiveté to municipal politics.
He doesn’t represent a vested interest. He doesn’t have a huge “I gotta do this” approach and he certainly has a lot to learn but he clearly has the smarts and the past experience to learn – and learn quickly.
He brings much more than a dozen years of relationship development between sectors in the high tech field where the relationship is critical if each of the partners is to survive and prosper. Sweeny worked with Deloitte in their Business Development Consulting side where smart, aggressive successful start-up operations need the support of other like-minded companies to work together and complete a project.
 John Sweeney, ward 4 candidate and his wife Gwyneth Intson. The field Sweeny was in is now the model that the private sector relies upon – where collaboration and not hierarchical structures are what gets things done. And that isn’t the way the public sector works – Burlington can’t get the Ministry of the Environment to work with them on the soil contamination at the Air Park on what has a more than passing potential to become a serious public health problem.
Sweeny certainly has a lot to learn about just how municipal politics works but Councillors Sharman, Lancaster and Meed Ward had a lot to learn and this reporter well remembers some real “doozers” of goofs by each of them. What is important is the capacity to learn – along with a willingness to listen – which is something those on Council will ten years plus of experience and contributions to one of the best pension plans you will ever see have yet to master.
One looks for an openness which you see in Sweeny. He talks of perspectives rather than opinions. He doesn’t appear to have overly strong opinions but does talk about attaining a perspective based on the data. He tends to want to know what has happened before and why a problem exists. If elected John Sweeny will experience quite a bit of indigestion when he reads some of the staff reports that get put in front of him.
He is big on communication and talks of both “push” and “pull” approaches. He sees it very much as a two-way process: you listen and you explain – refreshing indeed.
Sweeny doesn’t come to this opportunity in his life with a strong record of community service. He isn’t tainted with alliances that limit. He isn’t a Rotarian, hasn’t coached any teams, does play hockey.
His Dad was a doctor who made house calls. He did get involved with other parents when it looked as if the school board was going to shut down Ryerson Public School on Woodview, a school his children were attending. He was also directly involved as a coach, manager and trainer within the Burlington rep hockey associations both, Burlington Lions Optimist Hockey Association(BLOMHA) and Burlington City Rep Hockey (the “Eagles).
Sweeny describes the job of Mayor as that of the CEO – would that it were; every Mayor ever elected in this city would love to have some real executive authority. John Sweeny will learn that the Mayor is just another vote; a person with ceremonial and public function responsibilities but also the holder of a “bully pit” that if used well can be very effective in growing public acceptance for new ideas, new approaches and a platform from which he can explain why more tax payer dollars have to be spent on a project.
John Sweeny will not be calling on you for financial support to run his campaign. He doesn’t expect to have to raise any money. His will be a grass-roots campaign that has him going from door to door talking to people.
He has a website that is “in progress”. “It is almost ready” he said in a note to us “it is a little trickier than I thought”. Click on the link for the web site: web site address
Sweeny found himself at a point in life where he is able to work as a politician. He doesn’t use the word “serve”; he doesn’t talk about the job being an “honour” and understanding the trust he is being given. It is a job that has to be done; one that will pay him half of what he was earning but his situation is such that he can manage that.
His higher level thoughts and what needs to be done?
Growth and sustainability. Sweeny understands the dynamics Burlington has to work with. He fully understand that the money has to come in to pay for the services the city has to deliver and he is aware of the problems the city is dealing with on the economic development side. He doesn’t have solutions; he doesn’t have a five point plan. He does have the capacity to think through problems and the experience in working with others to find solutions hat work for as many people as possible.
Governance is another concern. How things work matters to Sweeny. Is there a process that is delivering what is needed efficiently and effectively? Are the right people in the right places doing what needs to be done?
Infrastructure: A Hart Street in Roseland resident Sweeny is not a part of the “smart set”. He didn’t appear to know all that many people; he hasn’t been the kind of guy that got out to every community meeting.
He doesn’t have a position on incumbent Jack Dennison’s current Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) appeal of a Committee of Adjustment decision that went against him.
There is a lot about the community that John Sweeny doesn’t know. He brings an open, disciplined mind that is capable of focusing on a problem and using the data available to find a solution.
It will be interesting to see how Sweeny develops as a candidate. You can reach him at john_sweeny@sympatico.ca if you want to join his parade.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON.
January 24, 2014
It is winter – we are Canadians – we can handle it – right?
The Lowville Winter Games take place Sunday – 11 to 4 and this year there is going to be snow.
The lineup is solid; the weather is supposed to be good and the Bistro will be open with hot chocolate.
The human gyroscope
The Body Zorbs race track
A pancake-eating contest – provided by the Sunset Grill.
Log-sawing contest
Winter crafts courtesy of Momstown
Photos in the Burlington Events photo booth
Three-time Olympic gold medalist, women’s hockey champion Becky Kellar (noon to 2 p.m.) in the school house
TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games: Find out how to get involved in the games, try playing a sports activity and learn about record-holding achievements by athletes
Conservation Halton’s birds of prey exhibit
Bur Bear frisbee golf course
Horse-drawn wagon rides
Skating and tobogganing
 Oliver Hannak,a Niagara College photography student came across this situation and like any good photographer pulled over, got his gear out and started taking pictures.
The hope is the Sunday weather will be sunshine and clear skies as hundreds head up to Lowville Park to enjoy the day. Solid winter fun. Get out and enjoy it and use the occasion to forget the really poopy weather some people have had to cope with.
Drive safely up Guelph Line – keep it between the ditches.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON.
January 24, 2014
Getting interesting in Ward 4 with a “nerdy socialite”, Lexi K and a Hart Street resident, John Sweeny, who doesn’t want to commute to Toronto anymore, filing nomination papers. Still waiting for a couple of other names in this ward – there could be five people on the ballot for that ward. THAT would be interesting.
Lisa Cooper has decided to have a go at it again and filed her nomination papers in Ward 3 which means no acclamation for Taylor, the incumbent.
In 2010 Lisa was some distance behind John Taylor but if you combined her vote with what Cory Judson picked up – she would have become the Council member. Judson is not expected to run again – understood to have moved to Stoney Creek.
We will come back to you with more on Lisa Cooper – what can be said at this point is that while she certainly lives within the ward boundary she is well south of the Dundas divide and certainly not a rural Burlington resident. While Councillor Taylor has done a good job representing that part of the city – he doesn’t live in rural Burlington and you really have to be “one of them” to effectively represent them.
The time may have come for at least one of the Wards 3 and 6 Council members to be represented by someone from north of the Dundas/407 line.
Ward 1 has a race for sure. Rick Craven the incumbent has yet to file nomination papers. He missed the Mayor’s State of the City address – was reported to be vacationing in a warmer climate
 City Clerk will oversee the municipal election and sign the document that makes the winners official. The lineup at this point as we near the end of the first month of the count down to the municipal election in October is:
For Mayor Burlington: Rick Goldring
Ward 1:Katherine Henshell and Jason Boelhouwer. Incumbent Rick Craven has yet to file nomination papers
Ward 2: No one yet; the incumbent Marianne Meed Ward has yet to file nomination papers
Ward 3: Lisa Cooper – the incumbent John Taylor has yet to file nomination papers.
Ward 4: John Sweeny and Alexandra Kubrak. Incumbent Jack Dennison traditionally does not file nomination papers until sometime in June and then spends the summer cycling through the ward knocking on every door possible
Ward 5: Ian Simpson. Incumbent Paul Sharman has yet to file nomination papers. A third candidate is expected to come forward in March. Ward 5 has traditionally have a large field of candidates.
Ward 6: No one yet. Blair Lancaster the incumbent has yet to file nomination papers.
Regional Chair. Incumbent Gary Carr has filed nomination papers.
 There will be a bunch of people who want to call this place “home” for four years. The Burlington Gazette will publish profiles on each of the candidates and follow their campaigns.
Background links:
Runners in the race – those not yet at the starting gate.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON.
January 24, 2014
On Wednesday and Thursday of this week the Police Service Human Trafficking and Vice Unit participated in a National initiative to identify victims of human trafficking and to provide information and support to those working in the sex trade industry.
Through investigative means, during the two-day blitz, police officers identified and met with over 20 sex trade workers operating in local hotels.
There are a lot of people who will be stunned when they learn there are that many sex trade workers in the city.
During the course of one of these meetings investigators identified a victim being exploited to participate in the sex trade industry at a hotel in the City of Burlington. The Halton Regional Police Service laid human trafficking charges against a 22-year-old woman and rescued a 15-year-old victim as a result of the human trafficking awareness initiative.
The accused, a 22-year-old female was exercising control over the 15-year-old victim and facilitating her exploitation. Police apprehended and rescued the victim and have subsequently brought her to a place of safety.
Amie McIntyre (22 years of age) of Angus, Ontario is charged with the following offences:
Trafficking of a person under the age of 18.
Procuring a person to become a prostitute.
Exercise and control a person to engage in prostitution.
Living off the avails of person under the age of 18.
McIntyre has been remanded into custody until January 27th, 2013.
The Halton Regional Police Service are informing workers in the sex trade industry that Police Services and local organizations such as “Walk with Me” and Chrysalis (Click on the links) exist to provide first response care and support to victims of human trafficking.
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 or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON
January 24, 2014
There is some movement with the Brant Street pier and its legal problems. A special meeting of the Community and Corporate services Standing Committee will take place on Monday afternoon at 2:00 pm.
 The sign told the story – hell didn’t freeze over and the pier did open. Now city council has to clean up the mess they created. Try as they might this council is not going to be able to lay the blame on previous council’s. Don’t rush downtown to get a seat – this is going to be another of those closed sessions. The city uses a Section of the Municipal Act to close the doors when there is a confidential issue to be discussed – and the pier’s legal problems are treated as confidential – they are also critical to the credibility of the city.
The meeting announcement has a Confidential legal department report L-4-14 regarding Brant Street Pier litigation. (L-4-14) It runs 15 pages long.
So – why the meeting and why so rush rush?
Here is what we can tell you.
There are people within the city administration that want this settled but they get their marching orders from city council and so far – there obviously is not a majority of Council that is prepared to settle this matter.
Based on what we have heard publicly, one of the strongest voices for not settling has been that of Paul Sharman who has convinced himself the city has a case and they should fight it.
 The Cheshire Cat is a fictional cat popularised by Lewis Carroll in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and known for its distinctive mischievous grin. Councillor Meed Ward must be wearing her best Cheshire Cat grin – she has believed this issue was settle-able before she was even elected.
Some think that if they settle with Harm Schilthuis and Sons Ltd., (HSS) then they have to settle with AECOM and the other litigants.
Something shifted at city hall and the city’s lawyers reached out to the HSS lawyers and said “we should talk”. It is not known yet if any talks have taken place – the lawyers can’t arrive at anything definitive until they have instructions from the city council.
The Community and Corporate Affairs Committee will meet Monday afternoon in a closed session – they traditionally don’t report on what they talk about other than to say they talked.
Their report – perhaps with a recommendation will go to Council Monday evening – again it maybe to just report that talks took place.
Will Council issue instructions to settle this matter? If they do will they say what they are prepared to settle for? That’s not the way this game is played.
This Council had at least two opportunities to settle this matter in a way that was fair. There was an opportunity to go with a solution that was put on the table by the insurance company. The city had called the performance bond and seemed to think the cheque would be in the mail.
The insurance company came back with a solution to complete the project – albeit at a higher cost – that City Council rejected, almost out of hand and certainly didn’t tell the public about.
That failure, a close to colossal one, is what has kept the city in litigation for more than two years.
 There was a second opportunity to settle that may not have gotten to Council. It was certainly discussed and may have been debated at another one of those closed sessions. An appalling lack of transparency is the one thing that has been consistent with this situation.
The city is now reaching out to the lawyers for at least one of the five litigants and having conversations. The chances are better than even that the basics of a settlement agreement are in draft form and the Community and Corporate services Committee will consider the options.
Clearly some movement; about time.
This wouldn’t be because there is an election in the fall and this council wants to get this mess and their mistakes off the table and under the rug?
Background links:
Sad story, expensive story that a dash of transparency could have prevented.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON
January 23, 2014
We were advised that thee were some problems with city hall’s web site and were told:
We are working to resolve this issue with our service provider and will provide you with more information as soon as I have it. Will most likely be tomorrow morning. Thank you for your patience.
The problem is with the material for 2014, particularly the webcasts. The city has cut over to a new form and there appear to be some problems. The new software for the 2014 data is going through some teething problems. It does take some getting used to but we are told that it will be much better when it is working properly.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON.
January 23, 2014
How did he do this time?
It really wasn’t all that different than the last two State of the City addresses the Mayor has delivered. I think he thanked everyone who pays taxes.
He introduced everyone that was elected and is paid by the taxpayers then chose to pass up on a chance to ask Burlington MPP Jane McKenna if she would talk to the Ministry of the Environment about the water table testing needed due to the tens of thousands of tonnes of landfill from God knows where that was dumped on the land without site plan approval.
At the same time he could have asked for some help from the Ministry of Transport on the road work that has to be done to keep IKEA in town.
 15 hectares (37.2 acres) of land in North Aldershot that was donated by Mr. John Holland and will become part of the Cootes to Escarpment park system. It was more polished speech this year, someone spent some time on giving the document more than a once over, but it didn’t move people. People basically sat on their hands. When John Holland got thanked for the 37 acres of land he donated to the city he got a great round of applause.
The address ran 13 pages long, hardly a laugh in it – it was basically an update of where we are which I guess is what a State of the city is supposed to be – but there are some concerns – real concerns that weren’t even touched on.
The city recently re-built a stretch of Goodram from Spruce south to Lakeshore – at a cost of $2.9 million. There are 54 homes in that stretch of the city.
At some point every street in the city is going to have to be re-built – that’s just the nature of infrastructure. The cost of re-building just a portion of Goodram is not sustainable. We need to find a different more sustainable way to pay for the work that has to be done.
Mention was made about the Economic Development Corporation. The audience for this address by the Mayor was brought in by the Chamber of Commerce – these are the business leaders of the city and they are heavily represented on the Economic Development Corporation – which is in very serious trouble.
We keep sugar-coating the problems with the BEDC. It was evident two years ago that the Executive Director had to go – but heels were dragged, excuses given (one was that the city couldn’t afford to buy the guy out)– but when they did eventually part ways the Chair of the BEDC made some intemperate remarks that cost the city a couple of thousand extra in the severance package.
We are told that a new “business model” will be revealed at the BEDC’s AGM in May. The hope at BEDC right now is that they get the $275,000 they’ve asked for to do yet another study. Meanwhile the city’s Industrial Commercial Institutional tax revenue is less in 2013 than it was for 2012 and is projected to be less again in 2014
 Something is brewing between the city and the University campus on the South Service Road. Mayor wasn’t ready to let that cat out of the bag this morning. There is some good news – has to do with some project development with the McMaster Burlington DeGroote campus on the South Service Road. The Mayor kept that card close to his chest – perhaps it will be an election campaign announcement although any credit will be due to the sterling work being done by the city manager.
Burlington’s relationship with the university has been mixed a best. The city got stiffed when McMaster pulled their plans for a campus on what is now the Elizabeth Street parking lot.
Mayor Goldring spoke of all the new jobs – but made no mention of those we lost and we lost some good ones. DependableIT is moving to Hamilton – they couldn’t find the space they needed in the city and apparently no one at BEDC was talking to them.
Dependable IT is –just what they say they are – working in Information Technology support. Their first two clients were Rogers and Cogeco. Dependable doesn’t flip hamburgers; they pay good wages and those dollars are on their way to Hamilton..
Property values are increasing. The Mayor said the average price of a home at $500,000 while the Finance Department has it at the $450,000 plus –and he said prices increased 7% over 2012. The people in the Beachway would certainly like to see some of that value accrue to their homes.
We managed to keep IKEA in town – not much mention of just what that is going to cost the city. Rebuilding the Walkers Line/North Service road interchange is going to cost a big bundle and the province didn’t get the least bit generous with funds.
The Infrastructure and Development people have had to make the best of a bad situation – anyone who drives the North Service Road west of Walkers Line will scratch their heads when they think about how many cars are going to drive along that road – it’s just two lanes wide now.
When it was all over and the tables were being cleaned up I chatted with a few people to get some feedback. No one was inspired – Ho hum summed up what I heard. As drove back to my office I thought about what moved me – and realized it was the reference made to John Holland and his donation of 37 acres of property in remembrance of his wife Eileen.
The applause was sustained, it was genuine, it was real; far more than just polite. We had just heard a Burlington story. As I thought about that bright spark – it was the only one, I realized that Mayor Goldring isn’t comfortable getting beyond the numbers. XXX number of jobs; XXX square feet of new commercial development; XXX new jobs.
These were kisses without hugs. That’s not what makes a city, that’s what makes a living but surely living is beyond numbers? There was no emotion – it was pretty bland.
While the program said there would be some Q&A – that seemed to get dropped.
Disappointing? Kind of – but more worrying is that we are in an election year and we have to decide if we want to keep the leadership we have. The Mayor has filed his nomination papers and so far he is the only person seeking the office of Mayor.
Now if I were a betting man I would find myself wondering how many other people came away feeling the way I did and was there anyone who wondered to themselves – I can do better than that.
It is pretty common knowledge that Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward wants at shot at the office – did she hear enough to convince her to take a run at the brass ring in 2014 because the competition in 2018 will be pretty stiff?
Is the dark horse ward 4 candidate wondering if he shouldn’t just go for the Mayor’s job now?
Is Paul Sharman, who filed nomination papers as a Mayoralty candidate in 2010, and then pulled them to instead run for the ward 5 council seat Goldring was going to vacate? Does Sharman think he can do a better job?
It wasn’t a pathetic speech – but it just wasn’t good enough. After three years in office the people at the Burlington Convention Centre deserved better – and needed better.
“Council unanimously approved the Revised Core Commitment for downtown”, said the Mayor. “With over 1800 touch points from our public consultation process, came the vision “Creating an active waterfront downtown destination that showcases the cultural heart of Burlington.” The City will play a leadership role in setting policy and committing resources to implement the strategic actions required to create a more vibrant and prosperous downtown. I have often stated that I believe that our downtown is the heart and soul of our community.”
We are in trouble in the downtown core is the heart and soul of the community.
For reasons that I can’t explain Rick Goldring isn’t comfortable with himself. He won’t tell the incredibly human stories that are in him. I would have loved to hear him tell about the picture exhibit Don Smith put up at the Performing Arts Centre just before the publication of the book he sponsored that told a good part of the Burlington story. Goldring found himself tearing up at that event.
I wanted my Mayor to “romance the stone” to make me feel proud of why I am here and move me to want to get involved and make this place even better than it is.
I don’t know why I didn’t hear that – I just heard a lot of platitudes.
Background links:
Full text of Mayors 2013 State of the City address
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