BURLINGTON, ON. February 17, 2013 Investigators with the Halton Regional Police Service Integrated Drug, Gun & Gang Unit began an undercover operation in January that has led to the arrest of eight Burlington residents. Officers acting in an undercover capacity purchased cocaine, crack cocaine, cannabis marijuana and illegal prescription drugs (Oxycodone and Tylenol 3) from several drug traffickers.
Last Friday, the 15th, members of the Integrated Drug, Gun and Gang Unit, Strategic Support Teams and the Tactical Response Unit executed three Controlled Drugs and Substances Act search warrants at residences within the City of Burlington.
Police seized approximately three pounds of cannabis marijuana, 14 grams of cocaine and Canadian currency as offence related property.
Three persons under the age of 18 years have been charged with trafficking a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance. One person under the age of 18 years is currently outstanding on charges of trafficking a controlled substance.
Further investigation led to the following two individuals being released unconditionally. They are not facing any criminal charges in relation to this matter: Grant KENNEDY and Andrew MORETUZO
The following persons have been charged;
Brian NAPPER (34 years) – trafficking a controlled substance, possession for the purpose of trafficking a controlled substance and breach of probation. NAPPER was held for a bail hearing.
Robert LODER (31 years) – trafficking a controlled substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking a controlled substance.
Melanie DALEJA (32 years) – possession of a controlled substance.
A group that large indicates there is a thriving drug business in the community – are our high schools a market for these drugs?
Anyone with information related to guns, drugs or other criminal activity within Halton Region, are encouraged to contact the Halton Regional Police Service at 905-878-5511 or contact Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-TIPS(8477), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637(crimes).
BURLINGTON, On. February 18th, 2013. Finding the right balance in the news business is not easy. When your publication is on the internet there are a lot of analytics that tell you how many people have read a story and what people are looking for when they are searching the site.
We were stunned this morning to see how many people went looking for what is going on for Family Day in Burlington. We had not published anything. Based on last year’s response, which was limited, we decided to forgo doing anything on what was open in the city. THAT was a mistake.
Hundreds of people went to Our Burlingtonto find out what was open and what wasn’t. When they searched using the words Family day they got a very detailed story that was about events in 2012.
We may have misled people who did not see the date line – and for that we apologize.
It is clearer now that you are looking for more in the way of Family Activities and we will do our best to deliver for you.
One item we do want to bring to your attention is the Jamie Adkins Circus Incognitustaking place at the Performing Arts Centre March 14th. The man is an absolute delight and the younger kids will roll in the aisles laughing. Tickets are very fairly priced – $16 for a youth and $25 for an adult.
We will make amends with our reporting on Spring Break.
BURLINGTON, ON February 18, 2013 In the spring of 1973, Bill Warren joined a new camera club being started in Burlington. The group, named the Latow Camera Club, met once a month in the general meeting room on the second floor of the Burlington Mall. Latow was understood to be a native word meaning ‘beam of light’.
Latow Photographers Guild President Tom Stephens congratulates Bill Warren on 40 years of continuous and outstanding service.
That was forty years ago and Bill Warren is still an active member – 40 years of continuous membership is quite an accomplishment. However, Bill has not just been a passive member of the club; he has been a very active and key member of the Latow Photographers Guild for that whole time.
Over the years, Bill has mentored many Latow members. He has served in executive and committee positions and was President for two separate terms. Due to his love of black and white printing, the darkroom has been one of Bill’s favourites. He has either obtained donations or built much of the equipment in those facilities and he has looked after its maintenance for years.
It was Bill’s idea to hold an annual photography seminar, an event that has made the Latow Photographers Guild known not only in Ontario but in New York and Quebec. He has served as its Chairman and did practically everything from obtaining speakers to almost single-handedly managing the event for many years.
It is this annual event that continues to fund much of the photographic equipment enjoyed at Latow today.
Bill was recognized a few years ago for some of his service to the community and participation in photography by being voted as Burlington’s Art Person of the Year. However, Latow had never really officially honoured Bill to the extent he deserves, so it was felt that Bill’s fortieth year of continuous participation and service in the club was the right time.
In the back row from left to right: David Craig – President 1976 – 79, Bill Shotton – President 1996 – 97, Johan Wigt – President 1985 – 86, Peter Young – President 2001 – 02, Joh Friedrich – President – 2005 – 07, Tom Stephens – President 2011 – 13, David Gruggen – President 1986 – 88, Arnold Koopman – President 1973 – 74, Jim Hamilton – President 1988 – 90, Toni Browning – President 2002 – 04 & 2009 – 11, Brian Hickey (never has been President but “old-time” member). In the front row middle: Bill Warren – President 1979 – 81 & 1992 – 94
At Latow’s monthly general meeting recently , the club made a presentation to Bill and announced the naming of the Burlington Art Centre’s darkroom and finishing room area “The W.J. (Bill) Warren Darkroom and Finishing Room”. Fifteen former Presidents attended to share in the occasion to honour Bill’s contributions.
Latow President Tom Stephens says, “There is no one who has been more giving of his time or has promoted Latow to a greater extent over the years than Bill Warren. We’re very pleased that he continues to volunteer for many duties in service of Latow, even today.” In typically modest fashion, Bill replies that he feels he is the one who benefits from volunteering because he derives so much pleasure from it.
BURLINGTON, ON. February 15th, 2013. The theory is that if you invite a celebrity to your event more people will show up – and that would apply in Burlington if you invited Walk off the Earth. Inviting the Mayor of the city to open an event – don’t think that is going to pull the crowd James Burchill, wants for his Spring into Business event – nevertheless the Mayor is going to deliver the opening remarks at the “Spring Into Business” Networking & Trade Show Event to be held at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre March 21st.
If you are an independent business operator mark that date on your calendar – actually you probably don’t have to – Burchill has the best list of smaller business operations in the city. The one thing Burchill does exceptionally well is promote himself and his ventures.
The BiB – Burlington in Business crowd at the Waterfront Hotel where they meet once a month. Founder James Burchill has moved his gig to the Performing Arts Centre for a March event. Great bar over there – can they handle 500 + thirsty people?
He held a mini-trade show at the Beaver and the Bulldog a couple of months ago – the room was packed which led Burchill to believe he could move to a larger, brighter venue and put on a bigger event. He might be right – it was certainly worth the risk.
The event is a joint venture between all the Social Fusion Networking groups and hosted by the beautiful Burlington Performing Arts Centre, this event will cater to approximately 500 people and showcase 25 local business vendors from 5pm through to 7pm. Admission is free and has already attracted over 350 businesses from far-afield as Niagara through to Toronto.
Social Fusion Networking is the creation of James Burchill who launched the first event in January of 2012. To date these networks have attracted many thousands of local businesses seeking a new way of networking. “It is my understanding that SFN is the largest independent B2B group in Halton because it exceeds 2500 members.” said James Burchill
With consistently high turnouts each month, SFN events integrate the best of modern social media and combine it with classical face-to-face networking. The results and feedback has been nothing short of amazing with James’ efforts being publicly acknowledged by Meetup.com as a “Top 10% Network.”
James Burchill, on the right, announcing the winner of a door prize – a session with a hypnotist. Interesting.
Social Fusion Networking ™ was developed by James Burchill after he noted a series of problems with current B2B networking approaches. The punitive clauses that restricted members to one or few groups, the punishments for failing to attend, the caps and limits on how many people could participate encouraged Burchill to create a new way of networking with No Fees, No Pressure and No restrictions. Meeting monthly at local venues and available always online, SFN integrates a mixture of channels allowing people to connect and communicate in a manner and fashion that suits them best. SFN events are sponsored and advertising supported in lieu of membership dues.
The group has an interesting web presence and has in the past met on Wednesday’s at the Waterfront Hotel where they take up all the space at the best watering hole in the hotel. The Mayor made an appearance there once – that didn’t do anything to attendance.
BURLINGTON, ON. February 15, 2013 Four Burlington residents will be awarded Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee medals at a city council meeting on Tuesday, February 19th.
City Councillor John Taylor along with Thomas Dykes, Dr. William Charles Procter and Officer Cadet David Brennan will be given the medals by Mayor Rick Goldring who learned recently that as Mayor he could recommend people for the medal.
The front and back of the Jubilee medal that will be awarded to four Burlington residents at a city council meeting next Tuesday.
A new commemorative medal has been created to mark the 2012 celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II accession to the Throne. The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal will be a tangible way for Canada to honour Her Majesty for her service to this country. At the same time, it will serve to honour contributions and achievements made by Canadians, who represent the full breadth of our society.
During the year of celebrations, 60,000 deserving Canadians will be recognized. The inaugural presentation ceremony of the Diamond Jubilee Medal will take place in 2012.
The Chancellery of Honours, as part of the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General, will administer the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal program.
Eligibility criteria
Eligible candidates must have met the following criteria: · have made significant contributions to Canada or to a particular province, territory, region or community within Canada, or for an outstanding achievement abroad that has brought great credit to Canada; be citizens or permanent residents of Canada; be alive on February 6, 2012. The award can be made posthumously, as long as the candidate was alive on that date.
Burlington’s 58 winners are among 2,000 recipients from Ontario and 60,000 from across Canada.
BURLINGTON, ON. February 15th, 2013 A Burlington man , employed by the Halton Catholic District School Board, faces a charge of Possession of Child Pornography following an investigation by the Halton Regional Police Service – Internet Child Exploitation Unit.
On February 14, 2013, Gary O’Brien, 64 yrs, was arrested at his residence and held for a bail hearing scheduled for today at Milton Provincial Court.
The accused is an Educational Assistant at Notre Dame Catholic School in Burlington and has been suspended from his duties by the Halton Catholic District School Board.
The Halton Regional Police Service is committed to the thorough investigation of child exploitation incidents. Any person with relevant information on this or any related matter is encouraged to contact the Internet Child Exploitation Unit at 905 825-4747 x8984, Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-TIPS(8477), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637(crimes).
BURLINGTON, ON February 13, 2014 There isn’t a large corporation on this side of the Atlantic that doesn’t say it is out there to help save the environment. We Canadians, fresh air people for sure yet we live in a country that ships some of the dirtiest oil sucked out of the ground because a large part of our economy depends on selling that oil.
So when you hear about a company that says they are here to help save the environment – you kind of raise an eyebrow and ask – yeah?
When we heard that the Walker Group has this Earth 1st program that sounded interesting – always good to have a snappy logo to slap on the shipping containers. Then you look at the story a little more deeply and learn that the Walker Group has been doing this for more than ten years.
This year their challenge to their employees was to wear a really funky sweater to work February 7th. Nice idea, lightens up the office, gives staff something different to do – but then they learn that the sweater might come in handy – they’ve turned the heat in all their plants down by two degrees.
THAT is a commitment; that is putting your money, and you personal comfort, where you mouth is.
Ask your staff to do some funky – and you never know what you’re going to get. The heat must have been down more than two degrees to bring out some of those scarves. Norjohn plant in Burlington on a coffee break?
So we trotted along to the Norjohn Plant on Corporate Drive to see how staff had taken up the challenge. Not a lot of people at this location. Tight, tight security – which we will tell you about later.
There they were – the staff wearing their woollies. Now this crowd isn’t going to take any prizes for the “funkiness” but they should get some points for the hat’s they wore. The scarves on the guys at the left and right ends of the group photo are something we won’t comment other than to remind them that The Leaf’s haven’t won since 1967, which was the 100th anniversary of Confederation.
Warm sweater day was the way Walker Industries decided to have their employees reduce their environmental impact in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the company’s innovative EARTH 1st program.
EARTH 1st was developed to take Walker to another level of environmental performance by empowering employees to make a difference at work and at home.
In the past decade, through the suggestions of employees, the company has dramatically reduced its environmental impacts. Some examples include launching a carbon neutral building service, recycling concrete and asphalt, installing energy-efficient lighting and developing wax emulsions from environmentally sustainable resources.
The Walker Industries head office crowd did their part.
All 550-plus employees were asked to wear a warm sweater on February 7th. “We are encouraging staff to find wacky, funky and wild sweater, toque and scarf combinations,” says Alison Braithwaite, the company’s director of Environmental Performance. “We’re looking forward to the virtual fashion show as participants post their photos and videos on our challenge site.”
Walker locations taking part in the challenge included: Walker Industries Head Office & Walker Environmental Group – Thorold and Niagara Falls; Organic Resource Management Inc. – Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, Woodstock; • Norjohn Contracting and Paving Limited – Niagara Falls; • Walker Aggregates Inc. – Simcoe County and Niagara Region; Amherst Quarries – Essex County; Norjohn Limited – Burlington; Norjohn-ACI Inc. – Portland, Oregon and Palm Coast, Florida.
The Walker Industries gang out at the compost site were really innovative – was this because they are all in witness protection programs?
While the employees were encouraged to become involved the organization went a little further and asked their customers, suppliers, friends and neighbours to lower their heat and put on their favourite sweater to take action against climate change and work towards a sustainable future.
Braithwaite pointed out that: “If every Canadian lowered the heat by just two degrees this winter, it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 4 megatons.”
Other environmental challenges being planned for the year include a water reduction initiative, a turn-out-the-lights effort for Earth Hour, participation in Earth Day celebrations, a bike-to-work week, a community engagement project and a waste reduction week.
How did it work out? Well the gang at Norjohn bought into the idea. As for the rest of the organization – the results are still coming in. Good idea, this planet is ours to save.
BURLINGTON, ON. February 12, 2013 The art centre with at least the second best collection of contemporary Canadian ceramics in this country has announced an exhibition that will survey the work of the most promising emerging artists working with ceramics in Canada today.
Works will be selected by senior Canadian artists and curators in five regions across the country. Submissions are due by March 15.
The exhibit: Hot Mud: A National Survey of Contemporary Canadian Emerging Ceramic Artists, which will run at the Burlington Art Centre from September 7 to November 4.
Burlington Art Centre plans an exhibit to show the work of emerging ceramic artists.
“This exhibition will be a valuable showcase for artists at an early stage in their careers who have completed their basic training and created a modest independent body of work,” says George Wale, Director of Programs at the Burlington Art Centre (BAC).
In order to be eligible for Hot Mud, artists must have developed skills through training and practice in the field (though not necessarily in academic institutions) and be recognized by other artists working in the same artistic tradition.
A minimum of three years to a maximum of ten years in independent private professional practice prior to application is required, as is a history of professional public presentations and publications, payment for work, and active practice of their art within their region and beyond.
Submissions by individual artists, groups, collectives and collaborations will be considered.
Entry requirements include a cover letter containing a one-paragraph biography, a current resume and artist’s statement, and up to 15 labelled and numbered images. Detailed submission requirements. Web site for the BAC is: www.thebac.ca
The Burlington Art Centre is a not-for-profit organization celebrating 35 years of inspiring imaginations and enriching lives in Burlington and beyond. They champion the role and value of visual art and fine craft in life by mentoring and showcasing visual artists at all levels; engaging the community through diverse exhibitions and education programs; building and promoting the world’s largest and most significant collection of contemporary Canadian ceramic art; being a home to art and fine crafts guilds; and working with our members, corporate partners and volunteers to be an active and vital component of our community.
BURLINGTON, ON. February 13, 2014 The public continually asks for leadership from its politicians. Be bold they will say – but don’t ask for too much of our money.
Be transparent and keep me informed they will demand. Hear what I am saying and give me what I want and understand that my viewpoint is the one that matters to me.
The poor politician is stuck in the middle of all these demands and often finds that he/she can’t satisfy anyone. The objective for a politician is to find that delicate middle ground that keeps all the natives happy and keeps the politician in office without being totally bland and looking indecisive.
Jack Dennison who has been around the horse shoe at city hall for many years has recently shown some – well he will call it leadership – but his significant other may have a different phrase.
Here is a man who puts it all on the line when it comes to keeping his constituents informed. The significant other with him in this picture might not see his Valentine’s Day plans quite the way he does.
Jack Dennison holds meetings for his constituents frequently and always hold a budget meeting where he explains the objective, give his point of view and at times gets into heated discussions with those that show up.
The events usually take place in the meeting room that has a fire-place. Jack puts out a couple of bowls of popcorn and maybe coffee. Dennison doesn’t go the coffee and loads of cookies and sweets on the table.
This year – well let’s let Jack Dennison tell his own story.
It has been my tradition as Ward 4 Councillor to hold a yearly budget information session for Ward 4 residents. It is important for me when sitting at the Council table as your Ward 4 representative to have heard from my constituents their comments about matters – in this case, the proposed budget. My yearly Ward 4 budget information meeting also provides residents the opportunity to meet and ask questions directly to the city’s Finance staff.
Timing of my Ward 4 meeting is of the utmost importance, as I schedule the meeting following staff information budget sessions (for Council), and prior to the Council meeting where the budget is approved. This year, I am unfortunately in a predicament where the only evening available between the staff information budget session and the Council meeting is on the Thursday, February 14th. I am of the opinion to proceed with the February 14th date with an early 6:30 pm start time enabling attendees to still have time to celebrate Valentine’s Day following the meeting.
Is she going to wait at home on Valentine’s Day while Jack talks to his constituents about tax increases?
Now that is a bold and decisive stand – pretty sure Jack didn’t run this one in front of the significant other. I won’t be their. I’m not the fearless journalist I would have to be, to go to a meeting on Valentine’s Day. It’s roses, good wine and triple Brie cheese for me and the Misses. Let me know how it goes and if you’re limping on the 15th – well then we will know won’t we?
Traditionally when an artist does their first solo exhibit someone with talent and a background in the genre the artist has chosen writes a review. We didn’t know anyone with art review experience so we asked Don Graves to tell us who he is and why he does what he does. We will let the art speak for itself, it is on display at the Fireside Gallery at the Burlington Art Centre and is there until the end of the month. There were a lot of those little red stickers on a number of the paintings – one had two little red stickers – not sure what Graves is up to with that one.
By Don Graves
BURLINGTON, ON. February 11, 2013 So, what does a deaf singer/conductor become when he’s lost his baton? Answer: a painter of landscapes in Muskoka, Algonquin, Ottawa Valley and Gatineau with designs on Gananoque, The Rideau Canal and maybe this year a sketching trip to discover the lost, fictional village of Three Pines of Canadian mystery author, Louise Penny’s vivid imagination.
Ian Ross, Executive Director of the Burlington Art Centre joins Don Graves, on the right, at his first solo exhibit. Graves’s work can be seen in the background.
So, how did I get from hearing loss to painter? I’m a singer/conductor, trained at McGill’s Faculty of Music with time spent in their wonderful English department with people like Louis Dudek and Hugh McLennan. Met my wife, also a graduate from the Faculty of Music, and together we directed productions in Montreal, and I free-lanced for CBC, Theatre de la Poudiere and we became smoked meat and bagel aficionados.
After moving to Toronto, I spent almost 30 years at Sheridan College, first co-founding their renowned Musical Theatre School and being a part of what has become a very successful Theatre Sheridan.
The winter scenes were done in locations in and around Burlington. Strong, bold strokes with almost a touch of rawness to them. At the Burlington Art centre until February 27th.
I kept ignoring the growing feeling that something wasn’t quite right with part of my head and finally learned that I had a steadily growing hearing loss. Pick up a phone with my left hand, hear nothing, flip it to my right and all was well. Never occurred to me that the problem might have been me…or maybe I did. In the end, a friend pointed out that there was a limited market for deaf conductors and it was time to move on.
The opportunity arose to become the Dean of Arts, a large amalgamation of theatre, film, fashion, media, visual art, crafts and animation. I took it and had a great time. Wonderful to escape the politics on a Friday afternoon in a certain craft studio whose second claim to fame with a well-stocked supply of good malt. It was also a place for many thoughts and passions to merge and age: I’d studied voice in Montreal with an English tenor who connected colour with voices. His favourite line: “what colour is a soprano in a country village church choir with a top C in the dusk with a light behind her?” (with apologies to Gilbert and Sullivan, but understandable as he had been a principal tenor there for almost 20 years). Colour and sound became an integral part of my musical process.
This collection of four paintings includes vineyards, scenes from Algonquin Park and the Gatineau Hills in Quebec.
I left Sheridan for a five-year stint as the Dean of Art and Business…yes, you read that right…at George Brown College…which was interesting for the almost 3 years it lasted. The combination isn’t as strange as it appears. Art is very much a small, independent business in Ontario, one that combines business acumen, marketing smarts and artistic skill. A bunch of advertising students, who had been finishing near the bottom of an annual competition, learned that after working with an acting coach before they competed and came in third. The Toronto scene was complex, very different from Sheridan and included a daily GO train ride where I indulged myself in writing three mystery novels.
The hearing loss gained company with some other health issues which resulted in early retirement in my mid 50’s, two major surgeries, a condition called chronic pain syndrome mixed with osteoarthritis and a fast trip from type A to type D with no fuel stops at B and C on the way down.
And there I sat, and even now I find it hard to say or write the word, depression. To this day I’m not sure which is worse, the physical or emotional impact. I lucked out in finding a frank and caring specialist at the Chedoke Rehabilitation Clinic, now at the Hamilton General.
Graves is not only an artist and a music director – he is also a raconteur of some renown. He is in full emoting mode.
From there to now has been a trip blessed with a new beginning in painting: following a childhood dream of losing myself in the northern nature where I fished, picked blueberries and was casting bait for my father’s trolling. I studied with two Burlington artists, later at the Dundas Valley School of Art, joined a studio in Hamilton where I met and paint with artist, John Stirling and planned for that moment I was working toward.
In teaching and learning, I believe in the convergence of the right teacher appearing when the student is ready to receive what is on offer. My passion lies in colour, texture, French Canadian artists like the late Bruno Cote and Gordon Harrison, a Canadian landscape artist living and working in Ottawa. My goal was to be ready and that happened in June of 2012 and will again, I hope, this year. I found the final link between music and painting; the colour of voices, how my baton became my brush, how the canvas is a theatrical set that tells a story, a different story for each viewer. You find your way into a painting as you do a story. And like a theatrical production where you sit down and have your inner space moved, I want my paintings to do the same.
I have two shows on the go, one in Burlington and one in Toronto. And while it’s good to sell my work, it’s quite something else to meet people and watch them looking at my work and wonder how the story is unfolding for them. (Graves has also taken part in the Art in Action Studio Tour)
No artist works entirely alone. My wife, family, fellow artists and friends have become a team I rely upon. And in my spare time I read mysteries and write book reviews.
BURLINGTON, ON February 11, 2013 The late Jane Irwin tweaked city council’s nose during the meeting she attended last Monday evening, before she died the following Thursday, when she remarked, pointedly, that council members and staff sit in comfortable seats while delegations have to stand.
Many of the delegations use a walker to get to council meetings and need their canes to get to the podium. They are given ten minutes to speak and then remain to answer questions. For some that is not a comfortable physical experience.
This delegation left her cane on the table where she could make use of it if needed. A chair to sit on would have been appreciated. Our Council chamber is not geared to people with ambulatory problems.
The City Clerk’s Office say they are looking to have a chair available for people to sit at but that means getting a table they can sit at as well – and right now there isn’t anything in place where a speaker can sit, have access to a microphone and a place to put their notes.
Our Council Chamber has a wee bit of a shabby look to it, a sort of retro-fifties feel and a sense of it being a “tired room”. The “optics” are terrible. For a city what wants to attract those high-tech companies and their well-paying jobs what we have in the way of a council chamber is a bit of an embarrassment.
To add to the visual presentation one must add a comment of the sound system. When the city manager is meeting with council he sits inside the horse show where the microphone he has to use is of such poor quality it is often close to impossible to hear what he is saying – and with this city manager you want to listen very carefully.
Burlington talks of its aging population. It talks of its engaged citizens but then does very little to make them comfortable at council meetings.
It got to be a little too much for this delegation – she had to take her cane off the table and use it to lean on while she shifted herself from foot to foot. Delegations are made to stand before Council like serfs with their hats in their hands. We need to upgrade our manners.
Cathy Unsworth came to Council last week to talk on a heritage matter that impacted property she owned in the west end of the city. Before getting into her delegation she commented on being asked by the Clerk’s office if she was going to speak for the staff report or against the staff report. Ms Unsworth just wanted to talk and didn’t feel she had to say she was for or against something.
She makes a very valid point. People who choose to address Council need to be treated with more respect. And consideration has to be made for their ambulatory needs.
When a person calls city hall to register as a delegate the Clerk should send them a Briefing paper explaining the rules and procedures that are followed. Including a letter from the Mayor welcoming the person as a delegation would be a nice touch as well.
There should be paper, pencil, a pitcher with water and paper cups for delegations to use.
Burlington isn’t some little hick town. We are a city with a population approaching 175,000 people. Our Council Chamber should reflect both who we are and how we want to be seen.
BURLINGTON, ON February 9, 2013 She’s gone. A little lady, short, who stood with a bit of a bend to her upper body but stood tall nevertheless. You would see her in the same green pant suit with her running shoes. The hair style never changed, her glasses were functional, not fashionable. Fashion and being au courant were not things that mattered to her. There was always that strong gaze in her eye and if you’ve made a mistake about the history of Burlington, a city she adopted, she was quick to let you know.
She was the strongest supporter of the city’s historic homes and its cultural heritage. She and her husband Richard ran the Different Drummer bookstore from 1986 and grew it into one of the best in the country.
Jane Irwin telling city council that the city’s heritage properties were being hollowed out – that the city was bland and known as “Borington” It was her last delegation; she died two days later.
Jane Irwin died Thursday evening. She had experienced a stroke last year.
Whenever she spoke at city council you sat up a little straighter and listened carefully. She delivered some of the most pointed and cogent commentary this council, and all of those before it, had occasion to hear.
When she finished her delegation last Monday evening there were no questions. Council just sat there except for Councillor Craven, chair of the Development and Infrastructure meeting that was hearing the delegation. He summed it all up when he said: “I guess she said it all.”
Before starting her delegation Jane Irwin pointed out to Council members that they were all sitting there in comfortable chairs while older people who used a walker and a cane had to stand for extended period of time. “That is something you might want to note and do something about at some time” she admonished them.
As a young lady she once told us, she used to travel to Burlington to take in an event at the Burlington Inn. She knew everything there was to know about heritage properties in the city and understood fully the importance of keeping as many of those buildings as possible.
There were occasions when we at OurBurlington didn’t get it right – and it seldom took Jane Irwin very long to write and give us a good sharp rap in the knuckles. If you were going to talk about heritage homes – then do it right, was the way she treated us.
She was often talking into the wind – and she knew it; but the importance of what she was saying was what mattered and she just kept on doing what she did best.
At one of her many delegations she told council she was going to give them “five scotches” in five minutes and then proceeded to lecture then – and that is what she really did. She laid it all out for them in simple easy to understand language, which many of them still didn’t get. That was a classic Jane Irwin performance.
When a house in Kilbride with some historical significance was about to be removed from one of the lists that protects heritage properties, Irwin drove to the Courthouse in Milton and pulled up the document that gave the full provenance of the building. Jane Irwin was the kind of person who believed that the facts mattered and on more than one occasion during the many years she lived in this city – she was the one who dug out and brought forward the facts.
Jane Irwin’s husband Richard giving her a pat of affection as she prepares to delegate to city council three days before she died.
There is no one on the horizon that can replace what she was and what she gave to this city. There will be no funeral but we are advised that there will be a celebration/wake.
She will be missed by her husband, her children and those who worked with her at the Burlington Historical Society and the Friends of Freeman Station. A stalwart if there ever was one. She will be missed not only for her graciousness and her intellectual integrity but for her constant efforts to help Burlington help itself.
BURLINGTON, ON February 8, 2013 A tireless fighter who saw herself as part of a “loyal opposition” when she spoke to a city council committee Monday of last week – Jane Irwin died Thursday evening.
Jane was a force to contend with who did not go quietly into the night. Monday evening she addressed a committee of city council and began her talk by telling members of council that while they were sitting in comfortable seats there were delegations who had to shift their cane from side to side and stand as they spoke and answered questions.
Jane Irwin’s husband Richard, gives her an affectionate pat on the arm as she prepares to delegate to a city council committee on why cultural heritage value matters.
Jane was speaking to council about heritage homes; one of the passions of her life. Her husband Richard reached over and gave her an affection pat on the arm as she rose to speak to the Infrastructure and Development Committee that was considering a report from Heritage Burlington, the city’s Advisory Committee on heritage matters. They wanted to remove immediately all the homes on the much maligned “B” list, which is part of the city’s Municipal Register of Cultural Heritage Resources. The B list was part of a Registry the city maintains of homes that are felt to have some historic or cultural value to the city.
Irwin believed the city was getting rid of close to one-third of the properties in the city with significant cultural heritage.
Any home on the B list of the Municipal Register of Cultural Heritage Resources could not be demolished without going through a 60 day waiting period.
Many home owners and several council members felt this wait requirement was a financial encumbrance on what a property owner could get if it were put up for sale. The real estate community likes to perpetuate that point – that having to wait 60 days would lessen the amount a property would fetch on the open market. There is no evidence, other than the word of real estate agents who are looking for a listing, that a 60 day wait impacts the value of a property.
The disappearance of the B list would mean close to one-third of the homes that have historic cultural value would be taken off the Registry could then be demolished by anyone who wanted to apply for a permit to do so, and that was why Jane Irwin stood, for what turned out to be the last time, before city council, imploring them to fully understand what they were doing and to perhaps re-think what she fully expected them to do.
“Why is it” asked Jane Irwin, “that the city of Burlington has a reputation for being boring? A good many interesting people have lived here and a lot of interesting people still live here.” Burlington’s reputation had not kept up with the change and growth of the city, she maintained.
“Burlington is not the most fascinating, the most interesting place or the most inspiring city on the planet – not even in Halton. In fact it is called BORINGTON. Is that news to any of you?” she asked, while Mayor Goldring sat glumly in his seat.
She spoke passionately, she told city council that Burlington was known as BORINGTON and that the city lacked character and colour. she told them that cultural heritage matter and that without it the city would be “hollowed out”. None of it mattered – they voted to get rid of what Irwin maintained was one-third of the properties in the city and on the Registry, with historical significance,
“There is no question why we are perceived as a bland place, there is nothing special, nothing unique about us – we lack character and have no sense of identity”, she said
“We are not a real place, not a place with any interesting character”, she added.
Irwin said she was reminded of a comment an American author made about the city in California she lived in when she said: “There is no there, there.”
Irwin though that perhaps the author’s home town was too new to have a history but then realized that the history it did have, had probably been hollowed out and that is what Irwin thinks has happened to Burlington.
“Every place on earth has a history, a past, character and a story to tell. “I’m suggesting” said Irwin “that something comparable has happened to Burlington – our past, our history, has been hollowed out. Identity for both people and places can be hollowed out”, she added.
Irwin explained that “People lose their sense of identity from the inside when they lose their memories, places lose their identity when their history is lost when their places are lost, when the history turns into amnesia – you’ve heard some examples of that here tonight.”
“The outside characteristics of personal identity are lost when the physical reality of their identity, the quirkiness and the scars of their life are forgotten, either because they were in a witness protection program or they had cosmetic surgery”, explained Irwin.
“Places lose the visible reality of their identity when their historical built structures and streetscapes are erased or replaced. Those of you who have been listening to me will realize that I am talking about what planners call cultural heritage value.
Some think cultural heritage value is an academic term dreamed up by people who do not live in the real world.
Cultural historic value is what I’ve been talking about; a sense of identity, a sense of something authentic, something real. It is a part of our experience of everyday life – it is rooted in our common experience.”
“People feel this” maintained Irwin, who went on to explain that while cultural heritage value may not be a term many understand or are comfortable with – “ but it is really the same as quality of life, which we do understand, advocate and promote. Heck it’s even in the city’s Strategic Plan
They will feel that, they will experience that and so cultural historic value is what we know as quality of life. – a term that is accepted”.
Jane Irwin, at her very best.
Irwin’s concern was that while there are thousands of people in Burlington who live in the homes that were built in the 1910’s and 1920’s – removing the 350 on the B list has the potential to put those buildings at risk.
There is a limited supply of these buildings and your vote today vote will, if this council votes true to form, will remove 350 properties – one third of our heritage.
“These B properties” explained Irwin, “have not been re-evaluated, none have been re-inspected and we don’t have adequate information on which to make decisions”. She went on to say that “we are throwing out the babies with the bath water. People are being told that heritage homes don’t count.”
“Perhaps this is a time-saving exercise – remove these 350 homes from the Registry and you never have to deal with them again.”
“You ignore your staff reports” said Irwin, “you often deride them.”
In the end – it didn’t matter. Council in committee voted to keep ten properties on the Registry until the end of June when the evaluations are complete and a decision can be made as to what stays on the Registry and what can be removed.
What was certain however was that the B portion of the Registry is now “history”, literally. Councillor Craven summed it up when he said after six years of bitter, nasty debate, compromises have to be made. “While I regret losing the B’s” he said, “I am prepared to give them up.”
We kept hearing about it – it was coming. It was going to be a meet up between an Alberta Clipper and a Texas Low – sounded like a couple of poker players. The city went to be assured that the roads people were all on stand by with everything that had a plow on it available if it was needed.
When we woke up on Friday morning to bring in the newspaper the street was white and eerily quiet. Everything covered in a thick blanket of snow that just got thicker as the day wore on.
Many people made it a “snow day” and did their work from home. Anyone with a snow blower gave it the work out of the year – those guys were in one of the heavens showing the missus what a man could do when he had the right tools.
Everything that had a surface got covered.
The city put out bulletins telling everyone what was open – there were some locations open – and what was closed.
The City of Burlington is providing an update regarding what city buildings are open and closed, how the city is managing snow clearing during the storm, and the status of Burlington Transit operations.
All city-delivered programs, such as swimming lessons, are cancelled today. Buildings that remain open will be available for scheduled user groups to operate their programs and will serve as warming centres.
WHAT IS OPEN: City Hall, Tansley Woods Community Centre, Appleby Ice Centre, Burlington Seniors’ Centre (as a drop-in centre, without formal programming) and Brant Hills Community Centre
WHAT IS CLOSED: Angela Coughlan Pool, Burlington Centennial Pool, Aldershot Pool, Aldershot Arena, Central Arena, Mainway Arena, Skyway Arena, Nelson Arena, Music Centre, Velocity (youth centre), All Burlington Public Library branches, Halton District School Board, Halton District Catholic School Board, Burlington Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Burlington, Mohawk College and McMaster University
The city was in close to full shut down mode
The city put every truck it had out on the streets and did their best to stay ahead of the weather.
SNOW CLEARING: The city controlled overnight accumulations mainly by salting and sanding. When heavier snowfall began at about 5:30 a.m., all city road units were deployed and are now plowing the multi-lane, primary roads. Once the primary roads are cleared, plows will move into secondary and local roads. See www.burlington.ca/snow for details about snow control and service levels.
BURLINGTON TRANSIT: Buses, including conventional accessible buses, are running about 15 to 20 minutes behind schedule. Burlington Transit Handi-Van service is available for critical medical transport but suspended for all other purposes.
While city hall may have been closed – someone was in there updating the web sites.
For many it was Family Day a week early. One father blasts away at the snow while the kids run into the oncoming cloud.
For many it was the weather we all wanted last weekend for the Lowville winter Games and the weather we would have liked next weekend when we have a family day. Burlingtonians made the best of the weather with all the kids outside working off all that energy. It was time to tuck in and snuggle down for a movie, hot chocolate and pop corn.
Saturday morning at close to 10:30 am the city put out a media release:
Burlington, Ont.—Feb. 9, 2013—The City of Burlington continues its snow cleanup today and has returned all city buildings to normal operation.
The city plowed primary roads overnight, cleared local roads through the night and plowed sidewalks and parking lots. The clearing of bus stops is ongoing.
The city will clean up turn lanes and on-street parking bays starting today. It will also salt and sand roads, as needed, and continue plowing secondary roads and sidewalks.
“I want to thank residents for their patience as we get travel in the city back to normal,” said Scott Stewart, General Manager of development and infrastructure. “City crews are working diligently to make sure we can all get around safely.”
I don’t for a second believe that Scott Stewart actually said those words – they were put in his mouth by someone with a pen and paper.
The media release went on to say: For snow clearing updates posted three times daily, visit www.burlington.ca/snow.
The city had made it through all the winter we are probably going to have. All those over 50 will settle the kids into bed and tell them of the days when this was winter was like all winter.
Meanwhile Dan Lawrie, the Burlington insurance executive we interviewed by telephone Thursday after noon on the progress of the Spiral Stella he was helping to fund, told us, when asked, that the weather in Florida was fine. “82 and sunny” he said cheerfully. “What’s it like up there?” he asked. I didn’t want to tell him.
BURLINGTON, ON February 7, 2013 There are some who will tell you that you have a healthy community when there is an arena and a Tim Horton’s close by. It takes a little more than that to create community – it takes people to organize the events at that arena and people who have things to talk about that matter to the community.
Burlington has, since 1965, recognized and celebrated its community leaders with the Civic Recognition Awards. That hasn’t changed. But the name of these awards is going to change – they will from this year forward be known as Burlington’s Best to better reflect both the diverse nature of the awards and the calibre of the nominees. Also new this year: Heritage Person of the Year award.
Previous Civic Recognition Award winners include M.M. Robinson, Keith Strong, John Boich, Rainer Noack and the Burlington Teen Tour Band.
The city now turns this initiative over to the community who determine just who the best are. Anyone can submit a name. Do you know someone who has made a difference in the community? Someone who has helped make Burlington a better place to live, work and play? Go on-line, get the forms and send them in.
Nominations are open until March 8, 2013 for the following categories:
• Citizen of the Year
• Junior Citizen of the Year
• Environmental Award
• Arts Person of the Year
• Community Service Award
• Senior Person of the Year
• Heritage Person of the Year
The submissions get sent to the city, and anyone can submit a recommendation. Once the deadline closes March 8th a committee of six people begin their work. That committee is made up of:
Adam Smith (Chair)
Keith Strong
Bob Chambers
Lauren Jones
Kayla van Zon
Ann Coburn
Recipients of the Recognition Awards last year, from the left were: Michelle Bennett Environment, Sam Kawazoye Community Service, Trevor Copp Arts , Mayor Goldring, Wendy Hager, Citizen of the Year, Dan Taylor Junior Citizen and Jim Frizzle, Senior of the year.
The Best get recognized at a dinner held at the Burlington Convention Centre May 9th. Tickets are available at city hall anytime after March 1st.
Last year’s Civic Recognition Award recipients went on to continue to make the city we live in a better place
For online nomination forms and for more information, visit www.burlington.ca/best or call Danielle Pitoscia at 905-335-7600, ext. 7375.
BURLINGTON, ON February 7, 2013 Traffic on the east bound GO line was brought to a halt as Collision Reconstruction Unit and the Forensic Identification Service of the Halton Regional Police worked to identify a pedestrian that had been struck by an eastbound GO train, 100 metres west of Burloak Drive, Burlington.
The incident took place shortly before 6 a.m., when Regional police were notified by CN police of a pedestrian that had been struck by an eastbound GO train, 100 metres west of Burloak Drive, Burlington.
The pedestrian, as yet unidentified sustained fatal injuries.
Members of the Collision Reconstruction Unit and Forensic Identification Services are at the scene and further information will be released upon the completion of their investigation.
This is the second time an individual attempting to cross the GO line tracks has been killed.
Anyone who may have witnessed this incident or have information that would assist in the investigation are asked to contact the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 905 825-4747 x5142, Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-TIPS(8477), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 27463(crimes).
GO service between Hamilton and Oakville resumed normal service at around 8:00 am
BURLINGTON, ON. February 6th, 2013 So what do we think of ourselves and the way we are served by the different levels of government we pay taxes to? Is asking these questions a good way to spend tax dollars? Those are questions you get to ask when you vote next.
This is a listing of what Burlingtonians see as the most appealing aspects of their city. How much do you agree with these findings?
What are the most important issues for Burlington? They are listed here and shown how what is important to us – relates to how important it is to others. We get to see how we are different. Do you agree with what the charts are telling you?
Quality of life: In Burlington the polling sample said they put us at 95% if you include Excellent and Good. Other large and small communities don’t see themselves quite the same way. You just KNOW that this bit of information will replace the very tired and worn – Second best city in the country to live in.
Most important thing the government does for you? There are too many in the “Other” and “Don’t know” categories – suggests the people who pay for the government we have aren’t all that thrilled with what they are getting.
For now – look at the questions and the answers. A well-respected Canadian company that has been doing public opinion polling for some time did a poll of Ontario communities both large and small and medium too – asking the same questions of a sample that was just under 400 people.
Experience with city staff. Rankings in that “going the extra mile” could be a lot higher; other than that Burlington isn’t that different from the others.
Local government spending – this is where you want your tax dollars spent. Roads are what it is all about – with transit at least being recognized.
Use of government services: People are using the services government provides and they are talking to staff that don’t go the extra mile. What does that tell us?
Are we getting value for our tax dollars?
If push comes to shove; did you want the city to increase taxes to pay for the services you are getting or would you rather they cut the services. Mayor Goldring interprets this to mean that half of us would accept a tax increase and half us would not. Tough call.
If the city found it had to cut services – this is the list they are likely to work from – it suggests the arts would take the biggest hit.
They broke out the individual results for Burlington and for the princely sum of $10,000 you get to learn what we think of ourselves.
Burlington is where we live but the Region provides very essential services: Garbage pick up, water, sewage and police services as well as social services. The Niagara GTA highway would not have been stopped in its tracks – at least for the time being were it not for solid support from the Region
City Manager Jeff Fielding sees that data as an important part of the process of engaging the community.
The results are interesting.
This is YOUR Burlington – do you see it the way the public opinion poll gauges it to be?
BURLINGTON, ON February 6, 2013 They came to be part of the city’s history. They brought big items, small items, personal items and significant items. Everything they brought was photographed, recorded and then pressed into clay from which artist Peter Powning would make a casting out of bronze and place in the Spiral Stella that would sit outside the Performing Arts Centreat the intersection of Locust and Elgin Streets.
The fascinated eyes of children – these two are totally focused on what artist Peter Powning is doing with an artifact they brought in as part of the cultural mulch event held at the Burlington Art Centre. Artifacts were collected to become part of the Spiral Stella that will be erected in front of the Performing Arts centre in July.
Close to 250 people brought in their “stuff” . Don Graves, a local artist, who happened to be at the Burlington Art Centre last Saturday hosting his first solo exhibit had his wife take his walking cane to have a clay impression made.
Jonathan Smith, Curator of the Permanent Collection at the Burlington Arts centre, brought in a pocket watch with a fob engraved with the words St. Andrews College, 1929 in cursive type. That kind of craftsmanship isn’t seen anymore.
Melanie Booth on the left hands over her Olympic Bronze medal which she won as part of the Women’s soccer team. Jeremy Freiburger, on the right, chief cheese at CoBalt Connects, the company that manages Burlington’s public art program registers the medal which was later pressed into clay to make the impression from which a bronze casting will be made.
The stunner for some was Melanie Booth’s Olympic Bronze medal that brought out a very small faux pas from Powning, who to be fair was seeing a lot of artifacts and didn’t realize he had an Olympic medal in his hands.
He asked Ms Booth: “What’s the story behind this” as he arranged a slab of clay to make the impression. Powning hadn’t read the words on the medal, he was trying to figure out which side he would make the impression from but when Ms Booth said “it’s my Olympic bronze medal given to the Canadian woman’s soccer team” Powning’s head shot up when he replied – “really!”
This is an example, called a maquette, of the type of sculpture Peter Prowning will be doing for Burlington. Each sculpture he does is significantly different. The bands wrapped around the first nine feet of the 16 foot sculpture will hold the bronze casting being made from the clay impressions done this past week in Burlington. It will be a very impressive piece of public art
The way the gold medal for soccer was lost is something few Canadians think much about now. If it ends up as part of the Spiral Stella it will become part of the visual history of the city.
Powning was holding what he called ”a “cultural mulch. An event that had him looking at everything he was given, nothing was turned away if he could make an impression in clay, and at the same time thinking about how each piece might be used.
The bronze castings would be worked into the sculpture which will tell part of Burlington’s cultural past.
One man brought an old, rusted pair of roller skates, the kind you had to strap onto your shoes.
Dan Lawrie, the man who felt there should be some art outside the Performing Arts Centre put his money where his mind had gone and funded a portion of the cost of the sculpture. Lawrie who paints when he isn’t working had impressions made from some of his art implements.
With 240 impressions made into the slabs of clay Powning now takes everything back to his studio in New Brunswick and begins the process of casting the bronze pieces that will be part of the first nine feet of the 16 foot sculpture.
He will be doing all the forge work at his studio in New Brunswick and shipping the work to Burlington where it will be installed – which will get a little tricky. With art there are no firm time lines – not quite like making a pie and knowing that it needs 35 minutes in the oven at 425 degrees.
Some excavation work has to be done at the front of the Performing Arts centre to get the base in place. There is a pipeline right underneath that has to be dealt with. The pipeline people will be on hand to make sure someone doesn’t bite into that line.
And then there is a wedding scheduled to take place at the Performing Arts Centre at that time. The bride is not going to want to walk down the “aisle” to the sound of a jack hammer.
But it will all come together and sometime during the second half of July the sculpture will be in place and we can expect groups of people to gather at the site for years to come. One wonders what the Tourism people will do to promote the sculpture.
Johnathan Smith, Curator of the Permanent Collection at the Burlington Art Centre brings in a pocket watch with a fob that has a 1929 inscription on it. Peter Powning presses the fob into clay from which her will later make a bronze casting that will become part of the Spiral Stella that will be erected outside the Performing Arts Centre
Burlington has done some exceptionally good work with sculpture. There is the magnificent naval memorial at Spencer Smith Park where the bronze casting is more traditional. Then there are the orchids which are a delight – just in the wrong place – a point that Councillor Taylor commented on at a recent council meeting. At some point this city just might do the “orchids” justice and put them in a location where they can be both appreciated an enjoyed. Stuck at the entrance to a railway grade separation is close to the stupidest things the art people in this city have ever done. Why didn’t someone stand up when that decision was being made and ask: “Are you kidding?” But we didn’t – we will get there.
A local videographer, Bob Fleck, has been following Peter Powning around and we can expect to see a bit of film at some point.
CoBalt Connects, the organization that manages the city’s cultural plan has been talking to students at Mohawk and McMaster about the idea of doing a three-dimensional video on the sculpture that would allow people to look at the detail and spot artifacts that they contributed. Good idea.
We are seeing a different approach to how we create, display and promote the arts in this city. The long-term cultural plan will address some of the concerns local artists have about not being included or taken seriously. Progress.
BURLINGTON, ON. February 6. 2013 We live in a society that has some very violent people. The Halton Regional Police Service Integrated Drug, Gun & Gang Unit received information recently that a handgun was being stored within a residence on Sixth Line in the Town of Oakville.
Viscous devices meant to hurt people seized during a police search of a Halton region home.
Members of the Integrated Drug Gun and Gang Unit, with the assistance of Oakville uniformed officers, executed a Criminal Code search warrant at the residence. During the search, a number of prohibited weapons were seized including the following:
• Gabilondo .22 calibre semi automatic handgun
• 49 rounds of ammunition
• 3 Shuriken
• A Morning Star
• 2 sets of Bladed Brass Knuckles
The resident at 6th Line was released unconditionally due to a number of medical issues. The investigation of the seized weapons is continuing.
Anyone with information related to guns, drugs or other criminal activity within Halton Region, are encouraged to contact the Halton Regional Police Service at 905-878-5511 or contact Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-TIPS(8477), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637(crimes).
BURLINGTON, ON. February 5, 2013 In a review of the Procedural bylaw, a document that sets out how members of city council are to behave, a Staff report revealed that council members don’t want to have how they vote on matters at the committee level recorded.
In Burlington everything that gets approved by city council first goes to as Standing Committee. At that level the debate is often quite vigorous and citizens can delegate and speak for up to ten minutes. Delegating is a simple matter.
Delegations are heard and council members can and often do ask questions. Some citizens come to meetings very well prepared and they get into a healthy question and answer session with council members.
When the delegations are completed Council members will ask questions of staff.
This significant seven, the ones that determine what you are going to get in the way of services and how much you will be taxed don’t want to take the time to allow for recorded votes at the council committee level. But you’re going to give them a pay raise this year.
After that council members are free to make comments. At any point in this process any member of council can move the report, which means they get to vote on what they want to do with the document.
The document that is being moved usually has a recommendation attached to it. Council members can make amendments, they can amend each other’s amendment (which gets funny at times because they get lost in their own paper work) and eventually they vote on what they want to do as a committee.
And that for media is where the problem crops up – these votes at the committee level are not formally recorded. Those of us at the media table often can’t tell who voted for or against a report. Each council member has their own unique way of indicating to the chair that they are for or against something.
That’s not what the democracy we are teaching in high schools is about – and we are teaching high school students what democracy is about aren’t we?
Here is the way this was explained in the Staff Report:
“With respect to recorded voting at standing committee meetings, members of Council
on the review team expressed differing viewpoints. Acknowledging that
recommendations from committee are intended to be a preliminary position on a matter,
it was felt that recording a member’s vote at that stage of deliberation could inhibit a
member from changing his or her position later at Council should new information
become available. It was also noted that recorded voting would slow the transaction of
business at committee meetings. As the review team did not have consensus on the
matter, a recommendation on recorded voting is not included within this report and
would require direction from Council. Nonetheless, the sentiment of the review team
was that if recorded votes were to be permitted at Committee, these would be restricted
to the main motions (and main motions as amended) but would not be applied to
amendments themselves or any secondary motions tabled.
That has to be some of the limpest explanation you are likely to read about this Council.
Recording a vote at committee level could inhibit a member from changing their position at Council: it certainly didn’t stop the Mayor from changing his position on the Lakeshore bike issue.
There is nothing wrong with changing ones vote. New information becomes available or there is a flood of pressure – remember these men and woman are politicians and they have to be re-elected if they are to keep their jobs.
The report got even sillier when it said recorded votes would slow the transaction of business – that’s a hoot. The report did suggest members of council could be more obvious in how they vote – and in the last few days they have been putting their hands up a little higher.
When the matter came up for discussion at the committee level the only member who spoke to the report was Ward 2 Councillor Meed Ward who regretted that the report did not call for recorded votes. No one else said a word; something to keep in mind next election. We’ll remind you.
The upshot of it all was:
Without a consensus from Councillors polled, the procedural by-law review committee has not proposed a revision to the procedural by-law at this time on the use of recorded votes at standing committee.
Council did spend a lot of time on a public opinion survey that told us, again, how wonderful we are. We paid $10,000 for the report.
REVISED
