 By Pepper Parr
September 17, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
I want your trust – your votes would be nice too – but it is your trust that is most important to me. And with that Marianne Meed Ward ended her election kick-off event at the Art Gallery of Burlington to a more than respectable audience.
 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward and school board candidate Leah Reynolds at the Ward 2 kick off. Meed Ward shared her event with ward one and two Halton District School Board candidate Leah Reynolds who she heavily endorsed. Not something Burlington would have seen in the past.
Selfies, the rage for the social media set, was made part of the event – the photographer covering the room for Meed Ward climbed a ladder to get a group photo which Meed Ward said would be put on her office wall to remind her every day who she was working for – Residents First was the mantra.
Mead Ward took the trust theme further when she said: “ .” She added: “I’ve heard and seen the disrespect towards people who come to city council to delegate – we should be working with you, we should be listening to the really good advice people bring to us.”
“Good discussion isn’t possible when a delegate has five minutes before council” she added and for Meed Ward discussion is what it is all about. The current Council, particularly the Mayor, is not a huge fan of prolonged discussion. The council meetings are short and abrupt – they argue that all the “heavy lifting” gets done at the standing Committee level.
Meed Ward would move away from Standing Committees and create workshops where issues could be thrashed out in a less regulated process.
We talk about infrastructure and we misuse that word, said Meed Ward. “Infrastructure equals “lifelines” those roads and sewers and utility lines are the life lines that keep the community going. We need to talk in language that people understand.”
She made little mention of the Region – but she did talk about the mistrust the people in the Beachway have of their elected representative who went to the Region and failed to represent some of the people that elected him.
 Meed Ward believes taxpayers paid $5 million more than they had to for the pier. “The pier” she said to an audience that laughed. “We failed to trust the contractor we had and instead of working with him to resolve a design problem we took the wrong path and went to court. We didn’t win – but we did pay more than $5 million than we should have – and that was your money.”
The Air Park was next: “We let that problem fester for more than five years until residents told us that it was an intolerable situation. This city reacted when the residents pushed back and refused to accept the argument that the land was all regulated by the federal government.” Two court cases later the city is about to pass a new site plan by law that will have them doing something about the landfill – all because residents pushed back.
The Drury Lane bridge that crosses the railway tracks – “it is a lifeline for an isolated community. All of a sudden it needed repairs and the city shut it down because it was unsafe. Residents were close to locked in.” Meed Ward worked with those residents to get the bridge fixed and made sure that the item got through Council.
Meed Ward however didn’t do nearly enough with the Queensway development that jammed some 50 plus housing units into properties that previously held six homes. It was part of the intensification process the city had to undertake – but it has created a situation where the residents have little in the way of public amenities.
 Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward at her election kick off. Meed Ward takes credit for getting free parking downtown on Saturday and all of December and is a leading talker about our “vibrant” downtown but makes no mention of the number of retail operations that have taken down their signs or how dismal Brant Street is during the holiday season. Some of those stores that gave up have been on Brant Street for many years. New stores open – but they don’t last all that long.
The evening was a remarkable performance during which she made it very clear what she stood for – even though she said she was not going to talk about her platform – that was on her web site for those who wanted to know.
Trust was the issue she wants to ride on – and the audience, made up of supporters, for the most part, there were at least five that we counted that would not normally be Meed Ward supporters.
Meed Ward wants a walkable community – she made an issue of the free parking spot she gets as a council member and regularly pays the city the value of the parking spot which she doesn’t feel she should be given.
Her ward 2 community association is the most effective in the city. No one comes near to what she has done with her residents. She publishes the most effective newsletter and she has asked for more recorded votes than any other member of Council. She also has more 6-1 votes than anyone else. Meed Ward stands up and insists that the votes be counted. There was a memorable council meeting where she called for five recorded votes and was the only person to vote no. Her colleague John Taylor kept rolling his eyes at the temerity of it all – but what was evident was the matter of principle.
Meed Ward believes every vote should be a recorded vote – she hasn’t won that battle.
The room Meed Ward rented at the AGB had small tables set out at the edge – places where she could sit and talk to people. On each table there was what could have been taken for the wine list – no such luck – this is Burlington after all.
Meed Ward brings a level of energy to a job she just loves and takes an “I can do something about that” approach. “I first ran for council” she writes “because my neighbours said they wanted better information, sooner in the process, before decisions were made at City Hall. As a professional print and broadcast journalist for 25 years, I thought “I can do something about that!” I started a website and newsletter, which now reaches more than 4,000 residents across the city.”
 She ran for city council because she believes “Residents come first: We live in a great city and must take care to keep what is great as we grow and change. We must protect what you value and what makes you want to live here in the first place. We do that when city hall works with residents, putting the needs of residents first. When we build a city that put residents first, we create places where business want to come, where people want to visit, and where people want to live. When we put residents first, we attract jobs, tourism and new residents – everyone wins.”
There are many, particularly in the commercial and development sector who believe Meed Ward has done significant damage to the city and that she lacks an understanding of the fundamentals that drive business and development.
 Election kick off crowd posing for the group photo that will hang on the Meed Ward office wall to remind her who she is working for. Meed Ward came back to the trust issue again and again. If given the trust she asks for in the next four years she will work to have a Council Code of Conduct: Currently, she maintains, council members can raise money for their own activities with no limits on who can give, or how much. That allows spending beyond allotted budgets, and has led to seeking funds from developers with current planning applications – a conflict of interest. “I support a Code of Conduct to set restrictions and higher ethical standards, reducing risk to residents” she said.
She will work at creating a vibrant downtown and job attraction by revamping the Burlington Economic Development Corp., exploring “incubators” for start-ups. She believes that “with incentives we can attract jobs here. I support new office and institutional uses downtown, to bring weekday foot traffic to our businesses. Commercial development that helps the city’s bottom line; residential does not – requiring tax increases to cover the shortfall.”
 Neighbourhood character and green space: “We need to move beyond development that just considers maximizing profits and cramming the most units in the smallest space. I will continue to stand with residents, and I will work with the developers who bring projects that respect neighbourhood character, consider public input early on, follow our own Official Plan, and preserve green space.”
Transit, trees, culture and more: “I’ll also champion: adding 13,000 more transit service hours and three community buses serving the Seniors Centre; a tree bylaw preventing clear cutting properties before development; a facility fee waiver to help artists use our cultural buildings; partnering with Halton Region to buy affordable housing units in new builds downtown.”
Quite an agenda for the next four years. In 2018 expect Marianne Meed Ward to run for Mayor – then watch the fur fly. There are those that will choose to trust her and there are those that will do everything possible to stop her.
 By Pepper Parr
September 16, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
It look like there is going to be an opportunity for local artists to “paint the town. On Tuesday, October 7, 2014 from 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM local artists are invited to attend the briefing event at The Hive on Elizabeth Street.
This event is for Burlington artists only ‘No one from Nova Scotia at this event” said Jeremy Freiburger who is organizing the event for the city as part of its Cultural Plan.
 Jeremy Freiburger, author of a report that provided direction for the city’s cultural plan based on reams of data he had gathered. Now the city has to determine how it wants ti implement its Cultural Action Plan. The city is launching the Local Artist Mural Program. It is intended as an annual program that will commission small to medium-scale murals throughout the city. The intention is to have one in each ward but locations will not be worked out until there is significant public participation in choosing the locations.
Burlington residents will have the opportunity to submit suggestions for mural locations and themes and the resulting commissions will be open exclusively to Burlington artists. As part of the program, free professional development opportunities will be offered to artists who may not have previous experience creating public art and/or murals.
“To ensure this program meets the needs of local artists, we want to hear from you”, said Angela Paparizo, cultural co-ordinator for the city.
Local artists are invited to participate in an open brainstorming session – that’s the event at The Hive. The purpose of this session is to identify program goals and maximize opportunities for local artist involvement.
Artists will be given some help with scaling a work they want to do; there are health and safety issues with putting something on the side of a building – what are those issues and how do they get addressed.
Freiburger points out that these “murals” may all be 2D – “but a sound installation could be done” – imagine a graphic of a steam engine running along the old rail bed in the Beachway with the sound of the train whistle. The possibilities are close to endless.
Freiburger is particularly good at tweaking people’s ideas and drawing more out of them than they thought they had in themselves. “I want to know where do you need the help, where can they Jeremy help them
Is this going to be “upscale graffiti” – undoubtedly someone will see it that way and squawk at the $70,000 budget.
Burlington artists, working in a variety of mediums (murals don’t necessarily need to be painted!), are invited to attend a brainstorming session. Dinner and refreshments will be provided.
To register, please contact Kim Selman: kim@cobaltconnects.ca or 905-548-0111
By Pepper Parr
September 15, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
If you live in Burlington and you are a runner – you know who Kelly Arnott is.
If you are a serious runner and live in the GTA – you also know who Kelly Arnott is. If you live in Ward 2 you will get to know who Kelly Arnott is – she is running against a very popular candidate for the ward 2 council seat.
 Kelly Arnott isn’t that tall to begin with – she has a tall order to beat a very popular candidate. Arnott wants to see a more robust downtown – we would agree with her on that issue – how to make that happen is the challenge and despite numerous studies and a lot of hand wringing, no one has come up with a solution to making downtown “vibrant”. Oakville has it figured it out, Milton has a great little downtown – Burlington; not yet. Check out the south end of Brant and wonder how many established retailers have left that part of town. New people do come in and take their chances – but the word vibrancy just doesn’t apply
Arnott has done a lot to make Burlington a destination for the running community. Every December she brings 4,000 runners in Santa Claus suits to town to run up and down Brant Street. She also runs the Half Chilly Marathon each year that shuts down a portion of Lakeshore Road. There are some that think she should be running that race in the bland, boring industrial part of the city – along Mainway.
Arnott understands what races are all about and is hired frequently to be the race director for organizations throughout Ontario.
She wants to involve younger people in the affairs of the city; not high school students – young people who have chosen Burlington as home but who may work elsewhere.
Arnott thinks from business perspective – how can something be made financially viable? How do you involve people? She certainly has a knack for involving the running community.
 Can that knack be developed and be used to get people in the city involved in the way the city is run? She is the first person we have seen in some time who comes from that commercial retail sector of the city. Arnott doesn’t have a store front now – but she has had store fronts in the past and she fully understands the needs of retailers.
Do the retailers themselves get it? Hard to tell. Is Arnott a true voice for the downtown commercial community? Is she active with the Burlington Downtown Business Association? Does she have a constituency. Why is she running?
Arnott wants to see better representation for ward 2 at city hall? She has chosen not to be negative in the election race but does ask: What has Meed Ward done?
If elected Arnott wants to spend the first part of her term listening and learning what the job of a council member is about. She has a specific interest in the way the planning department works and would like to resolve issues that builders and small developers have with that department.
She also wants to see a more vibrant Tourism office. She believes Burlington has a real story to tell and would like to see Tourism doing a better job. The city has two of the largest public festivals in – Sound of Music and Ribfest plus a very good Performing Arts Centre. The festivals pull in large numbers of people who return year after year – so why isn’t downtown a place they want to shop in and hang around at for awhile?
Are the malls the problem? We don’t know. Arnott doesn’t appear to have a clear cut solution – she just knows that downtown is a bit of a bust and a fix is badly needed.
The Arnott campaign is being run by Shannon Gillies who was a candidate in the 2010 election; she was bested by Marianne Meed Ward.
Arnott has done a lot for this city – she has just over 40 days to lay a glove on Meed Ward – she has her work cut out for her.
 By Staff
September 16, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Raising funds for a community that is trying to recover from a disaster is never an easy task. Burlington’s August 4th flood was more than a month ago and in a word where the news cycle is good for three or four days at best, it is difficult to keep public attention – but the need is real and in some cases dire.
 Union Gas presnted a cheque for $25,000 to the Disaster relief Fund. From the left: MAyor Rick Goldring, Michael Shannon of Union Gas, Burlington Community foundation president Colleen Mulholland, Mark Egbedeyi-Emmanuel, Union Gas and Ron Foxcroft. The Burlington Community Foundation (BCF) is doing the lead work on the raising and distribution of funds with Ron Foxcroft doing the arm twisting and getting the major donations.
Last week there was a $25,000 donation from Branthaven Development and yesterday there was a $25,000 donation from Union Gas. Donations like this move the thermometer close to the $2 million target – which Burlington expects the province to match under its two for one ODRAP program.
The Ontario Disaster Relief and Assistance Program (ODRAP) allows the province to contribute $2 for every dollar raised by the community. If this happens the BCF will have access to $6 million to aid those who lost almost everything in the lower levels of their homes; including washers, dryers and furnaces.
The big donations matter – but the small donations are important as well. A young Burlington girl was having a birthday party to which she had invited a bunch of her friends. She decided that instead of her friends giving her a birthday gift she would ask them to make a donation to the Disaster Relief Fund – she sent in a donation of $341
 When you see a donation box – toss all your change into it – it also takes paper money. Catherine Brady, a strong Rotarian leader took on the task of asking retailers if they would set up a donation box in there store. There are now more than 50 of these set up on store counters.
The need is real – and every bit helps.
 Mayor Goldring gets the look from lead fund raiser Ron Foxcroft In the days ahead there are other large organizations in the city that will be announcing major donations.
When an individual goes on line and makes a donation that actually move the thermometer. Each Wednesday the BCF will be adding all the large corporate donations to the total – so we can look for those big amounts boost that thermometer.
 At this point the total is at the 21% level. Ron Foxcroft said this was going to be a 100 day drive – we are 14 days into that drive.
 By Pepper Parr
September 15, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
If you have plans for this Friday evening and they are not to attend the No Vacancy Cirque at the Village Square – You might want to change your plans.
 The No Vacancy event last year was the cultural event of the year. This year’s event is much large and will run for much longer – from 7 pm to 2 am – which is mind boggling for Burlington. Pine Street is being partially closed for the event.
The event locations are shown in the map below; plan now for those you want to take in.
 There are more than 30 installations being shown. What’s an installation? It is what an artist decides to do with a space – they are free to do whatever they choose to do – except for taking down any walls.
Last year there were several mind expanding installations – and we’re not talking about the stuff you smoke.
This is something well outside Burlington’s comfort zone when it comes to art – give it a visit.
 By Pepper Parr
September 15, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation has announced that Michael Lee-Chin and his family have made a $10 million dollar donation at its 14th annual Crystal Ball Gala.
The donation is the largest ever made in the City of Burlington and the largest made to the Joseph Brant Hospital. This gift brings the total raised for Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation’s Our New Era campaign to $37M – more than 60% of campaign goal.
 Michael Lee-Chin – hospital’s biggest donour. “There is no greater investment than in our health and the health of our community” said Lee-Chin. “We are embarking on a new era of health care in Burlington and I’m proud and honoured to be a part of it.”
Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation’s Our New Era campaign is on target to raise $60M by 2017 and will help enable the Hospital’s Redevelopment and Expansion Project which includes the construction of the new, state-of-the-art, seven-storey patient tower, scheduled to break ground in spring of 2015.
“We are so thankful to Michael Lee Chin and his family for their incredible generosity and for supporting our vision of a new era of health care in Burlington” says Brenda Hunter, Chair of the Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation Board. “This gift is a true testament to the family’s philanthropic spirit and to their commitment to ensuring our community has access to exceptional care, in a state-of-the-art facility”
Joseph Brant Hospital’s Redevelopment and Expansion Project includes the construction of the new patient tower which will house a 28,000 square foot Emergency Department, nine additional operating rooms, an expanded Cancer Clinic and Intensive Care Unit, a renovated special Care Nursery (level 2 NICU) and expanded medical, surgical, diagnostic and outpatient services.
The Hospital, which recently celebrated its 50 year anniversary, has not undergone a major renovation in 4 decades.
 Shovels will go into the ground next year for a new seven storey tower that will be named after Michael Lee-Chin who donated $10 million to the hospital foundation. The Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation is in the middle of a $60 million Capital Campaign, the largest in the Hospital’s and Burlington’s history, to support the local share component of the Redevelopment and Expansion Project.
The city of Burlington levied a tax on its citizens to raise an additional $60 million.
This campaign will be the most significant health care development in Burlington’s history and will ensure that our Community’s residents have access to quality care in the years ahead.
While it may not be all that polite at this point to mention, the hospital has had its problems in the past when more than 90 people died from complications related to c-difficile that resulted in a very significant insurance settlement.
There has yet to be a public apology from the hospital administration for the harm done to the community from that event.
Joseph Brant Hospital is a community hospital serving the City of Burlington and surrounding area since 1961. The hospital provides a range of services including medicine, surgery, emergency, maternal/child, mental health and rehabilitation/complex continuing care.
Joseph Brant currently operates 245 inpatient beds and accommodates over 170,000 patient visits, 13,512 admissions, 47,389 Emergency visits and 1,165 births each year. Its team includes 175 physicians, 1,400 full- and part-time professional health care staff and more than 600 active volunteers.
The hospital, its Foundation and Infrastructure Ontario are partnered on what will be the hospital’s first major redevelopment in 40 years. The design, build, finance project will include the construction of a new, seven-storey patient-care tower and significant renovations to existing space.
Past problems however should not take away from the incredible Lee-Chin donation; the new seven story tower will be named after Michael Lee Chin.
By Pepper Parr
September 15, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
City hall sort of bungled the whole election sign business.
Ward 6 candidate James Curran took the position that the city did not have the right to tell people when they could put their election signs up and pointed to an Ontario Superior Court decision saying such a by-law is “beyond the jurisdiction of any municipality” and, adds Curran “was passed to assist incumbents with their plans to get re-elected. I would note” he adds, “that Burlington has had a high propensity to re-elect incumbents.
 Curran wrote the interim city manager to point this out to him – but got no response. Curran took the position that there were bigger and better hills to climb and vowed that when he gets to Council – he will be bringing this up.
Curran feels that the incumbents have the benefit if basically free advertising in City Talk – the city’s in house magazine that does puff pieces and tries to convince the citizens that they are doing a great job.
Based on the rule the city had in place – signs can go up six weeks before election day – which would have made Monday the 15th the start day. Then the bylaw control officer sent out an email to candidates saying they could start on the 12th.
One wonders who is calling the election shots at city hall.
At least two candidates were out on the street pushing their signs into lawns. Jim Curran says he has hundreds of locations – we saw just the one. In a couple of days more signs will appear and we will get some sense of the level of support a candidate has.
Carol Gottlob in ward 4 ordered 500 signs and then “press ganged” her sons, Peter and Carl into assembling and putting them into lawns. “I’m looking for strategic locations: said Gottlob. “I want as much visibility as I can get”
 For the Gottlob family – this election is Mom and her two boys and whoever they can find to volunteer. New signs go up on a lawn. Is the laughing about the sign or those running shoes? And so the sign game begins. Candidates are announcing their campaign kickoff dates with Marianne Meed Ward launching Monday at the Art Gallery of Burlington and ward 1 contender Katherine Henshell kicking off next week.
Up until Wednesday of last week Mayor Goldring was thinking about the party he would hold once his acclamation was announced. The Gazette was in touch with the City Clerk asking how this gets done. Angela Morgan explained that on the Friday she would review all the documents candidates had filed to ensure they were all in order and if there was just the one candidate for a ward seat or Office of the Mayor she would advise that person that they had been acclaimed.
On Thursday Goldring suddenly found himself facing a candidate he knew little about and a day later learned that Anne Marsden, a consistent and persistent advocate for people who have physical disabilities, was also in the race.
Marsden would probably not have entered the race on her own, but with a second candidate on the ballot she apparently saw an opportunity to press her agenda. Marsden delegates frequently at city hall and the Region. The Region found that her delegations were taking up time and not adding anything to the public discussion about what local government can do for those with disabilities and asked that she not register to delegate in the future.
Marsden wanted to see the rail on the pier lowered so that people in wheel chairs could have an unrestricted view of the lake. When city hall staff explained that the height of the rail is determined by the province`s building code she continued to press for change.
The purpose of a local election is to attract people who have some experience and a skill set that would allow them to make a meaningful contribution and serve as stewards for the public on how public money is spent.
Marsden has a single issue that gets hammered again and again and again – so much so that the point she wants to make is lost and they get referred to as nuisance candidates.
By Pepper Parr
September 15, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
Longtime Burlington resident and businessman Peter Rusin isn`t letting any grass grow under his feet. He came out very strongly this morning with a media release in which he set out the issues as he sees them and the platform he will run on as he seeks to gain the office of Mayor.
 Peter Rusin wants more for the city he loves – is challenging Mayor Rick Goldring for the office of Mayor. Rusin has no political experience but has recruited some top talent from Queen`s Park who are structuring his campaign. He expect to be fully operational by the middle of the week and will be relentless in his drive to replace Rick Goldring as Mayor of Burlington.
A late addition to the race, Rusin said he “made the decision to run because he believes Burlington needs stronger leadership and fresh ideas.”
“Burlington is an incredible city that is at a crossroads,” said Rusin. “We need to grow, and yet also maintain the green space and elements of that smaller town feeling we all know and love. Our infrastructure is weak, though, and our current leadership does not seem to be able to get the job done.”
Rusin’s key priorities are:
• Smart city growth and infrastructure development;
• Desperately needed affordable housing;
• Better quality of life for the people of Burlington;
• Maintain a balance of smart urban planning and growth and green space preservation and growth;
• Open, accountable government at City Hall.
“It’s time for a mayor who can look at new and different ways to fund infrastructure improvements in Burlington. A mayor who brings a solid business background, a love of this city and a new, fresh way of thinking to the mix,” Rusin said. “We cannot accept the status quo as good enough. We can do better.”
Mayor Goldring is completing his first term as Mayor and for the most part has had a pretty easy ride. He recently said he would be happy if every member of the current council was re-elected – a rather astonishing statement when one member of his council is facing 9 people who want her job.
 Mayor Goldring picking up donation in the Santa Claus parade one year. His first term performance was OK – others want more than just OK. The city isn’t agog with the Mayor they have – he was a nice guy doing his best – but beneath that Burlington politeness was a sense that “nice” wasn’t getting the job done and that there was no sense that Burlington was really doing very well when many people thought it should be doing much better. It looked as if the Mayor was going to get a pass and be returned to office without ever having to defend the positions he took.
That all changed last Thursday. Now the city has an incumbent and a challenger – and citizens will get to hear and test the opinions of two men who both care about their city and see how they would run it for the next four years.
Peter Rusin will be out and about a great deal over the next few weeks to shake hands and let the people of Burlington know who he is and what he will bring to City Hall. Expect the Mayor to have called his campaign team together over the weekend and told them to get a campaign going – quickly.
By Pepper Parr
September 13, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
So – who is it going to be? And does it matter?
Nominations closed yesterday afternoon and the city Clerk can now begin the task of preparing all the papers and getting the ballots printed. And residents of the city can begin to learn something about the people who put their $100 on the counter, signed a bunch of papers and are now going door to door to tell you who they are.
Does it matter? You bet your bippy it matters – they spend all those tax dollars you send to the city. If you live in an apartment building you might not see that tax bill but it is a large part of your rent.
Does it matter? Should you need care at the hospital – know that the city put a special tax levy in place to collect the $60 million it had to come up with to pay for the hospital. Early in the mandate of Mayor Rick Goldring he learned that – Burlington was going to have to come up with that $60 million. The city manager at the time said it was the largest financial undertaking the city had faced.
Which roads get paved – the people you elect decide that.
The PIER – yes it is built and it is nice – but was it worth twice the price it was supposed to cost? When the bill is set at more than $6 million and the final bill comes in at more than $14 million – questions need to be asked and answers need to be given. If you made a goof of that proportion in the real world you would have been fired. This is your opportunity to fire some of the people who are now on Council.
So – what are your choices:
Ward 1:
Patrick ALLEN,
Jason BOELHOUWER,
Rick CRAVEN,
Katherine HENSHELL,
Gary MILNE
Margaret Anne STEISS,
 Ward 1 boundaries Rick Craven is the incumbent; he has been on Council since 2000
We have written about Henshell and Boelhouwer. A note on full disclosure, Henshell has done and is continuing to do some legal work for the Gazette. We will write about Milne, Steiss and Allan in the days ahead
Ward 2:
Kelly ARNOTT,
Marianne MEED WARD,
Philip PAPADOPOULOS,
Andy PORECKI,.
Meed Ward is the incumbent and was first elected to Council in 2010.
 Ward 2 boundaries We have written about Arnott but not yet as a candidate. We will write about the other candidates in the weeks ahead.
Ward 3
Jeff BROOKS,
Lisa COOPER,
John TAYLOR.
 Ward 3 boundaries John Taylor is the incumbent. He is the Dean of this Council and has served for more than 20 years. Lisa Cooper has been a candidate in the past, Jeff Brooks is new to the election game. We will publish the interview we did with Lisa Cooper and will interview Jeff Brooks in the very near future.
Ward 4
Jack DENNISON,
Carol GOTTLOB,
Doug WILCOX,
 Ward 4 boundaries Jack Dennison is the incumbent and has served on Council for more than 20 years. He has been a controversial candidate and brings a distinct style to serving as a Council member.
Carol Gottlob is new to the political scene and struggles to get a campaign team together. When people meet her they appear to be impressed. we have written about Gottlob. Doug Wilcox was a last minute candidate and does not live in the ward. While that may not make much of a difference to those in the northern part of the ward – for those south of New Street it is a very big deal. The residents in that part of the city are well organized and have two community organizations.
Ward 5
Paul SHARMAN,
Ian SIMPSON,
James SMITH.
 Ward 5 boundaries Paul Sharman is the incumbent and is completing his first term. He has been strong on the financial matters that come before Council and certainly changed the tone of the debate. He is adamant about data – no date he says – then no decision.
James Smith has run for public office before – ran in ward 4 and missed the brass ring by a couple of hundred votes. He has been a frequent delegator at city hall where he speaks about transit and planning.
Ian Simpson is an unknown to us. He has had his nomination in place for a number of months but we know little about him. We will interview Mr. Simpson.
Ward 6
Angelo BENTIVEGNA,
Jim CURRAN,
Pardeep Kaur DOSANJH,
Jennifer HLUSKO,
Blair LANCASTER,
Jivan SANGHERA,
Shoaib SHAMS,
Ishar THIARA,
Mina WAHIDI,
Vanessa WARREN.
 Ward 6 boundaries Blair Lancaster is the incumbent facing nine people who want that Council seat. Lancaster was first elected in 2010 in a ward that includes the Air Park and the Alton community that was not as developed as it is now in 2010.
We have written about Bentivenga, Curran, Hlusko, Sanghera and Warren. We will publish the Wahidi interview in the near future and interview the other candidates – most of whom nominated in the very recent past.
Are there any upsets possible? Lancaster is certainly at risk. Sharman could be in trouble. Dennison has name recognition that is so high he will be difficult to beat – but if his record is looked at carefully the citizens of Ward 4 might go for some fresh blood.
Should Meed Ward be defeated it will be the upset of the century for this city.
Craven can be challenged – beaten? That one is going to be an interesting race.
There is a race for the Regional chair; Mayor Goldring has been challenged by at last one creditable candidate – and there are school board trustees to be looked at.
 By Pepper Parr
September 13, 2014
Burlington, ON.
The phrase social media means different things to different people. And there are few really good examples of how social media works and the role it can play in the sharing of information.
While there are mountains of information out there – what exists may not be what you want. Perfect social media is when what you want is also what others have to share.
 A plaza on Fairview – stores flooded. Last August 4th when rain fell on the city for close to eight hours and left 191mm of water looking for a place to go – the Weather Network was collecting data from anyone who had something to send in.
The link here is a really good example of social media doing what it is supposed to do. The piece you have looked at was obtained by the city from the Weather Network and shown at a city Development and Infrastructure committee more than a month after the rains fell.
The Weather Network took video clips sent to them and just stitched them together into a strip of film and loaded it on their web site.
 Individuals sent in clips taken from the cell cameras – which are stitched together by the Weather Network and aired. Imagine if that piece of video had been shown to the public the day after the storm – Burlington would have had a much better idea as to what had happened and the response to the flood would have been much more engaged.
Had video like this been used at the Ribfest; had the story of the flood been told to the more than 100,000 people who came from places other than Burlington – the amount raised would have been much more than the $40,000 that was raised.
That $40,000 was $40,000 more than the Community Foundation had before Ribfest and the community is grateful – but when compared to the $20,000 that one man and 35 volunteers raised in four hours on Elwood Street – questions get asked.
 By Staff
September 13, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The largest climate march in history will be happening worldwide September 2oth, 2014, and Burlington is going to be a part of it.
 The march begins at 10:00 am – the route is set out below.
10:00am: Meet at the Bandstand in Spencer Smith Park.
10:45am: Begin march proceeding up Brant to Fairview – west to Maple, south to Lakeshore and back to the band stand where the Mayor is expected to address the marchers.
12:00pm: Meeting Mayor Goldring for a photo with the full worldwide petition.
12:15pm: Picnic! Please bring some food to share as well. (Or money if you’d like to go to one of the local cafes/restaurants)
The event is part of a world wide movement
March route runs anti-clockwise on the map above.
The event is being organized by Alanna Antrobus
 By Ray Rivers
September 12, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Didn’t we have the debate already? I mean about sending soldiers to Iraq? Jean Chretien settled it in 2003, I thought. We weren’t going to participate in the illegal US invasion of Iraq – or its aftermath, something we’re seeing now. The Pottery Barn rule – if you break it you own it – applies.
NATO has lost its way. Of all of its interventions, only Kosovo and Bosnia were in Europe, and neither came even close to falling within NATO’s mandate of keeping the Russian Bear at bay. But Afghanistan, Libya, and now Iraq – really? And when it comes to actually standing up to the Russians, it’s all talk.
 That Russian bear has to be fed – constantly. Our Prime Minister has been outspoken on Ukraine and Russia. So perhaps that is why president Obama shut him out of the meeting with some European leaders and the Ukrainian president. As in so many things, the US leads NATO, but Obama has displayed incredible incompetence on this file. And old Europe is still in shock at the upheaval of the world order they thought would go on forever. So NATO is adrift In the midst of the biggest crisis since the cold war ended.
 And our own Harper, forthright in characterizing this issue from the start, has only provided a financial package and a few plane loads of non-lethal aid. It will take more than night goggles and bullet-proof vests to halt the onslaught of Russia’s modern army. Don’t we still have surplus tanks from our Afghan adventure?
ISIS is a nasty organization but hardly a NATO problem, posing no credible threat to the security of Europe or North America. Still Obama has thrown us in it, ordering Harper to send our special operations forces to train the Iraqi Kurds how to kill – something they could probably teach us. What the Kurds really need , like the Ukrainians also under siege, is lethal arms to counter the invading horde. And unlike Ukraine, it appears the Kurds will be getting modern defensive weapons.
Harper should have said ‘NO’ to sending troops to clean up America’s mess in Iraq. Certainly not without a parliamentary vote, and maybe even another discussion among Canadians. And Harper should not have left the NATO meeting without ensuring there would be provision for defensive weapons for Ukraine. That is, if he wants us to believe that all those words he has been uttering on their behalf are not just empty rhetoric.
He should have walked out of the meeting and told the rest of NATO to call him when they had found their intestinal fortitude. If they won’t even supply defensive weapons to help Ukraine, a NATO partner (though not full member), what will they do for us when Canada needs to defend its arctic sovereignty from a Russian intrusion. And that day won’t be far away as we watch Russia preparing its arctic military bases.
Better we go it alone if all we are going to get from NATO is lip service. The resolutions coming out of the meeting in Wales were pathetic. New bases are to be established in eastern Europe, but without any troops to ‘man’ them. Another rapid-action force is being created to replace the one that has remained on paper for nearly two decades. And nothing was done to defend against actual Russian aggression, which everyone concedes is taking place to a sovereign European state – the raison d’être for NATO in the first place.
 Are the Americans our friends or are they just an ally? Brian Mulroney gave a rare but very frank interview to the CBC recently. He particularly impressed me with his candour, especially when characterizing the performance of the current PM. He spoke about how essential good relations with our neighbour to the south are if we are to influence their policies, and how Harper had failed in that regard (my words). Why else would Obama have volunteered Canada for this new role in Iraq, and maybe Syria, when it has so little to do with our national interest.
Canada is a strategic partner for the US but not a friend, which it was under Mulroney and Reagan, Chretien and Clinton, and Trudeau and Carter. Obama neither understands nor listens to us as a result. And the US president’s policy of global benign neglect has enabled situations like ISIS and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, rather than prevented them. He has no strategy for global leadership on these issues, as he recently, and unfortunately, admitted – nor any other ones either, it seems. The world has become a more scary place under his watch – perhaps it’s time for him to return that Nobel peace prize.
 It’s not that we have seen great insight on foreign policy from the Harper crowd either, though at least they are saying the right things about Ukraine. Still, our PM needs to recant his commitment to send troops to Iraq, at least until the rest of us Canadians have considered the potential consequences and agreed to that kind of mission. Last time I looked we were still a parliamentary democracy.
 Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was a candidate for provincial office in Burlington where he ran against Cam Jackson in 1995, the year Mike Harris and the Common Sense Revolution swept the province.
Background links:
US and ISIS Canada and Ukraine Canada and Iraq
Mulroney Interview ISIS as a Threat Ukraine and Nato
Obama Wrong on Russia Russia in the Arctic
 By Pepper Parr
September 12, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Changing horses in mid-stream is tricky at the best of times – and these are not the best of times for the Burlington Community Foundation that finds itself close to swamped with the demands being made of them when they stepped up to the plate and took on the task of running the Flood Disaster Relief Committee.
Add to the Relief Fund work the Roaring Twenties Annual Ball they hold as a major fund raiser for their own organization and their Annual Vital Statistics report – and you have a big plate to get through. Then add the Mental Health Round table they are doing as well
 Collen Mulholland – she gets the tasks done – right? BCF president Colleen Mulholland is stretched to more than her limit. Ron Foxcroft – the guy doing the fund raising for the Disaster Relief says he gets his first email of the day from Mulholland at around 5:30 am and the last one comes from her – often after 11 pm.
When it was clear early in August that funds had to be raised for people who were badly damaged by the flood the United Way stood up and said “we will do that for you and within hours the public was able to contribute funds to the Flood Relief using the United Way Platform.”
That made a big difference – but as August wound forward into September the United Way realized they had their own fund raising campaign kickoff coming in September – and there was serious concern about the confusion the public might have over – just who were they donating money to?
That meant the Flood Relief operation had to come up with a platform that people could go to. At the request of the United Way of Burlington and Greater Hamilton, the Burlington Community Foundation (BCF) is now accepting all donations in support of BCF Disaster Relief Committee fundraising efforts. As of today, BCF will accept and manage all funds raised by caring community members in support of flood victims.
 This is what it is about – donations. We need money and we need it now. The Committee is now responsible for all aspects of flood relief efforts including raising, holding and disbursing funds. 100% of funds raised go directly to flood victims who need it most.
“We hope this change clarifies the fundraising process and avoids any confusion for donors,” says Colleen Mulholland, President and CEO of the Burlington Community Foundation. “We would like to sincerely thank the United Way for stepping up early to begin the process of collecting donations for the flood relief fund.”
Mulholland expects the donation web site to be fully operational by the end of the day. The “donation thermometer” that is prominent on the web site inches up every time an on-line donation is made. Try is. Go on line – send then $50 and then go back in and see that it has moved. Then go back in and do it again – just to see the thermometer move.
 Is this all for me wonders Burlington Community Foundation Flood Relief cheque presentation. Joining in the occasion are Mayor Rick Goldring who now has an election race on his hands, Steve Stipsits who donated the $25000 and Flood Relief fund raiser Ron Foxcroft. Every Wednesday BCF will add the major corporate donations to the web site. One of those will be a $25,000 donation made this morning by Branthaven Homes. Interesting story behind this donation. Steve Stipsits, chief honcho at Branthaven happens to be Ron Foxcroft’s brother-in-law. Foxcroft took on the task of being the lead fund raiser – you can see where this is going can’t you.
When the presentation was being made this morning Stipsits appeared to be favouring his right arm – the result of some arm twisting no doubt.
The Branthaven organization is one of the several organizations that have made significant donations – expect to see other familiar names added to that list.
A paint store is offering significant discounts, a lube shop is sending $15 to the BCF for every lube job they do – we will get those names to you as soon as we have them.
It has taken a bit of time – longer than anyone expected to get this wagon moving but there is beginning to be some momentum.
There have been some disappointments – one very large organization in the food business decided not to come to the table – unfortunate.
Those disappointments are easier to handle when you reads about the people on Elwood Street who raised $20,000 in four hours
The BCF Disaster Relief Committee has received tremendous community support since the devastating flood on August 4th and $520,000 of cash and in-kind support has been raised to date.
 Burlington Community Foundation president Collen Mullholland stalk with Branthaven Homes president Steve Stipsits in front of the Branthaven head office. The Burlington Community Foundation is proud to celebrate 15 years supporting the highest priority needs in Burlington and helping those most vulnerable in our community. BCF currently manages 72 funds on behalf of individuals, families, corporations and agencies.
You have to buzz to get into the BCF offices on the South Service Road. “The buzzer is going all the time – people walk in with cheques for $100 – several had dropped off cheques doe $1000. The community is pulling together.
 By Staff
September 12, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
They called it Project Safe Start but there was nothing safe or re-assuring about the results.
Halton Regional Police wrapped up the 2014 Project Safe Start campaign by reminding the public to take extra care in and around School Zones and Community Safety Zones.
There are 2470 citizens who have a permanent reminder – they had charges laid against them for various offences.
These include:
Speeding 1286
Seatbelts 53
Stop Signs 197
Driving with Hand Held Device 187
Careless Driving 27
Driving while Suspended 6
Disobey Red Light 32
Other (misc. Highway Traffic Act Offences) 682
During the enforcement phase, several suspended drivers were taken off the road. Keep in mind that all of these charges occurred within School Zones and Community Safety Zones!
That is a scary piece of information.
Vigilance, due care and attention should always be paramount when driving; not just when police hold special campaigns such as Project Safe Start. Halton officers will still be out 24/7 keeping an eye on our roads to ensure safe travel for all.
The children of your friends, neighbours and colleagues have a right to feel safe from harm as they walk to school. Lighten up on that gas pedal. For the 187 that were using hand held devices – you deserve the fine you will get. Idiocy!
By Staff
September 12, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
There are all kinds of ways to help with the Flood Relief Drive. Some of the larger corporations are writing big cheques. Dozens of small neighbourhood groups are holding fund raisers and putting really decent dollars into the Burlington Community Foundation (BCF) Flood Relief account. The BCF hopes to have their web site with the capacity to donate directly on line and see the thermometer rise, “hopefully by the end of the week” said Burlington Community Foundation president Collen Mulholland, who had her fingers crossed as she spoke.
 That lady on the left hand side has turned out to be quite a little fire cracker. She is Mina Wahidi, a candidate for the ward 6 council seat. Beside her is former Mayoral candidate Phillip Papadopoulos – 2010 election and a candidate for ward 2 in this election Mina Wahidi, a candidate for ward 6, worked as the Executive Director for the Compassion Society – one of those jobs where they pay you for 20 hours and you put in at least 40 hours each week, before announcing she was going to run for office. She took a leave of absence to run in the hotly contested ward 6 where she is one of nine candidates.
While knocking on doors she got a look at a number of basements that had been wiped out by the flood and realized there were needs that weren’t being met. Her kids came up with the idea of a location where people could drop off items that were in excellent shape and no longer needed. Why not have a place where people could drop off this kind of item suggested one of her girls
 A quick call to Michael Emshi and she had space donated at 728 Burloak Drive by Emshi Developments. Wahidi expects to have at least four volunteers at the site which will be open Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to noon and in the evenings from 6:00 PM TO 8:00 PM.
This is a 30 day initiative – the need is urgent. Check out what you have that you don’t need and truck it on over to the Burloak location.
The location is NOT accepting cash donations – send your cheques – or better still go on line and make a donation to the Burlington Community Foundation – they are at this location.
By Pepper Parr
September 12, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
At one point there were actually eleven candidates for the ward 6 Council seat – which has to be a bit depressing for incumbent Blair Lancaster.
For candidates to come out of the woodwork at this late date in the election process suggests there are a lot of people who are not happy with the representation they are getting and a number of people who think the lady can be beat.
 Ward 6 mortgage broker with experience as a youth on a Mayor’s Crime Prevention Committee Jivan Sanghera filed his nomination papers earlier this week. One of what we believe is now just nine candidates, is Jivan Sanghera, a ward 6 resident who at one point lived on the same street Lancaster lives on.
Sanghera is part of that diverse community that is beginning to become part of the larger community. He was born in Hamilton and is as Canadian as they get; refreshingly so.
Sanghera will be on the ballot. Later today Angela Morgan, Clerk for the city of Burlington and the person responsible for running the administrative side of the election, will close nominations and on Monday release a list of the people whose names will be on the ballot October 27th.
Jivan Sanghera, who has lived in Burlington since the age of six was born in Hamilton. The 37 year old mortgage broker lists the Air Park as the top priority for the ward, followed by the development of the infrastructure. He also has some strong views on the board of education, but realizes they are not a city council issue.
When 17 years old Sanghera was a member of the Mayor’s Crime Prevention committee and says “the city has been good to me and I am at that point in my life where I can participate in civic affairs.
“My goal as Councillor for Ward 6 in Burlington is to ensure that our tax dollars are spent in an efficient manner, to ensure our services are delivered as expected. The public is entitled to wait times that are hours, not months or years. We are entitled to recreational facilities for all who make up the vibrant community we live in. Ward 6 is by far one of the most ethnically diverse areas in the city, and to watch everyone interact and grow together is a beautiful picture, of not only what this city strives to be, but what this country strives to be.
“We must attract businesses, and employers who can assist in building an even better city by contributing well-paying jobs to the local economy.
“We have wonderful facilities in Arts and Culture that I believe are under-utilized. It would be my goal to open the eyes of residents to the wonderful things happening around town.
“Our medical needs are changing” said Sanghera, who wants to work with health care providers to make sure that we are treated quickly, with a standard of care that anyone would expect for their family.
Sanghera is young, exceptionally well spoken; this guy doesn’t hesitate when asked questions; certainly worth listening to. He will be a participant in the September 24th all candidate debate at Hayden High School.
“When elected you won’t wonder where I am. You will see me on the streets, in the parks, at the hockey rinks, sharing this community with you. With me as your Councillor you will be able to communicate issues as small as a full garbage can, and as large as a matter of public safety.”
“As our city continues to grow and change, we must ensure that our infrastructure can handle the additional pressure. We must ensure that our public transit system reflects the needs of commuters and casual users. It must be a real option to get around the city.”
Refreshing indeed – this young man is worth listening to. His campaign web site is HERE
 By Staff
September 11. 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
Anne Marsden has submitted candidate nomination papers for the office of Mayor for the 2014 Municipal Election.
We will have more to say on this.
By Pepper Parr
September 11, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Everyone knows what happened – a lot of rain came down and the pipes underground couldn`t handle it – which is true.
But there is more to the story than that – and understanding the more is, what will get the city and the Region to the point where they can figure out what they have to do to handle the next big storm. Everyone on this file seems to have assumed that we have not seen our last big rain storm.
City staff prepared an elaborate presentation that set out the full picture – and as ugly as it was – it is a look at what we might be facing for the next 50 years.
 Weather Network map of the part of Burlington where all the rain fell. The rain came over the city in three waves. The rainfall began to approach the city from across the lake at around 1:00 pm and was the first of what is reported to have been three different rain storms.
The 1:00 pm storm was followed by another at 4:00 pm and a final blow at 9:00 pm; the storms basically followed one another.
 The 191 mm of rain worked its way into the creeks and roared into the city – heading for a storm water system that couldn’t deal with the volume. As the rain blew in off the lake and approached the Escarpment the water made its way to the extensive creek structure that drains into Lake Ontario
Members of city council, who are all now in full election mode, tell people that we were not equipped to handle a storm of this size.
The city has creeks, storm sewers, culverts, catch basins, storm ponds, roads and swales to handle large sudden amounts of water. Unfortunately for all of us – we have let the swales and the creeks get away from their intended use and, when we needed them, – they didn`t do the job they were supposed to do for us.
Who is to blame for this – because there are a lot of people in this city who want to blame someone? Ward 5 Councillor Sharman held a meeting at the Pineland Baptist Church that he wanted to characterize as a private meeting. Sharman appears to have an understanding of what the problem was and is – but that didn`t wash all that well with the 30 some odd people who were in the church.
A decent grass roots community has evolved and they are gathering information – but don`t seem to have a sense as to what they want to do. Is there anything they can do?
Councillor Sharman commented frequently that the Region wasn`t anywhere near as forthcoming as they had to be with the homeowners – but he didn`t stress that he was running not just as a city Councillor but as a Regional Councillor as well.
 Creeks had far more vegetation than they were designed for – the Conservation Halton policy of letting the creek beds be as natural as possible – may have been a mistake. Those tree limbs got pushed and began to form dams that prevented the water from flowing into the lake. Water takes the path of least resistance – which turned out to be the streets of the city. To his credit Sharman did manage to get the Region to agree to do a detailed study of the storm water problem at a July meeting of the Region; little did he know then that his ward was to be deluged with rain fall less than three weeks later.
 Contractors were brought in to clear the debris from the badly damaged creeks. Watch for this expense to get reflected in the budget that gets put forward in the New Year, Sharman doesn`t have the political touch that Councillor Jack Dennison has and struggles with many of his constituents. Some of those constituents are flaming mad – one walks about with a thick file of papers urging people to think in terms of a class action suit.
These people are hurting – the financial burden to most of them is exceptionally difficult – and their homes cannot be sold. No one is going to want to live in those communities for some time.
How the city manages this crisis seems odd at times. City hall is focused on the infrastructure – they don’t seem to have anything for the citizens. Any help a citizen is going to get will come from their member of council.
What the city has done is outsourced the raising of funds to help people get at least some of the financial support many of them are going to need. The Burlington Community Foundation has taken on the task of raising funds that they hope will be matched by the province on a two for one basis under a provincial program called ODRAP –Ontario Disaster Relief and Assistance Program.
No one is certain just what the status of that application for help is at this point in time. When the BCF announced how they were going to manage the distribution of funds Mayor Goldring mentioned that this might take a long time – which doesn’t create much comfort or assurance for the people who need help.
The BCF has said they will begin to issue grants of up to $1000 for those people who are desperate and need some cash to cover the daily necessities. They are going to distribute funds even though they don`t know when or even if the province is going to match what the community raises on that two for one program.
Burlington is about to see just how slowly provincial bureaucrats move.
The city did see how fast people can get things done when they are committed, focused and motivated. The Samaritan’s Purse was in the city repairing homes the day after the storm.
 This is what Burlington looked like in the late 1990’s. Trees weren’t all that big and there were few swimming pools.  Same streetscape as above – see all those swimming pools – what did they do to the natural flow of rain water. We know now what they did. During the briefing given at Council on Monday, city staff explained that the problem lies with changes that were made in the Ontario building code and how storm water pipes and sewage pipes were put in place.
Homes built prior to 1968 had to meet a code that called for pipes being put in one way – homes built after 1969 called for a different set up.
Much of the problem rests on weeping tiles and downspouts and where the water that passes through these two parts of a house actually goes.
City staff talked of the “new norm” and how we can prepare for that change. That new norm has been around for more than a decade – In Peterborough there was 193mm of rain on July 15th, 2004. Hamilton got 110mm on July 26th of 2009. Thunder Bay got 91 mm on May 28, 2012.
Peterborough didn’t get a dime from the provincial government – which does not bode well for Burlington’s chances of getting all that much from the provinces ODRAP program. Not much has been heard from MP Ted McMeekin who represents Flamborough just to the west of us. No one is sure that he is at his desk all that much.
The city activated its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at 9:00pm on August 4th. Roads and Parks Maintenance people responded to 103 calls and the city called former city general manager Kim Phillips, who had retired a month earlier, back to city hall to help out. Both the city manager and the Mayor were out of the city and didn’t get back until the following day.
 The colours tell the story. The older sub-divisions adhered to a different building code. There is a direct correlation between the older subdivisions and the flooding. Scott Stewart, City general manager for Development and Infrastructure, was left to handle everything on his own. Interim city manager Pat Moyle referred to Stewart as the “man of action” which he certainly was on this occasion. Stewart lost out to Jeff Fielding when Burlington went looking for a new city manger three years ago. Fielding thought the grass was greener in Calgary and he departed in month 26 of a 60 month contract. Many thought Stewart should have been made at least interim city manager then but because the Kim Phillips retirement was in the works, Council decided to bring in someone to oversee projects and add some stability to the senior management level.
 The 407 – engineered not that long ago – wasn’t able to handle the water that flowed into it. The water roared down the creeks – and found that the 407 was a barrier. Stewart will in all likelihood apply for the job again when it is opened up – that will happen once the municipal election is a done deal. If Stewart doesn’t get the nod this time around – heck he might join Fielding in Calgary; the two of them worked very well in Burlington.
While city hall is doing as much as it can to take care of the infrastructure – much of the problem lays in the way we have managed that infrastructure. The creeks are the responsibility of the Conservation Authority that has a policy of letting the creeks be as natural as possible. That meant they didn’t get all that much done to them in terms of maintenance – which resulted in tree limbs being left in the creeks. Those tree limbs became dams which resulted in serious damage because the water flowing into the creeks couldn’t flow properly. That water backed up and flooded into streets.
 Downspouts that have been set up so that they drain into the storm water system added to the problem. The spouts could not handle the amount of water that was landing on roofs.
The Red Cross was out on the street going door to door 36 hours after the scope of the flood was evident; they made 10,970 calls and did 1,532 assessments and determined that 501 homes will require some form of financial aid. They reported that 271 home had partial or no insurance.
The average cost of restoring homes was set at $18,000 – if you can find a contractor. City general manager Scott Stewart commented that the market for contractors is “red hot” right now.
Red hot is a phrase that some 24 homes in this city will not be using – there are that many homes in one part of the city that may not have furnaces in place before December 1.
Earlier this week Calgary had its first snowfall.
Hard times may be ahead for some of our neighbours.
By Pepper Parr
September 10, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Peter Rusin met with Clerk Angela Morgan this afternoon and paid the fee to file papers that would see his name on the ballot on October 27th as a candidate for the office of Mayor.
 Rusin preparing his nomination papers. Rusin had to scoot to the second floor a couple of times to clear things with the Committee of Adjustment, where he is a backup member.
With the papers signed and a map of the city under his arm and a voters list and the election rules in hand Rusin was ready to hit the streets – right?
Not quite. After getting the paper work done Rusin told the Gazette that he would be meeting with his team and would make a statement before the weekend.
Rusin at city hall – a place he expects to spend much of his time at – he said he believes he can maintain some of his work in the real estate business as well as serve as Mayor. In the few minutes we had with the candidate we learned that he wants to see changes made at many levels. “There is no vision for this city” said Rusin. “We need to bring new jobs and we need to bring new ideas to the council table”, he added.
“The Mayor has a lot of explaining to do” said Rusin “and I am looking forward to asking questions on behalf of the people of this city.
And for the moment – that was it. Rusin did say that he told his wife he was going to run two weeks ago – so this wasn’t an idea he came up with while reading his morning newspaper over a cup of coffee.
Rusin is the father of three children; he is in the real estate business and does a fair amount of work in the expropriation field, where he represents government agencies.
He is listed as an agent with Royal Lepage.
Peter Rusin has 47 days to tell his story.
It didn’t take long for others to form opinions. “He can’t win. Started too late, people don’t know him and residents won’t elect someone perceived to be too close to major development interests. The perception that he is will not help him.”
We can expect others to make similar comments – but until we flesh out just who Peter Rusin is and how he would lead this city – perhaps we should listen to what the man has to say.
In the next few weeks we will learn how popular or appreciated Mayor Rick Goldring is and if people are content with the leadership he has shown.
Some might feel this election is the Mayor’s to lose. Asking Rusin what he would do needs to go along with asking what Mayor Goldring has done.
With two candidates in the race Burlington will be given the opportunity to hear Goldring defend his record. He hasn’t had to do that up until now.
By Sta ff
September 10, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Police in Burlington are seeing an increase in daytime residential break and enters where culprits have gained entry through rear unlocked doors and opened windows where the screens have been cut. These entries have not been limited to main floor windows.
The residences being targeted typically back onto a green space or park while the homeowner is absent between mid-morning and mid-afternoon.
Culprit(s) are rummaging through the master bedrooms in search of valuable jewelry before exiting typically out the back of the residence.
Homeowners are encouraged to ensure their doors and windows are securely locked when they are absent from their homes. They should avoid leaving items accessible that could be used by the culprit(s) to climb onto a low roof in order to gain entry through a second floor window.
Police are vigorously investigating these break-ins and encouraging citizens to immediately report any suspicious people and/or vehicles which they observe in their neighbourhood throughout the day.
Anyone with information that would assist investigators identify the person(s) responsible are asked to call the D/Cst. Scott French of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Residential Crime Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2363 or 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).
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